Monday diagnosis, need some advice & experiences

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Tara and Austin (Aussie)

Tara and Austin (Aussie)

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My kitty got his diagnosis this Monday, I've done all my readings on this forum & reached out to one person in my area so far (who has been great!)

I don't do home testing, as the real diagnosis was just this Monday. I asked the vet and he said not to do it now, some people he treats do it but it's a huge commitment and we should just focus on baby steps - like injections, etc. The reason I brought the cat in in the first place is he was drinking and peeing way more than usual for about 2 weeks. Appetite the same (always picky with some things, voracious w/others), pooping the same, otherwise a lazy cat. He HATES car rides, being in the carrier, going to the Doctor, dogs, etc. So whenever we have taken him to the vet in the past his stress goes through the roof (open mouth panting, crazy breathing, etc). He has major issues with separation. In short we adopted him 2 years ago - he was about 6 years old than. Obese cat, very loved and then just put in a shelter with other animals to free roam for about 4 months. I don't like subjecting him to stress and being scared. So it's been 2 years and we have our routines and feed him a crappy diet (I've learned) but think we are treating him. Anyway, he didn't seem himself so I took him to the vet. Because he's so obese (27 lbs) they couldn't palpate much and gave him an Xray work up, urine analysis, blood analysis. When they did a dip stick test right before we left he was in the 400's for his blood/glucose. And of course they are concerned he's diabetic. The next day they call me and say the urine and blood results are good in that show no signs of an infection or disease but of course the BG is high and he is diabetic and will need 2 shots a day. She was just going so fast, it was like a blur to me.
We started him on a new diet and got him in a weight loss clinic to be weighed about once a month as well. The diet is Purina DM and he likes it so far, and we have resigned to never give him treats, dry food or human food EVER again. Since Tuesday to today, the drinking has stopped and the urine balls in the litter have become normal size. Because of his high stress history, I am really concerned about putting him on insulin and want to just see if this diet will help regulate and maintain and do a wait and see approach....this vet wanted to give him a shot Tuesday night. I went in for the script without the cat, and learned about giving shots, asked all my questions, met a different vet as mine wasn't there (liked him better). I just feel like I want to give the diet and weight clinic a real shot and keep an eye on the drinking and cat box. But I'm afraid I'll make things worse for him somehow. Kind of hard to figure it all out. I am thinking maybe I'll buy some home test supplies at Walmart and see where he is at on Saturday while CALM and at home to start.
 
Hi there :)

Lots of us really hoped that the diet change would be sufficient, but I'm not sure I remember any cats for whom it was enough. HOnestly? Don't postpone the insulin. Your cat's best chance at remission is to have insulin and the diet change; even if remission doesn't happen your cat will have fewer complications. Add to that hometesting and you really would be doing the most you can for your cat.

I know this is all overwhelming, but we've been there/done that/bought the tshirt and can help :-D
 
ps there are lots of treats you can give that are low in carbohydrates, and you CAN give some people food as long as it is meat. Finally, Purina DM is not the greatest quality food so if your cat doesn't like it, don't despair. For more on food see www.catinfo.org
 
Thanks Jen & Squeak :razz:
Fortunately, he does like the Purina DM. What we used to do is give him protein treats, dried protein treats he LOVES (Halo), and a variety of the Wellness, Halo, and "better" canned cat food choices. However, we also fed him a 1/2 cup of dry and he grazed on that all day. The dry food choices were all over the place, and my Mom would give him a million Temptations style treats, friskies, cheap stuff. He loves everything.
The vet said our main problem was that we fed him off our own stuff and said protein treats should only be used on kittens and puppies learning how to go to the bathroom in the right place. That from here on out ONLY the recommended dosage of DM, because Drs have done millions of dollars worth of research on the diet and losing weight and keeping healthy and any changes AT ALL to that diet would cause the animal to gain weight and the BG to go out of whack. Basically scaring us that any treats at all are killing him.

The thing is he showed immediate improvement in energy and drinking/urinating and I am watching him like a hawk now and am feeling positive.
 
Hi and welcome!

In your situation particularly, hometesting before starting on insulin sounds like an excellent idea. High stress at the vet and not really a terribly high glucose number (blood glucose, right? confused when you said dipstick, which made me think of a urine test), that could be a situation that would make a cat appear diabetic at the moment when they really aren't.

