New Member- This Has Been Hell

[Brittanif]

Hello,

My name is Brittani and the love of my life is my baby, Phoebe.

Phoebe just turned 16 on August 3rd. I found her outside my gym 8 years ago, and her owner gave her to me! She didn’t want her- can you believe?

Phoebe is the sweetest, snuggliest cat.

Dealing with this diagnosis has been extremely hard on both of us.

Medical info:
- Diagnosed 8/25
- Started on 1u glargine on 8/31/26 (Libre applied by vet that day)
- Over the last month we’ve increased her dose to 2.5 (starting this Monday)
- I have been using consistent Libre readings for monitoring

I am a medical speech pathologist and an EMT, so I have a fair amount of confidence with medical stuff. That being said, learning to take a manual reading from my cat was insane. I CAN do it now (and she’s clicker trained so we use treats and lots of behavioral things), but recently she’s been hiding when she sees my bag (I put her in a cozy cat wrap, Vaseline on the ear, prick with insulin needle because nothing else works, and use a flashlight to visualize the vein- I haven’t been able to draw blood from anywhere except the vein).

The Libre: That being said, I asked the vet techs to train me in Libre application so that we can do it at home for less stress for her. Also, the location they initially put it was non-sensical and not aligned with current practices in the literature. They applied it directly on top of her shoulder blade (just lateral to the spine), and it popped off within 3 days- not to mention the skin trauma from her scratching it. So I asked if we could apply it to dorsolateral thorax behind the shoulder blade, and it worked great. She didn’t touch it.

I just reapplied myself at home yesterday, and thought the application went great, but the sensor gave me very low readings. I had also happened to run out of manual test strips right when all the stores closed last night. So, I was up all night thinking she was about to go hypo. I was finally able to confirm with manual testing this morning and the sensor is definitely faulty.

Dosing: Of note, she started getting good values for the first time overnight Tuesday into Wednesday (readings in the 90s), so that was 2 sleepless nights. I assumed the low readings yesterday were potentially accurate because it just happened the night before.

Now, the plan is to reapply a new Libre likely on Saturday and do manual readings pre shot in the meantime.

My mental state is poor due to lack of sleep and seeing the stress the manual reads put my cat through. Not to mention the fear of her going into hypo.

I’m open to any experience and hope you might have.

Thank you in advance for reading.

 

[Red & Rover (GA)]

Welcome to the best place you never thought you would be.
Be reassured, it does get easier for almost everyone.
I'm tagging @Staci & Ivy who has a lot of experience with the Libre.
In the meantime, here is a thread about the device.

• Freestyle Libre for Cats; Tips and Information

If you could begin to set up a spreadsheet, this forum can look for patterns and help you with the dosing.

• Creating a FDMB Profile
• How to Create a Spreadsheet
• How to Use the Spreadsheet

 

[Liz & Crowley]

Ohhh, what a pretty girlie!! I'm sorry to hear you two have had such a rough go. My understanding is that CGMs do tend to read low numbers very low, so those ones have to be backed up with manual tests. I don't personally use CGMs (I know Crowley too well to think he would tolerate them lmao), but we have a resource here.

I will say that this group is a great resource! If you've been doing it on your own, you want to make sure that you've got a good hypo kit ready (I know my vet never mentioned anything about this).

And if you're going to be regularly posting, we recommend setting up a spreadsheet. You can also include things in your signature like what her food is, her insulin type, etc because you'll get a lot of repeat qs otherwise.

Don't be afraid to ask questions, no matter how dumb you think it is!

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Hello,

My name is Brittani and the love of my life is my baby, Phoebe.

Phoebe just turned 16 on August 3rd. I found her outside my gym 8 years ago, and her owner gave her to me! She didn’t want her- can you believe?

Phoebe is the sweetest, snuggliest cat.

Dealing with this diagnosis has been extremely hard on both of us.

