? My 16 yr old cat gained weight after diabetes diagnosis

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AzChic70

AzChic70

Member Since 2018
My cat Blackie has weighed 10 lbs most of his life.
He will be 17 next month.

Over two weeks ago, he had blood in his urine and was having a hard time peeing so I took him to the vet. He weighed in at 9 lbs 2 ounces.
The doctor said he had high glucose in his urine. He also had "sticky" urine. He gave him a shot of antibiotics and told him to come back in 10 days and test for diabetes.
Sure enough, his glucose levels were high when he was tested.
The doctor put him on one shot a day. About a week later, I noticed his pee was still kind of sticky so the doctor told me to give him 2 shots a day.

I weighed him less than a week ago and his weight was now at 10lbs 4 oz.
I thought he felt a little heavier lately so I just weighed him and he is now at 10 lbs 12 oz!

He doesn't really do anything because of his age and arthritis.

Anyone have any advice on if this is a normal thing?
I will be making an appt for him next week or so for a checkup.
 

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When they are diabetic, their cells are unable to absorb glucose from the blood and become 'starved' of energy. Their body turns to breaking down fats and proteins to feed glucose-starved cells which causes them to lose weight. So, when their glucose levels become more regulated, their cells become more able to properly absorb the glucose, and they gain weight.

I have noticed that weight fluctuates some (for all of us!). Mia seems to usually be around 11.88, but she has varied from 11.64 to 12.06. Sometimes, they just need to have a good poop. :D
 
AzChic70 said:
Thank you for the reply.

Should I cut back on his injections?
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What insulin is it? What dose are you giving? The best way to know if a dose is safe, too much or too little is through home testing. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home. If you are willing to learn we can give you a shopping list.
 
AzChic70 said:
Should I cut back on his injections?
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Don't do this just based on the weight gain. The weight gain is likely a good thing. He is not overweight, is he? As Janet said, the best way to know if the insulin dose is appropriate is by glucose testing. If you are willing to test at home, that is the best way to go.
 
My 16-year-old has gained some weight since her diagnosis. She really needed it. She's a longhaired kitty and I didn't realise how skinny she had become. Testing is important. Check out Janet's video. I found it very instructive when I needed to start testing.
 
JanetNJ said:
What insulin is it? What dose are you giving? The best way to know if a dose is safe, too much or too little is through home testing. I have a video in my signature showing how I test my cat CC at home. If you are willing to learn we can give you a shopping list.
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He is getting two shots a day of ProZinc. 2 cc each shot.
 
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AzChic70 said:
I tried to buy the testing kit a few days ago at Walmart and it looked like a tornado went thru the diabetic section. If I picked a brand for the meter, they didn't have the same brand in the testing strips.
I am going back tomorrow and see if I can find one.
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That’s a shame.

I think it’s really important that you test at home, specifically before each shot.

Just to let you know what happened to myself, I collected my cat from the vets just over a week ago and the vet told me to give 5 units twice a day. Due to blood testing, I have had to lower that amount. I’m not suggesting you do change the insulin at this stage, or don’t but I think it’s really imperative that you get a blood glucose testing kit today from somewhere. It’s also a good idea to set a spreadsheet up on here. Good luck with it all!
 
I took his levels just now and it came up as 229.
When he was first diagnosed, the doctor said it was 420.

In regards to his weight gain, either his weight is in his stomach or he seems a bit bloated.
I watched him poop today a few small pieces and urinated a couple of times.

Does diabetes have something to do with this larger stomach?
 
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Well done on blood testing!
I am not going to be able to answer your query as I’m not experienced enough however I’m sure others will be along soon.
 
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