You said that a change in diet has already made the drinking and urine output go back to normal. Did I understand that correctly? Since there are no other health problems than obesity and high glucose on that one day, I think a short try at just a diet change *with* hometesting might be a good way to go right now. (If the glucose levels are still high after a few days on the new diet, then do think about insulin. Better not to delay too long in that situation.)

Many cats eat DM fine for a while but then won't touch it. If that happens, there are plenty of less expensive diabetes-friendly and weight-loss-friendly foods out there. Actually, if the cost of the DM bothers you, you could go to a less expensive food right away. (In this case, less expensive doesn't mean lower quality. It's really the opposite: a properly chosen non-prescription food can be both less expensive and higher quality.)

Treats don't have to be out the window forever. There are 100% meat freeze-dried treats that are fine for diabetics and are low calorie. My cats absolutely love PureBites chicken treats. (Last time I looked, the lowest price was at King Wholesale [online], but these treats are available at a lot of places. Just Google the name. You might even find them at a local pet store - probably a mom-and-pop store rather than a chain.) Halo Liv-a-Littles treats are also good. Of course, you would give treats only in small amounts and you would count them as part of the calorie intake for the day.

Read everything you can find and ask lots of questions. We're happy to help you figure out this new situation!
 
Unfortunately your vet seems to have bought the lines fed to him by the pet food company. Protein treats are fine, and up to 20% of the diet from unsupplemented food like chicken, etc. are just fine. Purina DM dry is horrible food and DM canned isn't that great either, just read the label. But don't take my word for it, read what Dr LIsa has to say at www.catinfo.org
 
That from here on out ONLY the recommended dosage of DM, because Drs have done millions of dollars worth of research on the diet and losing weight and keeping healthy and any changes AT ALL to that diet would cause the animal to gain weight and the BG to go out of whack. Basically scaring us that any treats at all are killing him.
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Hmmm...I heard that from my vet too, as he took about $50 from my hand for 1 bag of food. I also read that same "line" in the brouchures from Purina, so all that tells me is my vet can READ too! :lol: If they spent millions on reasearch and were only concerned about keeping cats healthy then why do they spend another million on advertising (including the fact that Purina advetises that other junk stuff on TV etc. all the time) and why do they collect another 5 billion on the sale of it? Sorry you are not paying for a quality food, and you are not getting one either, you are paying so that they can spend millions on advertising and "studies" to sell you something in turn padding thier pockets nicely.

In Germany there's a great book about cat nutrition called "Katzen wurde Mause kaufen" translated Cats would buy mice. That would be the perfect diet, and I don't think a bunch of cats spent a million on studying the value of mice or on advertising for it!

Please read Dr. Lisa's site cats are carnivores and protien is the mainstay of thier diet rather kitten or all grown up. Protien hardly effects BG at all.
 
There were no so-called 'prescription' diets when my cat went into remission on a simple course of high quality canned food supplemented by 'people' protein at every meal and for snacks and treats. Remission after the diet change took 10 days.

The quality of the misnamed 'prescription' foods -- there are no pharmaceutical ingredients in any of them so how can they claim to be 'prescription? -- is very low compared with foods that use muscle meats rather than organ meats and contain high amouts of cheap grain fillers. Please don't take my word for this. Compare the ingredients in your alphabet junk with those in Wellness, Merrick, Fancy Feast and even Friskies and Nine Lives. The ingredients speak for themselves.

As for depriving my cats of protein treats from our meals, I find that cruel. We are a family and we have family meals.
 
Welcome to our FDMB family and be patient with yourself. You sound like you really love your cats, so you have come to the perfect place. Get some chocolate, sit back and get ready to read. Also, remember Every Cat Is Different. (ECID) Also, remember opinions may vary sometimes on this board, so you may get different views. Unfortunately, that is human nature.

Sorry this is very long, but there is a lot to say! Also, remember we were ALL newbies once and are feeling just like you are right now! :) OK……..breathe………. :RAHCAT

You do not need any type of prescription food or “special” diabetic food. Janet & Binky’s chart is on the top of this page! Low carb is best for diabetics. I try to stay around 10% or under. I feed Whiskas, 9-Lives and mostly Friskies. Diabetes is very treatable and does not cost as much as you would think. If you are giving a high dose of insulin and feeding dry, be careful with switching to canned food. You MUST reduce the insulin at the same time you switch to canned food.

