New to the forum..Intro for my Shy

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TheLastOfMyKind

TheLastOfMyKind

Member Since 2013
Yesterday my Shy was acting very strangely. He was peeing out this clear liquid that really had no odor. He was doing it on the bed, and couch. He has always been so good about going in his litter box that I knew something was wrong. I called the vet immediately, and described the behavior. They feared her could have a blockage or something, but suggested I bring him in right away. He was in his carrier, and on his way within a few minutes of hanging up. We arrived and they took him right away. The good news was he didn't have a blockage. The bad news was he has Diabetes. It was the last thing I expected to hear. Of course the first thought was how long has he been suffering? Why didn't I notice this sooner? His weight had dropped, and his appetite increased, but I didn't think too much of it. He seemed in good spirits, and was still my playful, loveable Shy. I was laid off recently, and of course money is tight so I didn't want to bring him to a vet if I wasn't sure he was sick. The whole thing with the discharging the clear liquid put me on high alert though. That's when money means nothing, and getting him treated is the only option. I have 2 cats Shy who is around 7, and Levi who is around 3. Shy is my boy though. He is my constant shadow when I am home. From the moment I get up in the morning he wants to be with me. Like a lot of animals Shy was abandoned as a kitten. His owner placed him in a closet, and moved out of the apartment leaving him locked inside. He cried for 3 - 4 days before a neighbor went to investigate. Needless to say he was in a bad way by that point. No food or water had been left for him in the closet. He was just left to die by starvation. All of the animals I have had over the years are rescues. Anyway the neighbor took Shy, but couldn't keep him. My wife was asked if she could help him, and of course she said yes. He and I formed a bond that is just amazing. He trusts me, and my wife with everything. He wants to be with me all the time, and I with him. My wife tells me he knows when I am coming home. Usually 10 minutes before I walk through the door he will go into the window, and wait for me. No matter what time of day it is he knows when I am coming. Yesterday I really felt as if I had let him down. I don't know how long he suffered with this, and the fact he had to get that bad causes me so much guilt. He was all so treated for a urinary infection, and seems to be doing well. We are going to try regulating his Diabetes with diet right now before going to insulin. Of course he will get the insulin if he needs it after his next checkup in a few days. I saw this forum while doing research on his condition, and the best treatments for him. I thought it would be a good place to find out information, and see how others are dealing with the same diagnosis. Thanks.
 
Hi and a big FDMB welcome to Shy and his dad. Would you give us your first name Shy's dad?

What foods are you looking at to feed Shy?
Did you check out the food chart from Dr. Lisa Pierson's website?
Here it is: Food Chart. We suggest <10% carbs, wet food if your cat will eat the wet food. Better for the kidneys.

My 3 cats get Fancy Feast classic pates and Friskies pates. I got my foster cat Wink diet controlled on these foods,with some insulin support for a while.

There are some lower carb dry foods also, but I'm at work and don't have all my links like I do on my home computer. Maybe someone else has that if you need it.

We have money saving ideas too. Like home testing will save you the expense of having so many tests done at the vets office.

What were Shy's BG results from the vet visit? Any there any other test results you can share with us?

Has Shy been drinking a lot of water too?
 
Changing the food about 20-25% per day will reduce the chances of diarrhea, vomiting, or food refusal.

The change tlo low carb canned or raw food may reduce the glucose 100 mg/dL give or take.

Also, vet stress may raise the glucose 100-180 mg/dL and it can stay elevated for a few hours after visiting the vet. Glucose in the urine is very suggestive of diabetes.
 
Welcome!

This is one of those times I really hope karma exists for terrible people like Shy's previous owner! :evil: What a wonderful dad he's found it you. :YMHUG:

TheLastOfMyKind said:
Of course the first thought was how long has he been suffering? Why didn't I notice this sooner? His weight had dropped, and his appetite increased, but I didn't think too much of it. He seemed in good spirits, and was still my playful, loveable Shy.
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Cats are really quite skilled in hiding weakness, so don't beat yourself up! You caught it in time and now we can help you get him better.

