New member...question about food

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Harley’s Mom

Harley’s Mom

Member Since 2017
Hi. My boy Harley was diagnosed with diabetes 6 days ago. I will be getting his insulin tomorrow and starting with injections. My vet has done really well with explaining everything to me and most of what she advised seems to go with most of the advice I’ve read on this forum. However, I do have a question about food. She stated to feed him twice a day. Doesn’t he need to eat more than twice a day? I know humans with diabetes have snacks between meals and would that apply to cats as well?
 
It really depends on your Harley. Some here do timed snacks using a rotating feeder at +3 and +6 post shot. Some free feed (Jones does as he always has been a snacker), some leave Young Again dry out between meals, some get lots of tiny meals every 2-3 hours.

Are you worried about weight at all? Most of us don't worry about kitties eating too much but not enough!
 
i feed my cat small wetfood amounts throughout the day (not as often these last two weeks since he is doing well and not as hungry) and i leave YA & EVO dry food out.
personally i feel cats, diabetic or not, do better overall being allowed to graze or fed small meals throughout the day than two big ones 12hrs apart like some vets recommend! Can't help to think that i sure would hate feeling like i am starving for hours at a time like our diabetic cats feel when they are unregulated..
 
Thanks for the responses! Harley has lost weight and needs to gain a little back. My other cat, who will be on the same diet, is a good weight. They both are doing well with the wet food but it just seems like twice a day is not enough. There has been a lot of them going to they’re food bowls and then yelling at me. Due to my work schedule, I won’t be here to feed them between they’re 2 main meals. I was looking at the automatic feeders for wet food online. I was also researching the Young Again Zero. So I’m thinking about doing one of those options. Just need to figure out which one.
 
What you really want is for Harley to be hungry enough around shot time to want to eat. That is not official FDMB advice, every cat is different. If you're just starting out don't get too obsessed with details, it will all come to you in time. Weight loss can be hard on the emotions, I've been there.
 
For Harley, I would say let him eat as much as he wants outside of the 2 hours window to shot time. He is not getting all the nutrients and calories from what he is eating until he is regulated.

The feeders work great. I have all 4 of mine using the sureflap feeder. Saved my sanity.
 
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