Medical info:
- Diagnosed 8/25
- Started on 1u glargine on 8/31/26 (Libre applied by vet that day)
- Over the last month we’ve increased her dose to 2.5 (starting this Monday)
- I have been using consistent Libre readings for monitoring

I am a medical speech pathologist and an EMT, so I have a fair amount of confidence with medical stuff. That being said, learning to take a manual reading from my cat was insane. I CAN do it now (and she’s clicker trained so we use treats and lots of behavioral things), but recently she’s been hiding when she sees my bag (I put her in a cozy cat wrap, Vaseline on the ear, prick with insulin needle because nothing else works, and use a flashlight to visualize the vein- I haven’t been able to draw blood from anywhere except the vein).

The Libre: That being said, I asked the vet techs to train me in Libre application so that we can do it at home for less stress for her. Also, the location they initially put it was non-sensical and not aligned with current practices in the literature. They applied it directly on top of her shoulder blade (just lateral to the spine), and it popped off within 3 days- not to mention the skin trauma from her scratching it. So I asked if we could apply it to dorsolateral thorax behind the shoulder blade, and it worked great. She didn’t touch it.

I just reapplied myself at home yesterday, and thought the application went great, but the sensor gave me very low readings. I had also happened to run out of manual test strips right when all the stores closed last night. So, I was up all night thinking she was about to go hypo. I was finally able to confirm with manual testing this morning and the sensor is definitely faulty.

Dosing: Of note, she started getting good values for the first time overnight Tuesday into Wednesday (readings in the 90s), so that was 2 sleepless nights. I assumed the low readings yesterday were potentially accurate because it just happened the night before.

Now, the plan is to reapply a new Libre likely on Saturday and do manual readings pre shot in the meantime.

My mental state is poor due to lack of sleep and seeing the stress the manual reads put my cat through. Not to mention the fear of her going into hypo.

I’m open to any experience and hope you might have.

Thank you in advance for reading.

Hi Brittani, welcome!
Here is a document we created for new Libre users. I think it’s very helpful to read.
Getting Started With Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) for Diabetic Cats

As you noted, placement is crucial and should never be on bone or the spine.

The Libre is a great tool, but certainly has its limitations and being able to do a manual ear Poke is very important, especially when the Libre reads in the low range, generally under 50.
Many times the actual blood test will be somewhat higher.
***However, some cats test pretty close in range to the Libre with a handheld meter, so you have to learn how your cat runs from meter to meter.

Being able to install the Libre yourself is crucial also because they can fail for various reasons and having to wait to go to a vet is both expensive and stressful for your cat.
I keep at least six Libres on hand at all times because I don’t want to have to wait for the delay of getting to a store and filling a prescription for a Libre when time is of the essence.

It’s very easy to install (and my cat is very feisty, but she allows this procedure easily).

But, we all can only do what we can do in terms of keeping supplies on hand.

Please let me know if you have any questions!
Your girl is beautiful, by the way!

 

[Brittanif]

Welcome to the best place you never thought you would be.
Be reassured, it does get easier for almost everyone.
I'm tagging @Staci & Ivy who has a lot of experience with the Libre.
In the meantime, here is a thread about the device.

• Freestyle Libre for Cats; Tips and Information

If you could begin to set up a spreadsheet, this forum can look for patterns and help you with the dosing.

• Creating a FDMB Profile
• How to Create a Spreadsheet
• How to Use the Spreadsheet

Thank you- I have the spreadsheet and I’m working on inputting some data.

 

[Brittanif]

Hi Brittani, welcome!
Here is a document we created for new Libre users. I think it’s very helpful to read.
Getting Started With Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) for Diabetic Cats

As you noted, placement is crucial and should never be on bone or the spine.

The Libre is a great tool, but certainly has its limitations and being able to do a manual ear Poke is very important, especially when the Libre reads in the low range, generally under 50.
Many times the actual blood test will be somewhat higher.
***However, some cats test pretty close in range to the Libre with a handheld meter, so you have to learn how your cat runs from meter to meter.