TheLastOfMyKind said:
We are going to try regulating his Diabetes with diet right now before going to insulin. Of course he will get the insulin if he needs it after his next checkup in a few days.
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Hopefully Shy will become one of the many kitties who is diet-controlled, aka doesn't need insulin shots. That's the cheapest route to go. :-D Check out the food chart Deb linked above for some great diet options. Many of us here feed Fancy Feast, Friskies, or Wellness. Less expensive than the prescription food and more varieties to choose from so the kitty doesn't get bored (and often better quality and lower carb, too). Just as an FYI, food changes can be instantaneously reflected in lower BGs (Blood Glucose) or it can take up to two weeks before there's a noticeable difference.

If Shy does end up needing insulin, there are only three we recommend because they work the best in cats: Lantus (glargine), Levemir (detemir), or PZI/ProZinc. All other insulins are too harsh and wear off quickly due to a cat's faster metabolism. Many newly diagnosed cats only need insulin for a few weeks to a few months before they also become diet-controlled. Check out the AAHA Diabetes Guidelines and maybe even print a copy to bring to your vet.

When he does go back in for a check-up, ask about a fructosamine test and see if they had that done. There might be something else going on that is contributing to or causing Shy's diabetes, like a dental infection, steroid use, or even the UTI he was treated for. If so, then there is a much greater chance of remission. That is our goal when first starting out: get Shy into remission so he doesn't need shots. :thumbup

Would you be interested in learning how to home-test?
 
First thank you all so much for the wonderful support so far. My name is Mark to answer that question. There are so many things to take into consideration now. It seems like I am constantly monitoring him now. Really worried about his health all the time. I switched him to Purina DM in a white bag with red lettering. The good news is he absolutely loves it, and it's not a problem to get him to eat it. The hard part is he is constantly asking for his treats which are gone completely for now. Levi, his brother by adoption not blood, is eating it too with some of his old food mixed in as well. He is a bot of a fatty so he needs a diet anyway. They are on scheduled feedings instead of having bowls down all day. It's a big change for all of us, but they will adjust. I tried posting a pic of them yesterday but it didn't work. I have to resize them to be able to upload them. The vet called this morning to check on Shy, and will call back next week to let us know when to bring him in for a test. I do realize the stress of going there will skew the test results terribly so I need to post the results for you all to give me feed back on. His first blood glucose was 420 from what I remember when the vet was showing me. I was kind of in shock right then, and I don't have a copy of the results. I will keep posting his progress, and appreciate the feedback. If there is an alternative less expensive food as some of you have mentioned that would be fine. He only gets dry food so any dry food that can regulate his diet I will try. I think someone posted a list which I will check out. I am going to work on the resizing now to post a photo of my boys. Thanks again for all the great feedback, and support.
 
We recommend low carb canned or raw food for all cats, not just diabetic ones. Eating dry food places a strain on a cat's urinary tract; over time, this may result in renal disease (stones, kidney failure). Feeding wet food is closer to how cats would acquire moisture in the wild - in the food. They tend not to drink enough water when fed dry food.

For more explanation of why this is good for cats, please see Cat Info
 
Hi Mark! Thanks for introducing yourself.

There is a great website, shrinkpictures.com that will let you make your picture smaller. They even have an avatar function to shrink it to our 90x90 pixel size.

Step by step directions for creating an avatar in your user control panel are in the Tech Support forum under topics Avatars. Here is the link http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=92549&p=1091191#p1091191 Look at the 3rd post down in the thread for step by step directions.

Where do you live?
 
Thanks for the info on shrinking the pic. I will check it out. I was reading the food information and did see where dry food can be harmful over time. That is not cool with me at all. Why do vets tell you it's alright then? I am so confused sometimes on who to listen to. I will talk to my wife about it later. She claims it makes there poops really, really stinky. If a little stink will keep them healthier then I don't care. Sorry to be graphic, but were all grown ups here. I am still looking for work, but will se what we can budget for some wet food. I just need the cheapest, healthiest option right now. I will be able to upgrade once the paychecks start coming in again. It's hard to see a light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, but honestly without Shy sitting next to me all day while I fill out apps, I don't know what I would do. I get that nudge from him when he wants to be scratched, or he wants to say he loves me, and it means the world. We have no children, nor will we ever be able to. He is the closest I have, and I would be lost right now if something happened to him. It's scary, but his illness has all so motivated me to keep searching when I feel like giving up. I know he needs me as much as I need him. People always seem to roll their eyes when I tell them about my cats. I heard some idiot on the news say they were only good for chumming wolves. It infuriated me to hear that. I have always donated to the MSPCA no matter what my financial situation was. I give them $15.00 a month to help them with all the animals they save. It's gotten to the point I can't even do that, and it breaks my heart. I figured if I didn't have the money I did have the time so I tried to volunteer at the local shelter. There wasn't a warm reception to say the least. I don't know why, but maybe I talked to the wrong lady. Anyway none of this has to do with Shy, and his current medical condition. We will all get by like we do. I will check out the food situation, and see if we can get that introduced to him slowly. Thanks again everyone.

