Welcome to FDMB!
We have a wonderful community of caregivers and their cats here who are very willing to help you get acclimated to caring for your kitty. There are a few basics that may be helpful.
Food: We strongly encourage you to get your cat on a low carbohydrate, canned food diet. Almost all dry foods, even the diabetic dry food, is high in carbs. We consider low carb as under 10% although most people here feed their cats food that is in the 5% range. This is a link to a website on
feline nutrition and there is a
chart on the page that lists most of the canned foods available in the US and information about their carb content.
Home testing: The best way for you to keep your cat safe and to keep track of your progress is to learn how to test your cat's blood glucose (BG). Your vet may have suggested that you bring your cat to their office and they can run a curve. While that information may be helpful, most cats experience a spike in their BG levels at the vet's office. You will have more accurate information about your cat's blood glucose if you test at home. It's also a way to make sure your cat is in good numbers. We have lots of information on home testing.
We also want to get to know you and your cat. Names would be helpful! It would also be helpful to know which insulin you're using as we have lots of information available about each insulin.
If you want to follow along with what it is we do, this post on
helping us to help you is a great first step. It provides information on how to set up your signature and how to set up a spreadsheet. If you need help, we can lend a hand with that, as well.
Please let us know if you have questions.