Please create a profile if you have not already done so. It will help us to help you. We need to know what kind of insulin you are on, what needles you are using (U-40 or U-100), what are you feeding, how much insulin you are giving and when, BG test results, etc. There are many people on this board from all over the world, so it will be helpful to know what area and time zone you are in. ~O)

Remember that your cat is YOUR cat, and YOU are paying your VET to help you take care of him; diabetes was probably a day or two worth of notes when the vet was in college; it is probably NOT a day-to-day existence with his own cat trying to maintain a quality of life. Sorry to say, but I would have overdosed my guys on insulin if I followed my vet's advice. Vets, unfortunately are not as knowledgeable as they should be on diabetes.

Sometimes, as I did, you have to take a leap of faith and trust these people on this board who deal with diabetes day in and day out. Trust me. You will not be disappointed. OK………..breathe again……….get some chocolate…….. cat_pet_icon

Also, please realize that it takes insulin about a week to settle. START LOW AND GO SLOW!! The usual starting dose from our experiences is 1u twice a day for at least a week. Insulin in cats is NOT and I repeat NOT based on weight. This is a misconception that a lot of us have gotten from our vets here. pc_work

You have to be patient, as I also had to learn!! Do not adjust the dose upwards based on one test. Don’t freak out based on one test result. As long as the levels stay on the high side, keep the same dose twice a day for at least the initial week period and you should see improvements. When you have some time (hee hee), read my profile.

If you are not hometesting already, you really need to start!! Hometesting is VERY important. Think of it as a human diabetic does. *If it were you or a child of yours, you'd be testing blood glucose levels at home prior to each shot; you'd be working with your doctor to determine a proper dose based on those shot results, correct?* Some vets do not agree with hometesting and I cannot for the life of me understand why. Most vets, sadly are not knowledgeable enough in feline diabetes. Insulin is a VERY powerful drug and you NEED to hometest before giving a shot. This is very important. The vet would rather have you bring the cat to them, stress it out more, which may spike the levels anyway and then they can charge you $$. Hometesting saved me a lot of money and it is VERY important for you personally to know the cat’s levels and how it is reacting to the insulin before you shoot so you do not pass up your ideal dosage.

Thanks to everyone's help here I learned to home test 2 cats and they both got off insulin within 3 weeks with diet change…but of course, they reacting both DIFFERENTLY with the process. If I can do it with 2 cats twice a day (and more on curve days), ANYONE can do it. It does NOT hurt them as much as you think it does. It just stings for a moment and then it is gone, you can try it on yourself. Also, put pressure on the ear after poking and it should minimize the nub. They won't mind it once they start feeling better. I use the True Track meter (CVS or Walgreens brand) which I love. And, the strips are also reasonable. Also, remember to give them a treat after the test. Here is a link to a member videos on hometesting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zE12-4fVn8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ6iXetR398

I would not feed DRY food if at all possible. Of course, it is better than nothing – you MUST get them to eat if you are giving insulin, but if there is any chance, get them off the dry. I took my guys off dry and within a month they were off insulin. Again, remember that switching from dry to wet can cause a drop in blood sugars, so you MUST reduce insulin at the same time to make sure you are not giving too much insulin. I truly believe also that I saved some of my many others from developing diabetes. I also saved so, so much money changing them all to regular canned cat food.
When Blackie and Jackie got diagnosed, I was afraid to start shots. The people on this board made me realize it was no big deal. (They went on PZI insulin around 3-25-06 and went off on 4-18-06! :) Please also realize that diet plays a BIG, BIG part in insulin needs. I switched my cats off dry food to all wet and I was never so happy. It was a challenge to try to regulate 2 cats at once.


Welcome to the Sugar Dance. flip_cat
Welcome to the Vampire Club.

If I can do it, ANYONE can!!!
It does get easier. Trust us.

You need to test BEFORE you shoot. It usually goes: Test, Feed, Shoot



There's a saying something like "better the sugar level is too high for a day than too low for a minute".
 