P.S - I live in Fall River, MA
 
Shy is the black cat, and Levi is the grey. Thanks for the info on the resize.
 

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Fall River! A stones throw away from the north shore Newburyport area where Wink and I live. Welcome to another bay stater!

Lovely picture of your kitties. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

As Dr. Lisa Pierson says, Any wet food is healthier than any dry food.
By-products are always a controversial subject but it makes much more sense to feed animal-based by-products to a cat than it does to feed grains or potatoes. Therefore, do not shy away from the more economical foods like Friskies or 9-Lives if you cannot afford the more expensive canned foods without by-products.

I would much rather see a cat eating an all-by-product canned food than any dry food.
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The Friskies classic pate style come in 13 ounce cans, 98 cents at my Wal-mart. I buy those for my cats. The Supreme Supper, Turkey & Giblets Dinner, Salmon Dinner are 7-8% carbs. The Ocean Whitefish & Tuna, Sea Captain's Choice, Seafood Entrée, Poultry Platter, Liver & Chicken Dinner are all 9% carbs, but not all of those are available in the 13 oz cans, but are in the 5.5 oz cans. That is one low cost food option for you.

We're not offended by poop. We even had a poop patrol and a golden poop award. ;-) Poop is one of the clinical signs that tells us how our cats are doing. The WCR or Whole Cat Report, includes the 5 P's of peeing, pooping, preening, playing and purring plus the appetite and the BG numbers. All that tells us a lot of how the cat is feeling.


So Mark, how is Shy doing today?
 
Hello and welcome to the board!

We know how you feel about your love for Shy.. our cats are so important to us and we care about other peoples too - which is why we are here.

When you explain to your wife how a low carb wet food diet (Friskies pates are cheap and low carb) can cause remission for many cats and prevent future kidney issues too, I am sure she will understand. So lets focus on that first - lets get him on a low carb canned diet.

And home testing is also a very good idea - cheaper than vet trips(!) but also so you can keep shy safe and know if/how the diet and insulin is working ( once you start it)

let me know if you want a shopping list and blood testing tips
Wendy
 
Shy is doing well adjusting to the new diet. He seems to be alright, but it's hard to tell for sure. Poor Levi who in my eyes is extremely overweight is not used to feeding times. He is double pawed so is a little large anyway. We have decided to get them on some wet food too. I was thinking of giving them each a tablespoon at each feeding time mixed with the other dry food. Of course adjusting the dry food to compensate for the wet food. I am interested in the home testing, but I know Shy, who is not very cooperative, will fight me while trying to get a blood sample. Any advice on that?
I know this is completely off topic, but Levi has developed some matts in his fur. It's the first time ever. We are trying to comb them out, but maybe shaving his butt is the only answer. Any thoughts?
 
We have ways of making them cooperate with testing ;).. , here are some tips.. https://docs.google.com/document/d/13c_CPZVKz27fD_6aVbsguadJKvjSrSAkD7flgPPhEag/pub

But start him off for now with stroking his ears every few hours and giving him a treat after. Get him used to that over the next few days and we can move to the next step... Warming the ear.

He has mats because he isn't feeling well enough to clean properly. For now trim and brush them out, the issue should resolve once his diabetes is under control.

Wendy
 
If you can shave them off that'll feel better sooner.

Alternatively, buy a mat cutter for a small dog/cat. It looks like a comb with curved teeth. One side of the teeth are actually blades. Grasp the mat firmly with one hand near the skin. With the other hand, begin at the outer edge of the mat and comb/cut through it a little at a time.
 
