New to forum and new to life with a diabetic cat

Status
Not open for further replies.
Douglas_my ginger cat

Douglas_my ginger cat

Member Since 2020
Hi everyone! My name is Anna and I have a senior ginger car by the name of Douglas. I have had Douglas for about 19 months now after being found, starved, due to his previous owner having gone into hospital with no one being able to look after his cats. This is all I know of his medical history. We believe he is 13/14 years old. I mention this as I believe there is something in his history that makes him wary of humans. It has taken him over a year to let me pick him up and cuddle him without moaning, at least for 30 secs! I feel this makes it harder for me when there are changes to our routine and interaction.

This week, he has been diagnosed with diabetes.

The vet has been brilliant and really helped with getting me up to speed with insulin and diabetic food as soon as possible. Today, was my first go at injecting insulin and both times so far I have struggled. He wriggles so much when I try to inject him and as I live on my own, I am finding it extremely difficult to hold him and inject at the same time. I've tried doing it while he is eating and also after his food. I am starting to worry that I may not be able to do this and I am actually very concerned that I cannot provide the support, physically as well as emotionally, to bring his diabetes under control.

I am reaching out to anyone who can advise or provides tips/tricks in getting Douglas, and myself, use to this new routine without us ending up resenting each other. Please help!
 
Hi Anna and Douglas and welcome!

I have a few questions for you. What insulin is Douglas on? How many units a day? And what are you feeding him and how often?

for the shots, what part of the body are you injecting? Are you pulling/pinching enough skin up and shooting that spot? Are you shooting at an angle like 45 degrees and not straight down? What size needle syringes are you using? The shorter 6mm sometimes hurt less. Finally, I suggest trying positive association, which is what we do for testing too. I’d try to give him a treat immediately after each shot attempt, whether you fail or succeed, so Douglas can start to make the connection that it may suck but he gets a treat after. Is he food motivated?

Lastly, here’s a link for you to check out. We ask new members to review how they can help us help them better :cat:

http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/new-how-you-can-help-us-help-you.216696/

welcome again!! :bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Btw, I live alone too so the shots and testing are all on me, myself and I. I get how it’s a bit more stressful to not have any help at all. Forgot to mention, I also suggest singing while you’re doing it. I do that with Minnie when I’m testing her and it works to calm us both down! But me especially because they can sense our anxiety :)
 
Hi Aleluia and Minnie! Thank you for your welcoming reply. It feels good to be part of a community that understands.

Douglas is very food motivated but I am worried to feed him treats now incase they are too high in carbs or sugars. Are there any treats you recommend maybe?

Douglas is on Caninsulin, 2 International Units per injection, twice a day. The vet kindly clipped his scruff after my abysmal attempt this morning so at least I know I'm getting the skin. The syringes are 0.5ml-29Gx1/2" fixed needle ( sorry, I've just copied that from the box). The vets have given me Royal Canin diabetic wet and dry food which is 1 sachet per day and 37g of dry (which I also feel isnt enough for him).

I am most definitely anxious and I get a feeling he knows. I know there is also a part of me that just needs to man up and do it!

I will check out the link as well,

Thank you!!!!
 
Douglas_my ginger cat said:
I am most definitely anxious and I get a feeling he knows. I know there is also a part of me that just needs to man up and do it!
Click to expand...
He does and you do! :p

WELCOME TO FDMB ANNA! The very best place to learn everything you need to know about feline diabetes. We are a dedicated community of kitty cat lovers, that happen to be tied together by one element DIABETES. Now? You are too!

WELCOME Douglas you are a most handsome kitty!
Here are the first things that will help us help you

As you can see at the bottom of everyones post there are some light gray words. This will be your signature. It should include names, insulin type, meter used, and food Douglas eats. These are all the particulars needed to give informed advice. Your signature will be very helpful.

The spreadsheet is to track just how the insulin is working for Douglas. Our experts will use it to give you their best advice on going forward. You can find how to do both here:
Suggestions, Tech Support & Testing Area

Again welcome to the best darn site to help you help Douglas!
jeanne
 
Last edited:
Douglas_my ginger cat said:
Hi Aleluia and Minnie! Thank you for your welcoming reply. It feels good to be part of a community that understands.