As for depriving my cats of protein treats from our meals, I find that cruel. We are a family and we have family meals.
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haha_smiley haha_smiley

I like that Gia! But I do object to Spooky stealing a bite of my chocolate cheesecake! :roll:
 
Hi Tara-

What kind of insulin is the vet suggesting? My cat Boomer is on Lantus which at first seemed expensive because it was about $100 for a vial until I found out it lasts for about 6 months. Others-chime in please if this isn't correct.

When I started here my cat was peeing and eating more than normal. I've had a diabetic before so I know the signs. I've also had another diabetic cat in the family - my mom's cat Francis who is still unregulated on PZI (type of insulin) and Mom's having a heck of a time with him. I'm a cheerleader for Lantus (insulin) because there is an established dosing protocol that can be followed and it seems to work. Boomer has already had a dose reduction after a short time on it.

After his DX the vet didn't try to push any prescription food on me, thank goodness, because it's so expensive and I've learned that it's not the best choice. I've learned about low carb wet food (lcw) and began making better food choices for Boomer. There is a link on the board to food charts that volunteers have put together for us which outline the exact amount of carbs in canned food. The suggestion is to stay at 10% carbs or less. So that's what I do. Fancy Feast, (FF), Friskies in the pouch and certain types PetSmart Brand (Sophisticat) are what I feed Boomer. I stand in PetSmart with my charts and pick the low carb foods. And i bought an autofeeder so he can eat at certain times while I'm at work. No more dry for grazing. No more Temptations - he was an addict! He gets freeze dried chicken (for dogs) I found in PetSmart. And I test at home. We have an established routine and I feel like an expert now! :roll: At fist testing was challenging, but now we're both good at it and I feel safe giving him insulin because I know what his BG is. I don't have to worry while I'm at work.

Hopefully you'll get more info form more expericed people soon. In the meantime, please let us know what insulin the vet suggests if you go that route.
 
Icedregular said:
Thanks Jen & Squeak :razz:
Fortunately, he does like the Purina DM. What we used to do is give him protein treats, dried protein treats he LOVES (Halo), and a variety of the Wellness, Halo, and "better" canned cat food choices. However, we also fed him a 1/2 cup of dry and he grazed on that all day. The dry food choices were all over the place, and my Mom would give him a million Temptations style treats, friskies, cheap stuff. He loves everything.
The vet said our main problem was that we fed him off our own stuff and said protein treats should only be used on kittens and puppies learning how to go to the bathroom in the right place. That from here on out ONLY the recommended dosage of DM, because Drs have done millions of dollars worth of research on the diet and losing weight and keeping healthy and any changes AT ALL to that diet would cause the animal to gain weight and the BG to go out of whack. Basically scaring us that any treats at all are killing him.

The thing is he showed immediate improvement in energy and drinking/urinating and I am watching him like a hawk now and am feeling positive.
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Well that's a little silly considering cats are obligate carnivores. I wanted to mention we actually have seen a few cats get diet controlled without insulin, though it's unusual not to need it at least a little while. I hope you do start testing. It will help. Definitely look at Dr. Lisa's site, especially her weight journey with Benny. I have a friend who followed her formulat to a T with Wellness and he got the extra 4 lbs off his cat in about 6 or 7 months.
 
WELCOME, this forum is a great place to gain knowledge and really learn how to manage feline diabetes. By doing just a few things each day (that really won't take up much of your time at all), you won't need to worry about losing your precious cat, not where feline diabetes is concerned.

There are three key factors to managing diabetes: food/nutrition, home testing and insulin

1) Feline Nutrition: Now, as far as diet - definitely dump the dry food (if you are feeding any) and if the vet recommends purchasing prescription food like DM just say "no thank you". ALL cats, and especially those with diabetes, do best on a species appropriate diet that is high in protein and low in carbs. Dry food DOES NOT fit that bill and DM food, even canned, just really isn't that great as far as quality. Most here on FDMB feed low carb/high protein canned, raw bought from a pet store or they make there own.

Here great links, one is to a food chart put together by one of our board members that breaks down the carb % and protein % of most of the commercial brand foods. You want to keep the carb % below 10% and around 7% is great. The other link is to a site by a vet "Dr. Lisa DVM" ... who also posts on this board from time to time ... there is in-depth info. there about many things, including nutrition and how to make raw food.