I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Shy is still ravenous. He seems to never be full. I did get him the cans of wet food, and he loves it. The whole thing is a guessing game for me. I caught him eating Levis portion last night too. I took it away, but I'm not sure how much he got. Levi doesn't eat the wet food. He loves the gravy, but just licks it all up, and leaves the chunks. I am trying feeding times, but with Levi it's very hard. He likes to eat a little dry food at a time, which was fine when we had food down all day. Shy is so skinny, and I am afraid he isn't getting better. I know I am expecting miracles, and I have to be patient, but it's difficult. We have tried to think of ways to separate them but it's just not possible due to placements of littler boxes, feeding area etc. I guess I will stick to Shy eating at his times, and I will feed Levi when he asks for food, which he will do when he is hungry. It's just a matter of keeping Shy away from him while he eats. As I said Shy always seems hungry so he swoops in at any chance. That's all for today. Thanks.
 
Would you be wiling to add some information to your signature, so we can help you better. Look at the end of my posts for some examples of what we like to see there.

Top left of screen, user control panel, profile tab, edit signature and type away. Submit just like you do a post.

You talk of Levi licking up the gravy. What food specifically is it that you are feeding? The foods in gravy, sauce, broth are too high in carbs for a diabetic cat. The Fancy Feast classic pates or Friskies pates or Wellness are low carb enough for a diabetic cat.
 
You have two very beautiful kitties! :-D

TheLastOfMyKind said:
I was reading the food information and did see where dry food can be harmful over time. That is not cool with me at all. Why do vets tell you it's alright then? I am so confused sometimes on who to listen to. I will talk to my wife about it later. She claims it makes there poops really, really stinky. If a little stink will keep them healthier then I don't care.
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The ungodly smell only only lasts a few days to a couple of weeks. Then, it actually smells "better" than dry food. I can always tell when Henry (non-diabetic) gets into the neighbor's cats' kibble because he has "stinky butt" for a day or so after and the litter box needs to be immediately cleaned after he's used it. :lol:

TheLastOfMyKind said:
Shy is doing well adjusting to the new diet. He seems to be alright, but it's hard to tell for sure. Poor Levi who in my eyes is extremely overweight is not used to feeding times. He is double pawed so is a little large anyway. We have decided to get them on some wet food too. I was thinking of giving them each a tablespoon at each feeding time mixed with the other dry food. Of course adjusting the dry food to compensate for the wet food. I am interested in the home testing, but I know Shy, who is not very cooperative, will fight me while trying to get a blood sample. Any advice on that?
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Once you get them fully transitioned to wet, Levi might even surprise you and lose a bit of that extra weight. Oftentimes, cats are overweight because they're not getting enough protein or fat from dry food (getting too many carbs instead), so they consume more of it, trying to make up for that deficit. Once switched to wet, they no longer have to overeat and their weight naturally returns to "normal" levels for them.

Michelangelo, my diabetic, is a part-feral. He was also diagnosed at 6 months old when he was still a squirming, rambunctious, hyperactive little kitten. I wrote this up a while back to help others with difficult cats that may help you with Shy.

TheLastOfMyKind said:
I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Shy is still ravenous. He seems to never be full. I did get him the cans of wet food, and he loves it. The whole thing is a guessing game for me. I caught him eating Levis portion last night too. I took it away, but I'm not sure how much he got. Levi doesn't eat the wet food. He loves the gravy, but just licks it all up, and leaves the chunks.
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You can try making the whole thing "gravy" by adding water to the food. It will help fill them up quicker and keep them well-hydrated, plus, it will allow you to leave the food out for longer periods of time (doesn't dry out as fast). Try to get as much extra water as they'll allow. I can get about a half can of water to a full 5.5oz can of food before my kitties decide it's too watery for their consumption and I have to trick them into eating it still by sprinkling it with parmesan.

You might also want to give this thread a read-through about feeding newly diagnosed cats a bit more. It might help in Shy's case.
 
Shy is doing alright thanks for asking. We are all trying to get used to this. I am so confused about the food thing because my vet sold us the Purina DM dry food, but in reading here it says it's terrible for them. We are going to be continuing with the Fancy Feast classic, and Pate. One thing we are worried about is the tarter build up on his teeth. Is there any recommendation for that? He still seems hungry all the time, and his thirst is insatiable. We are going to take him in to the vet for a check up this coming week. He seems in good spirits, and as loveable as ever. I wish I was better at all of this. I don't have a chart like a lot of you have, and I doubt I will make one. If the vet recommends we switch to insulin we will, and home test him. So how am I supposed to do this signature? What info do you want to see in it? I will give what ever info is helpful.