Douglas is very food motivated but I am worried to feed him treats now incase they are too high in carbs or sugars. Are there any treats you recommend maybe?

Douglas is on Caninsulin, 2 International Units per injection, twice a day. The vet kindly clipped his scruff after my abysmal attempt this morning so at least I know I'm getting the skin. The syringes are 0.5ml-29Gx1/2" fixed needle ( sorry, I've just copied that from the box). The vets have given me Royal Canin diabetic wet and dry food which is 1 sachet per day and 37g of dry (which I also feel isnt enough for him).

I am most definitely anxious and I get a feeling he knows. I know there is also a part of me that just needs to man up and do it!

I will check out the link as well,

Thank you!!!!
Click to expand...

Of course and I have more thoughts for you!

caninsulin is not always the best insulin for cats since it was developed for dogs or canines, hence the name caninsulin. Cats have higher metabolisms than dogs so keep that in mind because there are gentler longer acting insulins like Lantus and prozync. Caninsulin or vetsulin hits hard and fast so you want to make sure Douglas has eaten at least 30 minutes before the shots.

as for the food, you want to stay with foods that have 10% carbs or less and Royal Canin sadly is not one of them. A lot of vets prescribe it, mine did too, but I got Minnie off of it. Diabetic cats should not be eating dry food at all. There’s nothing special about the prescription foods you get at the vet other then clever marketing and the price. They’re not even human grade food. A lot of us here feed our sugar cats fancy feast pate which is low in carbs and better quality believe it or not!

now where you are going to pay more is when it comes to treats. The best ones for sugar cats are freeze dried but you can also give him cooked chicken or tuna. Minnie loves the Purebites shrimp and the VitalEssential minnows but there are lots of flavors in those brands to choose from! The treats are going to be key so for now, I’d use chicken I’d you agree e any or even plain cheese.

As JT, mentioned above, we test our cats before each shot to make sure they’re ready for the insulin dose we have them on and it’s safe to shoot. But giving the insulin is what you need to focus on right now so baby steps. I do think that starting at 2 units is high. Typically you want to start at 1. If you’re going to transition him to lower carb food, I’d suggest you go back down to 1 unit twice a day since you’re not testing to be safe
 
Like this?
1808865F-3F19-4CC3-AEC1-955E0B3905C4.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • 1808865F-3F19-4CC3-AEC1-955E0B3905C4.jpeg
    1808865F-3F19-4CC3-AEC1-955E0B3905C4.jpeg
    77.5 KB · Views: 245
Welcome Anna and Douglas! What a handsome kitty he is!!

A 29g needle is on the larger side for some kitties. My vet also initially started Butters on Caninsulin and sold me a big box of 28g needles (the smaller the number the thicker the needle). She was very uncomfortable with those. Shortly after joining here, I switched insulins and needles (I use 31g now) and we are both happier. The caninsulin wasn’t working well for my cat. Note: Every Cat Is Different (ECID).

I do everything for Butters by myself too so I understand how extra stressful it is when it is all on you. I second Aleluia’s recommendation to sing when you give the shots. When I first started I was so nervous that my hand would shake. Singing helped a lot for both our nerves. I tried to hold her to give the shots and it did not work. The key, as Aleluia mentioned, will be treats! You could maybe try to find that treat that drives him crazy and use it to distract him. I put a small forkful of tuna in a dish and spread it all over. Then I do the shot while she is busy trying to lick up all the tuna bits from the dish. Also, I have her on a blanket on my couch because it is easier for me to do the shot when she is higher up rather than on the floor.

If you want more food options, here are some food charts. check out the Dr. Lisa Pierson one (first link on the page). It lists carb contents of so many varieties of wet food.

I know it all feels overwhelming. I am just over two months since Butters became a sugar cat, and so I can assure you it is tough going at first but it will get easier! The people on this forum have helped me immensely, and continue to do so. You are in good hands.
 
Butters & Lyla said:
Welcome Anna and Douglas! What a handsome kitty he is!!

A 29g needle is on the larger side for some kitties. My vet also initially started Butters on Caninsulin and sold me a big box of 28g needles (the smaller the number the thicker the needle). She was very uncomfortable with those. Shortly after joining here, I switched insulins and needles (I use 31g now) and we are both happier. The caninsulin wasn’t working well for my cat. Note: Every Cat Is Different (ECID).