Nutrition/food info

The good thing with feeding your diabetic cat this way, is that it is ALSO good for any non-diabetic cat too. All your cats can safely eat the same food without worry and it may save you some costs and headaches of having to do separate feedings and keeping track of what they are eating.

2. Home testing: It is impossible to convey the value of testing your cat's BG (blood glucose) level at home. Some vets will "suggest" this, but most won't even mention it. They will send you home with insulin and an amount to shoot and maybe some instructions about hypoglycemia (blood sugar dropping to a dangerously low level).

Well, the thing is, human diabetics don't EVER give themselves insulin without checking there BG to make sure it is safe to do so, so why shouldn't it be the same for our kitties. Here on FDMB it is. You will notice that the vast majority of people here test their cat's BG at least 2x/day (before giving each shot to make sure the level is safe enough) and periodically at other times to see how the cat is responding to the current dose. We use a human glucometer, test strips and lancets - which are all very readily available and easy to use.

Our kitties get lots of love and treats for "putting up" with this and most of them actually come out to be tested on their own 'cause they want those treats . Here is a collection of great links that "Carolyn and Spot" pulled together about hometesting. See what you think ... it truly is the best way to not only keep Your cat safe but also really get a handle on this disease and help him to live a healthy life with FD (feline diabetes).

Home testing Links

3. Insulin: There are several types of insulin available. Many people, myself included use Lantus or Levimer both of which are great insulins. They are gentle insulin and given twice (BID) per day in 12 hour increments.

Please read up on the insulins available, here is a link to the Insulin Support Groups:

Insulin Support Groups

However, one caveat and again this shows how these three things are inter-related:

If you are feeding dry food or even a high carb food, BEFORE removing these foods, please make sure of your insulin dose as it will most likely need to be reduced, so as to avoid a possible hypoglycemic situation due to the removal of the dry/high carb foods that will lower the BG’s and reduce the amount of insulin required. Again, another reason why home testing is important.

I know this all seems like a lot, and that's because it is ... there is a learning curve here. But as long as you are determined and keep at it, you will have it down before you know it and you'll be seeing the results in Your cat' overall health and happiness. Ask all the questions you can think of - that's why we are here!

Also, if you haven't done it yet, take the time and fill out your profile. It will help when others come on and read this. Also, let us know where you live - city/state as there are probably people in your area who can provide on the ground support and help you to learn home testing, etc.
 
Hey everyone, sorry for disappearing like that. I've been doing my readings, plus work = overload!

As I discussed with Traci and Boomer (who oddly are down the street from where I live!) I am not even sure what insulin was recommended to me. I just took the script straight to the drugstore. The vial was $113 and I haven't picked it up yet given that we weren't set for a shot until Saturday. Lots of other annoying things popped up like $120 for a more indepth urine analysis w/my permission, but the cost was never gone over, the weight loss clinic and cat nutritionist I was excited to start using is ONLY if you buy the DM at the vet...now the cat is turning his nose up at the DM and giving me pleading looks...

Basically I'm trying to figure out what a great low carb diet would be for him, and a diet that would help him lose weight. I am doing the math on calories vs weight, etc. For instance right now he has been prescribed 5.5 ounces of DM in the morning and up to 8.25 ounces for dinner. What is the equivalent calorie wise with something he likes. I can't find DM on Benny's list....Also, he isn't even eating half of that.

Thanks everyone so much for your guidance and immediate responses. Myself, my fiance and my kitty totally appreciate it.
 
Oliver was 16 pounds when we started on this journey - after years of hoping he would lose weight on Science Diet light. (What a mistake!) We started him immediately after coming on this site with gluten free Fancy Feast, under 8% carbs and fish only once a week or so. We started on 2.5 - 3 of the small cans spread out over 4 small meals a day. (Cats who are unregulated are literally starving and will want to eat more as their bodies are not metabolizing the food well.) Within two months, we were able to cut back to 2 cans a day and Oliver had lost 3 pounds! He was a leaner Maine Coon!

Lots of us have found that the wet lo carb food is a good diet (literally) and that kitties become leaner and more healthy. I think someone gave you Janet and Binky's chart for food and carb values, but just in case: http://www.felinediabetes.com/diabetic-cat-diets.htm
 
I think you've got a fairly simple food solution already right here:

What we used to do is give him protein treats, dried protein treats he LOVES (Halo), and a variety of the Wellness, Halo, and "better" canned cat food choices.
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Keep doing this.

