New member- feeding info needed.

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Marcia-n-Chinker

Marcia-n-Chinker

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Hi, My male cat, 12 yrs old (Chinker) dx on Dec. 5, 18, vet instructed to feed 2x times a day, with 200 cals restriction. He is very thin at 7#, normal is 8-9#. I have switched to feeding 3x a day because he starving hungry all the time and I don't agree with the calorie restriction, hes underweight. My concern is how does this effect the BG numbers and the timing of when to do the BG test?

This is a great forum, I'm learning a lot.
 
Welcome! Most of us feed more than twice a day and if the kitty is underweight we feed as much as he/she wants, usually divided into several small meals to avoid "scarf and barf". You have good instincts for what your kitty needs. :)

Sounds like you'll be testing BG at home and that's great - best way to keep Chinker safe. Here's the basic testing routine we recommend:
  1. test every day AM and PM before feeding and injecting (no food at least 2 hours before) to see if the planned dose is safe
  2. test at least once near mid cycle or at bedtime daily to see how low the BG goes
  3. do extra tests on days off to fill in the response picture
  4. if indicated by consistently high numbers on your SS, increase the dose by no more than 0.25 u at a time so you don't accidentally go right past a good dose
  5. post here for advice whenever you're confused or unsure of what to do.
You can see that the only time food should be removed is for the 2 hours prior to the AM and PM tests. Kitties who are grazers can have access to food all the time except for those two 2 hour windows. If you've been reading on the forum you also know that canned low carb food is best for a diabetic cat and it doesn't have to be an expensive prescription food.

Ask any questions you have. This is a small friendly forum.
 
Hi. The AAHA guidelines say it is ideal to feed four times a day (using an auto-feeder, if needed) and that it is okay to free-feed if the cat is underweight. Like Kris said, just do not allow access to food 2 hours before you take the pre-shot glucose test.
 
Thanks you for the info, it helps. I'm full of questions, I'll throw out a few at a time. When it comes to BG testing thru out the day, lets say I feed him at +5.5 and then test +6, isn't the BG high because I fed food half hr before testing? How is that accurate, I don't understand. Also, if fed 3 cans today and yesterday I fed 4 cans, I use Fancy Feast classic, does that make a difference? I'm thinking it does, more carbs, right? Its just some days his tummy is bottomless. How do you say no to crying baby following you around for more food, breaks my heart.
 
While you definitely want to avoid food 2 hours before each shot so you don't shoot a higher number, it's okay to feed other times. Yeah, it'll mean the number is higher if you test half an hour after you feed, but that's okay. If you are feeding at the same time throughout each day, you want to know what the numbers are doing then under normal (feeding) circumstances. Does that make sense?

How much do you feed on a regular basis? I know you said he is underweight right? I think you can probably feed more if he's underweight...as his numbers get regulated, he won't be as hungry.
 
Hi there and welcome! :) Everyone else has already given you great advice, so I just wanted to stop in and say hello! Chinker is getting nice insulin responses on that 1.5u dose. You're doing a great job on the testing and data collection!
 
Hi, Hes is fed 3 t0 4- 3oz. cans of fancy feast pate per twelve hrs. 1 can before am shot, then 1/2 can about
half hr later, so hes not wolfing down to much at once. Around +5 he gets the left over 1/2 can, at +8.5 -+9 he is really hungry (his normal suppertime bfore dx) usually 1 can, after that no food until pm shot. I will give him a tsp or tbsp as a snack here there, most of the time it adds up to 4 cans. Do I have to fed the same, exact time everyday between am & pm shots? What about night time hrs with nothing to eat, he won't eat dry cat food anymore after I switched from high carb to Y.A., he won't touch it. In the morning he is famish, and being thin, can't be a good thing.
 
Marcia-n-Chinker said:
Do I have to fed the same, exact time everyday between am & pm shots?
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No, you don't. Many cats are grazers and their owners accommodate that. Just remove all food in the 2 hours before the pre shot BG tests.

Marcia-n-Chinker said:
What about night time hrs with nothing to eat, he won't eat dry cat food anymore after I switched from high carb to Y.A., he won't touch it.
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Can you leave canned food out for him? What about an automatic feeder that opens a couple of times in the night?
 
Thank you, the info is such a relief, I thought I was messing things up with feeding Chinker snacks.

I heard of auto feeders for dry food but not wet, wouldn't the wet food get stuck inside the feeder? other than that, it sounds like the answer to the problem. I could leave can food sit out for him but I wouldn't know the time he ate it, but with his appetite it wouldn't last long.
 
Marcia-n-Chinker said:
Thank you, the info is such a relief, I thought I was messing things up with feeding Chinker snacks.

I heard of auto feeders for dry food but not wet, wouldn't the wet food get stuck inside the feeder? other than that, it sounds like the answer to the problem. I could leave can food sit out for him but I wouldn't know the time he ate it, but with his appetite it wouldn't last long.
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Snacks are no problem if he's underweight. I don't have experience with an autofeeder but many people use them with wet food. You could post on the main health forum for advice about them. :)
 
I can vouch for the PetSafe as well. It's a life saver for managing food throughout the day. It also helps to keep the wet food from drying out so much during the day (also mix in some extra water before you leave it). There is even a spot for a little ice pack under the spinning part to help keep it a little fresher.
 
Djamila said:
I can vouch for the PetSafe as well. It's a life saver for managing food throughout the day. It also helps to keep the wet food from drying out so much during the day (also mix in some extra water before you leave it). There is even a spot for a little ice pack under the spinning part to help keep it a little fresher.
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Sounds great, thanks for the tips.
 
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