I do everything for Butters by myself too so I understand how extra stressful it is when it is all on you. I second Aleluia’s recommendation to sing when you give the shots. When I first started I was so nervous that my hand would shake. Singing helped a lot for both our nerves. I tried to hold her to give the shots and it did not work. The key, as Aleluia mentioned, will be treats! You could maybe try to find that treat that drives him crazy and use it to distract him. I put a small forkful of tuna in a dish and spread it all over. Then I do the shot while she is busy trying to lick up all the tuna bits from the dish. Also, I have her on a blanket on my couch because it is easier for me to do the shot when she is higher up rather than on the floor.

If you want more food options, here are some food charts. check out the Dr. Lisa Pierson one (first link on the page). It lists carb contents of so many varieties of wet food.

I know it all feels overwhelming. I am just over two months since Butters became a sugar cat, and so I can assure you it is tough going at first but it will get easier! The people on this forum have helped me immensely, and continue to do so. You are in good hands.
Click to expand...
Thank you Lyla! I can’t ever find that food chart and it’s an awesome resource!

I’d also try baby food. Gerber is a good brand and they come in chicken, beef, ham and turkey. Any meaty baby food without onions - bad for cats- or spices works. You can let him have a few licks as a treat

the thickness of the needle, the length, it all makes a difference. And even the angle. When I shoot Minnie and point the needle towards her head she always meows and tries to get away like it’s hurting. I have to point it towards her tail opposite direction of her head and go in at an angle not straight down, this is even more important if it’s a 12mm long needle. You may have to try a few different techniques and a few different syringes too.

one more thing. The scruff is not the only area you can shoot and it doesn’t work for all cats because ECID. You can also try the flank and the stomach areas
 
I know we’re throwing a lot of info at you, but one thing to keep in mind and that we see here all the time, is that most vets don’t know that much and don’t receive a lot of training on feline diabetes. So when we recommend something that goes against what they suggest like the food, it’s because the experienced members here have been dealing with feline diabetes for years. Some vets are well intentioned but they just treat cats like they treat dogs and that’s a common mistake that causes the cat unnecessary delays in getting regulated and feeling better.

Having said that, I asked about how often you’re feeding because cats don’t respond well to eating only twice a day like dogs do. It’s actually easier on their pancreas to have smaller meals throughout the day. In addition, diabetic cats can’t process the nutrients in food well so they eat but continue to be hungry and that’s why some will lose quite a bit of weight at first once diagnosed. And diabetic cats lose weight simply by peeing because there’s sugar in their urine. The rule of thumb is about 20 calories per pound of ideal weight. If you know Douglas’ ideal weight you can figure out how many calories a day he should be eating to make sure he’s getting that. If you don’t know, you can ask your vet as he/she should be able to tell you that :)
 
Wow guys, thank you! I think I had underestimated the amount that I actually needed to know (and do) as I had definitely put my full trust into my vet (who has been great). It sounds like I need to take control of the diagnosis and let my vet just guide me as oppose to the other way round. Although I am slightly reluctant to change the dosage at this moment until I fully understand this diagnosis. It also sounds like I should be testing BG straight away. Which are the best 'test machines' (even I don't know the technical term just yet! :D )?

About a month ago I switched Douglas' food to Applaws as I was concerned of the amount of 'crap' that was in the other foods I was feeding him (this included Royal Canin). I basically went with a rule of thumb that if I did not understand the ingredients list then I wasn't going to feed this to Douglas, so am a little annoyed that we are back on Royal Canin. I will do some more research into better foods and check out the food chart! He is also very annoyed at me for feeding him only twice a day with a small amount of dry in-between. Perhaps I will change that and have smaller portions throughout the day (I have an automatic feeder that I can dig out as I am at work during the week).

Also, just to little win for me, this morning I successfully administered his insulin shot. I think he did not have an idea what was going on when I scooped him up after and had a little dance around the flat!

I am absolutely amazed at how much information is on here and how supportive everyone has already been (and it has only been 24 hours!). I have been reading some of the information for new members and whilst it is a lot, I am trying to take it in slowly and not rush. I know this is not going away anytime soon so I need to ensure that I am a fully knowledgeable sugar cat mum!
 
