New (Behavior Changes)

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eednic

Member Since 2014
Hi I'm new to this forum. Our cat, Cole, was diagnosed with diabetes about a year and a half ago, and we have had him on insulin treatment, changed his diet, etc. Although his levels are still too high compared to what it should be ideally, our vet has said to stick with the regimen and just be consistent. I'm giving him 2 shots per day, 4 units, with food. We have 2 cats, and the other one is very healthy.

Cole seemed to be doing well on this regimen for quite some time, but in the past couple of weeks his hunger seems out of control and his behavior is changing. He has started trying to steal food, right off of our plates! I left a box of cookies on the counter over the weekend and caught him trying to tear it open with his teeth. I managed to get the box away in time. He is also growing more aggressive towards me, biting me, often tripping me. He follows me everywhere, paws at the door and bites it when I am in the bathroom, etc. He isn't doing this to my fiancee, just me. I am the one who feeds him and gives him his shots, so I guess I understand why it is directed towards me.

He seemed to be doing so well on this insulin for a while, and these behavior changes are quite recent. I know we need to follow up with the vet, but in the meantime, this cat is driving me crazy. We also have a dog, and he is sometimes very mean to her for no apparent reason, just smacks her in the face while she is sitting there minding her own business. It doesn't matter if I have just fed him 5 minutes prior, he acts like he hasn't eaten in weeks every time he sees ME. Not my fiancee, JUST ME. I should also point out that Cole was my fiancee's cat, now he is OURS, but for 10 years, my fiancee is the one who cared for him before I came along, and I have been the person feeding him most of the time for the past 2 years/giving the shots since he was diagnosed.
 
Hello, and welcome to you and to your cat, Cole. :smile:

You've found the best site on the planet for help with feline diabetes. And we will help you all we can.

May I ask you some questions:
What insulin are you using?
What are you feeding Cole?
How often are you feeding him?

Also,
Do you test Cole's blood glucose at home? And if not, would you be willing to learn? (It's not difficult to learn and should not hurt Cole at all, but it can take a few goes to get the hang of it. Most of us use an ordinary glucose meter made for humans.)

The change in behaviour could have many causes, but might be caused by Cole's blood glucose levels being either too high or too low.
Does Cole have any other health issues?

Eliz
 
What insulin are you using? I think it's Lantus. I'm not home right now, but I can doublecheck when I get home.
What are you feeding Cole? Blue wet food (Wilderness)
How often are you feeding him? 2 to 3 times per day. I can't come home at lunch to feed him mid-day, but if I have the day off, I will usually give him some extra, which is where the 3 times per day comes in.

I do not test his glucose at home, but I am willing to learn.

He does not have other health issues that I know of. Prior to being diagnosed, he would pee on the couch almost every day. He is not doing that anymore, even with his recent behavior changes. He did have ketoacidosis in October 2013, and we almost lost him. He was in kitty ICU for 4 days. Since then, he has been doing really well (playful, energetic, snuggly) but the past couple of weeks, all havoc has broken loose, but only as it pertains to me. He rarely, if ever, displays this kind of behavior towards my fiancee.
 
Hi eednic,

I'm sorry I can't help you with the problems Cole is having right now. (I'm just not knowledgeable enough.) However, the symptoms you described sound very similar to the symptoms another board member posted recently. I wanted to share that info in case it might be helpful to you.

Here's the link to that board member's post with a full discussion of the symptoms her cat has: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=116025

One of the members there mentioned:

Has he had bloodwork done recently? I would check his thyroid....insatiable appy and aggression are two classic symptoms of an overactive thyroid.
Click to expand...

It definitely sounds like it's worth taking Cole to the vet for some blood work.

I hope everything works out well!
Shelly
 
Yes I would get his thyroid tested. The vet told me a story of cat they had in there that was so mean she could not even touch it. But after being treat for thyroid it became quite calm and she was then able to handle it.

Terri
 
Thanks for the information about the thyroid! I think Cole is due for a quarterly visit soon, and I will definitely ask the vet about his thyroid and having it tested. It just gets worse and worse every day and it's freaking me out! Thanks again!!!
 
it's also possible that he simply needs more insulin. a cat with high blood sugar does not get the nutrition from what they are eating. the glucose floating about in their blood is the food that gets into the cell and nourishes the cat. if his blood sugar is always high, he's going to be starving, literally, and need more food than he's currently getting. is his weight stable? losing? or gaining?

i want to encourage you to learn to hometest. it's hard for the first few days, then it gets easier, and in 2 weeks you'll be "WOOHOO I've got it!" :-D

When you have blood sugar numbers then we can point you in the right direction.

i'm not on the right computer to have all my links to hometesting suggestions, but it really is simple. you need a human glucometer - many people find Relion or Arkray meters to be good and inexpensive. You buy strips that work with a particular meter. I used a Relion Confirm (bought at Walmart) then generic strips called Arkray fit with them. i registered at http://www.mrrebates.com and went through their site to American Diabetes Wholesale to buy testing strips and other supplies.
 
It seems like it could also be that his insulin needs have gone down and he needs more food to cover for it... I guess you'll find out for sure with a vet visit, and/or if you start home-testing.
 
Could you please give us more specific information on which Blue Wilderness wet foods you are feeding?
 
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