Being able to install the Libre yourself is crucial also because they can fail for various reasons and having to wait to go to a vet is both expensive and stressful for your cat.
I keep at least six Libres on hand at all times because I don’t want to have to wait for the delay of getting to a store and filling a prescription for a Libre when time is of the essence.

It’s very easy to install (and my cat is very feisty, but she allows this procedure easily).

But, we all can only do what we can do in terms of keeping supplies on hand.

Please let me know if you have any questions!
Your girl is beautiful, by the way!

Thank you so much- that’s fascinating because my vet did NOT want me to apply it at home. My cat has now been hiding most of the last two days. Maybe the stress of Libre application and ear pokes, idk. I’m so overwhelmed and sad. I can’t give her her insulin this morning because I’m not going to traumatize her by dragging her out from under the bed.

 

[Connie & Parker & Moonie]

Hey Brittani - I saw your other thread. While the vast majority of cats tolerate manual testing - that’s not the case for every cat. Staci can certainly attest to that with her sweet and spicy girl who does her best shark impression when Staci breaks out the human meter.

And that’s ok if your kitty is one of the kitties that do much better with a CGM. Even my Moonie, who tolerates the testing, ended up resisting and running away after we had been testing too much and we ended up backing off on the frequency. We probably test less than is optimal but that’s a choice that we’ve made for our collective quality of life and this cadence has worked much better for us. So it’s not like everyone here is getting a million manual tests in with totally cooperative cats .

The first month is always the most stressful. The learning curve for feline diabetes is incredibly steep. I was always tired and scared and worried. I cried a lot and always felt like I was failing Moonie. It gets a lot better with time as both you and your cat settle into a routine. And this community has been invaluable for me. Everyone here is so supportive and just understands how tough it can be at times, and the amount of knowledge on this forum is incredible.

I hope your new Libre comes soon (and you may want to get some extras since they seem to fail at the least convenient times from the posts I’ve seen!) and that the rest of your day goes more smoothly.

 

[Brittanif]

Hey Brittani - I saw your other thread. While the vast majority of cats tolerate manual testing - that’s not the case for every cat. Staci can certainly attest to that with her sweet and spicy girl who does her best shark impression when Staci breaks out the human meter.

And that’s ok if your kitty is one of the kitties that do much better with a CGM. Even my Moonie, who tolerates the testing, ended up resisting and running away after we had been testing too much and we ended up backing off on the frequency. We probably test less than is optimal but that’s a choice that we’ve made for our collective quality of life and this cadence has worked much better for us. So it’s not like everyone here is getting a million manual tests in with totally cooperative cats .

The first month is always the most stressful. The learning curve for feline diabetes is incredibly steep. I was always tired and scared and worried. I cried a lot and always felt like I was failing Moonie. It gets a lot better with time as both you and your cat settle into a routine. And this community has been invaluable for me. Everyone here is so supportive and just understands how tough it can be at times, and the amount of knowledge on this forum is incredible.

I hope your new Libre comes soon (and you may want to get some extras since they seem to fail at the least convenient times from the posts I’ve seen!) and that the rest of your day goes more smoothly.

Thank you so much, this makes me feel so much better- I’m so grateful for a community of people who can relate. I was getting messages in another group indicating that using the Libre wasn’t best practice and that I just needed to be “less stressed” around my cat for manual readings, but it was smooth sailing for the last two weeks. I really appreciate your message and support. Now I just have to get her next Libre on her. I do feel like I’m failing her, having missed a lot of her recent injections.

 

[Connie & Parker & Moonie]

Thank you so much, this makes me feel so much better- I’m so grateful for a community of people who can relate. I was getting messages in another group indicating that using the Libre wasn’t best practice and that I just needed to be “less stressed” around my cat for manual readings, but it was smooth sailing for the last two weeks. I really appreciate your message and support. Now I just have to get her next Libre on her. I do feel like I’m failing her, having missed a lot of her recent injections.