Aleluia Grugru & Minnie said:
Can you take a pic of the syringe box and post it ? I don’t get that size. It should say on the box and most are 6mm or 12mm

are you pinching up the skin away from his body and shooting at an angle?
Click to expand...

The box really doesn't give more information. But @Butters & Lyla helped with their post. My main issue was my reluctance to put the needle into the skin and Douglas definitely senses that. This morning I just grabbed his scruff and administered and he was much better...as I was I :D
 

Attachments

  • Capture.JPG
    Capture.JPG
    52.5 KB · Views: 122
Douglas_my ginger cat said:
Wow guys, thank you! I think I had underestimated the amount that I actually needed to know (and do) as I had definitely put my full trust into my vet (who has been great). It sounds like I need to take control of the diagnosis and let my vet just guide me as oppose to the other way round. Although I am slightly reluctant to change the dosage at this moment until I fully understand this diagnosis. It also sounds like I should be testing BG straight away. Which are the best 'test machines' (even I don't know the technical term just yet! :D )?

About a month ago I switched Douglas' food to Applaws as I was concerned of the amount of 'crap' that was in the other foods I was feeding him (this included Royal Canin). I basically went with a rule of thumb that if I did not understand the ingredients list then I wasn't going to feed this to Douglas, so am a little annoyed that we are back on Royal Canin. I will do some more research into better foods and check out the food chart! He is also very annoyed at me for feeding him only twice a day with a small amount of dry in-between. Perhaps I will change that and have smaller portions throughout the day (I have an automatic feeder that I can dig out as I am at work during the week).

Also, just to little win for me, this morning I successfully administered his insulin shot. I think he did not have an idea what was going on when I scooped him up after and had a little dance around the flat!

I am absolutely amazed at how much information is on here and how supportive everyone has already been (and it has only been 24 hours!). I have been reading some of the information for new members and whilst it is a lot, I am trying to take it in slowly and not rush. I know this is not going away anytime soon so I need to ensure that I am a fully knowledgeable sugar cat mum!
Click to expand...

Congrats! So happy to hear you were successful this morning. The confident, take charge approach works well:). Plus it sounds like you are gearing up to get started on home testing. Awesome news!

I can’t provide feeding schedule recommendations, but as for the blood glucose monitor, I recommend you buy a human one. You should be able to get that at any pharmacy. In the USA, many use the ReliOn meter, which you can get at Walmart and seems to have the least expensive test strips. It is the test strips that are the expense, not really the meter itself. I use an Abbott Freestyle Lite, which I chose because it requires a smaller drop of blood, and because I am in Canada and options are more limited here.

I mentioned to get a human one. There is a pet specific monitor called the Alphatrak and the test strips cost a lot more. Vets sell it. Sounds like if your vet didn’t mention home testing you don’t need to worry about it. My current vet made me get one. I didn’t feel like fighting that battle with her since I had just switched clinics and I was just feeling too overwhelmed to rock the boat. So I use it only when I have to provide her with blood glucose numbers. On the forum everything is geared toward use of a human monitor. The pet specific one is a relatively new invention and not necessary especially when you are just starting out.

@JanetNJ has a video link in her signature to a great video she created on how to home test. I found it very helpful when I was first starting out.
 
Hi Anna :)
Are you in the UK by any chance? I can usually tell by the way people write! I may be wrong of course.
It would help if you could tell us your approx location as although the theory and basics of treating FD are the same everywhere, if you’d like help with things like food and bg monitors then obviously it’s other people in your area that will have that info for you.
Anyway, welcome to the board and good luck!
 
Aleluia Grugru & Minnie said:
Here’s the difference between the 6 and 12 mm needles just so you can see. I prefer the smaller ones and if I have to use the 12 I don’t usually insert the entire needle inView attachment 55008
Click to expand...

I definitely have the 12mm one. I thought that was pretty small but now I have seen the 6mm, the 12mm looks scary! :eek:

Quick question about injection sites. Can I go a bit lower down his back, a few inches behind his shoulder blades (he has quite a lot of lose skin that I can easily pull up) and I had a little conditioning test with him today by pulling up the skin, prodding with my finger and then giving him a treat. That seemed to do the trick.
 
Butters & Lyla said:
Congrats! So happy to hear you were successful this morning. The confident, take charge approach works well:). Plus it sounds like you are gearing up to get started on home testing. Awesome news!