However, we also fed him a 1/2 cup of dry and he grazed on that all day. The dry food choices were all over the place, and my Mom would give him a million Temptations style treats, friskies, cheap stuff. He loves everything.
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Stop doing this.

A few caveats though: Not all Wellness or other premium foods are low carb. Check out the links to the charts to see which ones are. I'm still having some doubts on his blood glucose level, so I'm thinking it wouldn't hurt to change the diet and test for a short time and see where he is. But like someone else said, don't wait too long on the insulin. Dump the dry and the high-carb treats, and stick with canned low-carb stuff. Wellness is high calorie, as are some other premium foods. But I think the dry and bad snacks are the main culprit of the overweight. The idea is to feed him the proper amount of calories to lose weight. I don't know what the "current" suggestion is. My cats are eating like 18-20 calories a pound for maintenance. Better quality food will have more "usable" calories. It's not good to suddenly drop calorie intake too much, so you may want some guidance there. The Halo treats are fine, just don't go crazy with them. And everyone will have to learn to "just say no" when he starts begging. Maybe save out a little of his canned and use it for in-between snacks.

A clinic for overweight cats? Now I've heard everything. Grab him and step on the scale. Then drop him. Subtract. Not as accurate but it'll do in a pinch.

Definition of "diabetic diet" -- the diet ALL cats should be on anyway. You don't need a prescription to feed a cat-appropriate diet for pete's sake! Unfortunately it's difficult to fight all that advertising (the one thing Hills does well).

Just to clarify something. It sounded to me like the 400 was a urine glucose level? (Sammy was off the chart, like 2000+ whatever it was.) What was the blood glucose level?
 
Hi Erimess. Thanks for your thoughtful reply.
After lots and lots of reading and research and calls to the right. I think you are right. We are going to stick with the good food choices and dried treats he loves (that are protein only) and cut out the dry which he doesn't miss after about a week of it gone. I am going to test him today and see how he's doing. I won't hold off on insulin if he seems to be unhappy, but in just a little less than a week both myself and my fiance have seen a huge change in the cat. Normal water drinking if any. Normal urine and poops. Playing with us when we get home with the string toys and last night chased a mouse around, which we haven't seen him do in quite a while! Not sure if it's laziness or the mice we buy though, he can be weird.

As for the weight clinic when I called to inquire about the appt I was told you HAVE to stick with the regimented diet plan they put you on - which is R/D. He was on R/D when he came out of the shelter and I know he doesn't like AND I know it's not even a good food. I mentioned that the VETS OFFICE put him on DM they said I would have to either switch him or get a specific permission from the Doctor to the nutritionist. She was also really put off and rude with me for asking at all. In short, I said let's just save energy and time and cancel the appt and I bought a baby scale we will start using and go from there.

THEN when I requested the results from the super indepth urine analysis that I was charged $120 for without being told I was being charged $120 - they said they still had no results and the Dr. would call Saturday (this is after using the same blood drawn on Monday). The Dr has called me now and said that "she is trying to get in touch because I called and left a message that I had a question"...they are annoying me and I am best getting a second opinion at this point or at least someone who specializes in FD.

I bought some raw food at a specialty shop nearby (Nature's Promise). So far the cat is turning his nose up at it. I tried the whole food variety in the past which was a disaster. I blended the raw w/Wellness....no go. So now I have a fairly accurate amount of good calories he should be on to lose weight, he's happy, but...not eating like the pig he used to be. Is it better to put out what he should be eating in wet, let him go hungry if he chooses not to eat and then just keep trying? I took away the DM as he abandoned that too. He is picky and loves his gravies. A note...he has almost no teeth (that is just the way we got him) so he needs softer to get more in his mouth.

Thanks for listening and helping.
 
Some ways to make wet food more interesting

Add warm water and mix it up till soupy. That makes a little like the gravy ones.
Warm it up in microwave until nice and stinky.
Add parmesan cheese.
Add tuna juice.

What we will do for our kitties........
 
Thanks again! Its so gross to have stinky cat food WITH parm cheese but he does loves cheese....
Also, reading back in my entries I realize I've transposed a lot of words like blood for urine or vice versa ..super tired! sorry!