I’m really sorry to hear that. You’re definitely not failing her - if you were, you wouldn’t be here caring so much and feeling so worried. It’s ok that you missed a few shots. In the beginning, I gave Moonie a decent number of fur shots (I didn’t have a medical background), and that’s no different. Not everyone has a perfectly cooperative cat or a schedule that is fully flexible or an unlimited budget. That’s ok - we just have to do our best with the cards that we’ve been dealt and you’re doing your absolute best by Phoebe.

If you’re not sure if you can get the Libre on her today (and may not be able to get a reading) it may be worth asking someone experienced if you should give a partial dose tonight. If she’s ok with the shot as long as you’re not trying to manually poke, it may be better to get some small amount of insulin in vs nothing.

 

[Carina and Shelly]

Hi Brittani,
I am so sorry to hear everything you have been going through. We are newer to DM (2 months) and we also use a Libre for monitoring. I can relate to the feeling of exhaustion. It is a lot to learn and manage. I echo others: Phoebe is beautiful and I am so glad you were at the right place at the right time 8 years ago

We were also struggling with the manual tests (we use a ReliOn to check Libre numbers) and found increased success getting a viable sample when members suggested trying a larger lancet needle. We tried 26G and these work much better at getting a sample with one or two attempts. I realize you have an added barrier though, with Phoebe's awareness of the kit. We hold Shelly in our lap with our legs up to create a little nest and that seems to help contain her.

With low numbers I have seen the Libre vary from 8-20 points.

It was also suggested to us to have a stash of Libres on hand. It's super disheartening when they fail. We have had only one last the whole two weeks

This group is amazing and I am so glad you are here.

 

[Brittanif]

I’m really sorry to hear that. You’re definitely not failing her - if you were, you wouldn’t be here caring so much and feeling so worried. It’s ok that you missed a few shots. In the beginning, I gave Moonie a decent number of fur shots (I didn’t have a medical background), and that’s no different. Not everyone has a perfectly cooperative cat or a schedule that is fully flexible or an unlimited budget. That’s ok - we just have to do our best with the cards that we’ve been dealt and you’re doing your absolute best by Phoebe.

If you’re not sure if you can get the Libre on her today (and may not be able to get a reading) it may be worth asking someone experienced if you should give a partial dose tonight. If she’s ok with the shot as long as you’re not trying to manually poke, it may be better to get some small amount of insulin in vs nothing.

That’s fair and good to know! I’m going to try to give gabapentin for a Libre application later and I’ll look into the partial dose. Thank you so much for your support. The vet told me basically nothing- I can’t believe how steep this learning curve has been.

 

[Brittanif]

Hi Brittani,
I am so sorry to hear everything you have been going through. We are newer to DM (2 months) and we also use a Libre for monitoring. I can relate to the feeling of exhaustion. It is a lot to learn and manage. I echo others: Phoebe is beautiful and I am so glad you were at the right place at the right time 8 years ago

We were also struggling with the manual tests (we use a ReliOn to check Libre numbers) and found increased success getting a viable sample when members suggested trying a larger lancet needle. We tried 26G and these work much better at getting a sample with one or two attempts. I realize you have an added barrier though, with Phoebe's awareness of the kit. We hold Shelly in our lap with our legs up to create a little nest and that seems to help contain her.

With low numbers I have seen the Libre vary from 8-20 points.

It was also suggested to us to have a stash of Libres on hand. It's super disheartening when they fail. We have had only one last the whole two weeks

This group is amazing and I am so glad you are here.

Thank you so much! I use the insulin needles for that reason- the smaller ones don’t get any blood. I’m able to get the sample, it’s just the stress of it. I was so happy with this last Libre I placed myself. It rocked out the full two weeks! Gonna try to apply again tonight or tomorrow. Thank you.

 

[Staci & Ivy]

Thank you so much! I use the insulin needles for that reason- the smaller ones don’t get any blood. I’m able to get the sample, it’s just the stress of it. I was so happy with this last Libre I placed myself. It rocked out the full two weeks! Gonna try to apply again tonight or tomorrow. Thank you.

You can do this! It just takes practice. We were all where you are right now and understand how you feel!