I can’t provide feeding schedule recommendations, but as for the blood glucose monitor, I recommend you buy a human one. You should be able to get that at any pharmacy. In the USA, many use the ReliOn meter, which you can get at Walmart and seems to have the least expensive test strips. It is the test strips that are the expense, not really the meter itself. I use an Abbott Freestyle Lite, which I chose because it requires a smaller drop of blood, and because I am in Canada and options are more limited here.

I mentioned to get a human one. There is a pet specific monitor called the Alphatrak and the test strips cost a lot more. Vets sell it. Sounds like if your vet didn’t mention home testing you don’t need to worry about it. My current vet made me get one. I didn’t feel like fighting that battle with her since I had just switched clinics and I was just feeling too overwhelmed to rock the boat. So I use it only when I have to provide her with blood glucose numbers. On the forum everything is geared toward use of a human monitor. The pet specific one is a relatively new invention and not necessary especially when you are just starting out.

@JanetNJ has a video link in her signature to a great video she created on how to home test. I found it very helpful when I was first starting out.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I will definitely check out the video. I am based in the UK, I suppose the monitors are similar but will do some research. I am sure I can find some recommendations if the search the forums :)
 
Diana&Tom said:
Hi Anna :)
Are you in the UK by any chance? I can usually tell by the way people write! I may be wrong of course.
It would help if you could tell us your approx location as although the theory and basics of treating FD are the same everywhere, if you’d like help with things like food and bg monitors then obviously it’s other people in your area that will have that info for you.
Anyway, welcome to the board and good luck!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the warm welcome, and you are right, I am based in the UK. I have updated my profile to include this now and also added some information to my signature. It is a lot of information to get through but each piece of information I read, I feel that bit more confident and knowing I have the support from this community has really changed my outlook on it.

I would be intrigued to know what I wrote that made me sound British. Golly! ;)
 
Douglas_my ginger cat said:
I definitely have the 12mm one. I thought that was pretty small but now I have seen the 6mm, the 12mm looks scary! :eek:

Quick question about injection sites. Can I go a bit lower down his back, a few inches behind his shoulder blades (he has quite a lot of lose skin that I can easily pull up) and I had a little conditioning test with him today by pulling up the skin, prodding with my finger and then giving him a treat. That seemed to do the trick.
Click to expand...
I don't see any problem with shooting a few inches below his shoulder blades, a lot of loose skin is good, you can see where the tent is then, the indentation where you would shoot
 
Douglas_my ginger cat said:
Thank you for the warm welcome, and you are right, I am based in the UK. I have updated my profile to include this now and also added some information to my signature. It is a lot of information to get through but each piece of information I read, I feel that bit more confident and knowing I have the support from this community has really changed my outlook on it.

I would be intrigued to know what I wrote that made me sound British. Golly! ;)
Click to expand...

Haha! It’s the way you phrase things and individual words such as “golly”! I doubt if many if any of our American friends would say that! But maybe mostly it’s because I’m a UKer myself and I usually have a natural affinity with others here - we are in the minority and although I don’t post here a lot I do try to keep an eye on UK newbies :)

You’ve had and will continue to receive fantastic support here so come here often, read, ask any questions (there’s no such thing as a silly question so don’t hold back). If you have a specific query about foods or where to get testing supplies, it’s probably best to start a new thread with a relevant title including UK in it. Otherwise people tend to assume you’re in the US where obviously suppliers are different.

There is a lot to take in, yes, but you’ll be just fine :)
 
Anna - just looked at your profile and your home town, I know it well, I’m from Hampshire myself and lived for several years in Chandlers Ford. I think we have a current member who lives quite near you too - haven’t seen her here for a while but she was brilliant at getting info together and had the most amazing vet. If you need very local info I’ll try to message her.
 
Diana&Tom said:
Anna - just looked at your profile and your home town, I know it well, I’m from Hampshire myself and lived for several years in Chandlers Ford. I think we have a current member who lives quite near you too - haven’t seen her here for a while but she was brilliant at getting info together and had the most amazing vet. If you need very local info I’ll try to message her.
Click to expand...
Wow, who knew we were so close! That would be great to have some members close by.

Thank you for the link too, I am making my way through all the information bit by bit.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top