Still no urine results and aggrivated. I'm going to assume not much is wrong as an "emergency" result I would hope would be an immediate call.
 
After lots and lots of reading and research and calls to the right. I think you are right. We are going to stick with the good food choices and dried treats he loves (that are protein only) and cut out the dry which he doesn't miss after about a week of it gone. I am going to test him today and see how he's doing. I won't hold off on insulin if he seems to be unhappy, but in just a little less than a week both myself and my fiance have seen a huge change in the cat.
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It's great he doesn't miss the dry. Maybe something inside him knows it's not good. :mrgreen: Nice that he's doing well. Hard to believe a little difference in food in that short a time would change him that much.


As for the weight clinic when I called to inquire about the appt I was told you HAVE to stick with the regimented diet plan they put you on - which is R/D. He was on R/D when he came out of the shelter and I know he doesn't like AND I know it's not even a good food. I mentioned that the VETS OFFICE put him on DM they said I would have to either switch him or get a specific permission from the Doctor to the nutritionist.
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That is just so ludicrous. Am I reading right that the permission to use a different food is FROM the vet TO the nutritionist? As in, the nutritionist at the weight clinic? Who insists it has to be R/D? I have to say I have serious doubts about that "nutritionist"s credentials. Sounds more like a place sponsored by Hills that's just a load of you know what. I never knew that was going on. Really frustrating to hear. I'm glad you were able to stand up to them though. It can be difficult sometimes. (I don't care anymore what people like that think. In fact, let me call them. That would be loads of fun. :lol: )

As for getting lab work, you have a right to that. You might remind them of that. Remind them it's your cat as well, not theirs. I hate places that are so uncooperative about that junk. I can just call my clinic and ask them to fax me anything I want and they do, or copy it next time I'm there. And the vet calls me personally on any lab work done. (Hearing all these stories makes me appreciative of them.)

Is it better to put out what he should be eating in wet, let him go hungry if he chooses not to eat and then just keep trying?
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Hmm, you can't let him go real long without food, but you can try that for a while til he gets good and hungry and see if he eats it. catinfo.org is Dr. Lisa's site - she's got hints there about about feeding. He's so very overweight -- I wonder what is safe. I don't actually hang around here much so I don't know how to get her attention. Hopefully someone else can chime in on that.

Sounds like you're off to a good start and heading the right direction. Good to hear.
 
Hey Girl. Good to see you back. Guess what? There are gravy foods on Janet's chart that are low carb. My Boomer is a gravy guy so I search them out. Here are some:

Friskies Box of Poulty Favorites in Pouches - this box contains 3 varieties with gravy. Two are ten carbs and one is eleven. The flavors are Seared Filets with Beef and Chicken (11 carbs), Seared Filets with Turkey and Giblets (10) and Fine cuts with Chicken and Gravy.(10 carbs)

Sophistacat Supreme (small can) PetSmart brand-sliced duck with wild rice (10 carbs), Sliced turkey dinner (10 carbs)

Friskies big can: Tender Cuts Chicken and Salmon in Gravy, 9 carbs

And there are more too - these are the ones I bought the other night. The ones that are sliced tend to have gravy in them even if it's not listed.

Remind me - are you starting insulin soon? Did you pick it up yet? Or any of the home testing stuff?
 
You said he loves Halo, didn't you? If he won't eat enough wet food, try crushing a piece of his favorite flavor of Halo and sprinkling it on the food you want him to eat - like "salting" the food with the dried treat. Often kitties will go for the dry sprinkles and then keep eating the wet stuff.

He definitely shouldn't go very long without eating, but a good portion of one day is fine (like the time between breakfast and dinner). Given that he's overweight, you may be accustomed to his eating more than he really needs. Your expectations may need to adjust as much as his actual eating needs to adjust.
 
Hey, ya know what, all of the Friskies pouches are 11% or under. (That gravy thing just went right over my head.) The seared filet ones are 10-11% and the fine cuts ones are 8-9%, at least according to Janet's charts cause that's where I copied it from. I was happy when I saw that a few months ago, cause even tho I no longer have a diabetic I don't want another one (!) and one of mine LOVES pieces.

And yes, use the Halo to sprinkle on food. It works great with a lot of cats. I have to do it all the time and am surprised I didn't think of it.
 
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