Mark
 
You could like at my signature for an example of the info that we like to see.

Would you please provide us with some more information and put this in your user control panel? It helps us to help you better. This will take about 5 minutes of your time.
Think of this as having some very useful information at our finger tips for those that are replying to your posts. One reason we like to see this information in your signature is because if there is ever an emergency situation like a possible hypoglycemic episode, we don’t have to ask a lot of questions like what meter you are using to give you the best advice. Doing this signature update is totally optional, but it does help us to help you better.
If you are willing to do this, would you please do those updates when you get a chance? Thanks.
Go to the upper left corner of your screen and click on the words, User Control Panel
On the next screen, a row of tabs is presented. Select the Profile tab
On the next screen, there are a number of choices along the left hand side. Select Edit Profile.
Go down to the location field and enter your country, state/province, and city if you are willing to share that info.
Click on submit to save this change.

Still in the User Control Panel, Profile tab, this time select Edit Signature from the left hand list of options.
A free form text box appears.
We like to see information like your first name, your cats name age and sex, the diagnosis date for the diabetes like this (DX 4/30/13), what meter you are using for testing, what insulin you are using , what you are feeding (wet or dry, what brands/style of food), any complicating health issues your cat may have, any additional medications your cat is receiving. If you are using a pet specific meter like an Alphatrak or Ipet, please change the font size on that text from Normal to Large (using the drop down arrow list in the middle of the editing commands)

Click on submit to save this information. Now, this will appear at the end of every post you make. You can update the info when you need to.

There is an additional document you can create to provide even more information about your cat. This is also optional to create this google document and link it into your signature. The profile is in addition to the synopsis info in your signature. See this link on the how to's of profile creation. http://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=79123
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Deb can probably help you make a spreadsheet if you think you will use it. Its very handy for us and you and your vet to track how he is doing..

Have you any tests recently?

Build up on the teeth is as much bacterial balance in the cats mouth more than food. Like humans, it varys by animal. Wet food is in fact supposed to be better at maintaining that balance.

For years scientists thought that dry food would help clean cats teeth by mechanical action because thats what happens in dogs - they chew the dry and it scrapes the food off the teeth. But heres the issue - cats don't eat like that, they tend to do one crunch and swallow it - if they dont swallow it whole. And saying dry will clean your cats teeth is like saying peanut brittle will clean yours ;)

Anyway best solution is to clean the teeth with cat toothpaste if they will tolerate it.

Wendy
 
Mark, if you want help setting up the SS and linking it to your signature, just send me a PM. It's helpful if you have a google account set up first. I can do the setup for you in just a few minutes with just a little bit of information from you.

I'd be glad to get your started with a spreadsheet (SS).
 
Shy had an incident yesterday with the peeing clear liquid all over the house. Seems like he can't really control where he does it, but there are signs that he's marking too. I cleaned one area with bleach, and he went right back there and did it again. Called emergency vet, and they told me he probably wasn't in a life threatening state. I am taking him in tomorrow after the holiday to talk to vet about options. He seemed fine after an hour or so. I know the liquid was excess sugar because he was probably way too high. This is sooo stressful for both of us. I did switch him to the wet food. Fancy Feast classic, and thought that feeding him small portions several times a day would be a good way to regulate his blood Sugar. I will see what the vet says tomorrow, and with assistance begin a spread sheet for him. Levi thankfully is fine, but hates the wet food. He loves the juice from it, but not the actual food. Not sure what to do about that.
 
Mark, welcome to you, your wife, Shy and Levi.

Thank you for having a kind heart and adding Shy to your family. My cats are rescues too, and I know what you mean about having a close bond with them. They are the children of our heart.

You'll get a lot of help, knowledge, support and kindness here. About the marking, when my cat River started getting ill, he peed in funny places to, I think, alert me to the fact that he was not feeling right. Maybe that's happening with Shy, or maybe he can't make it to the box in time and just kinda pees his kitty pants. He might have a UTI, as suggested, or his bladder cramps. Or maybe Levi told him a funny joke and he laughed too hard ;-)

Your vet sounds like a receptive person who you can work with to help Shy get better, so I wish you the best for sorting this out. In the meantime, don't torment yourself with feeling like you failed him. I felt that way about my cat. Replace that with healing thoughts for you kitty. Let him know you love him and will help him get better. He will feel it.

Lara
 
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