Newly diagnosed cat

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baileysmom

Member Since 2012
Hi Al,

This is my first post. My 1 yr. old Main Coon was just diagnosed with diabetes today, that is all I know right now. We have an appointment with the specialist next week. I know what diabetes is, but unfamiliar with it in beds. I just don't know what to expect and I am devastated. I guess I just have to wait until next week. My biggest concern is feeding. I have another cat, how do I separate them and keep Bailey from eating the dry food I leave out for the other cat? I have Avery small house and no where to keep them separate. I don't know what they can and cannot eat. Thanks for listening.
 
Hi Bailey's Mom, and welcome to the best site you never wanted to have to find...

First off, do NOT feel devastated. Diabetes is nowhere close to the end of the world. Although most of us probably felt exactly the same way on the first day (I know I did).

There's a really simple answer to your question. I faced the same problem. My "other cat" was fed dry his whole life, just like Bob had been. The simple answer is that both of your cats are about to become former dry food junkies, and both will learn to love low-carb canned food for the rest of their long lives.

Here is a link to a great chart full of nutritional info for canned cat food. The more popular brands here are Friskees pate varieties, fancy feast classic flavors, special kitty from walmart, and others that can be found inexpensively at the grocery store or pet stores like Petco or Petsmart. Low-carb is the key. You'll see data on the list of the carb content in each food, expressed as "calories from carbs". Look for anything that is less than 10%. The specific types I mentioned are all 5% or less I believe. The best part is that getting the dry food away from the non-diabetic cat will be the best thing you can do for him too.

Both of my cats, since the day Bob was diagnosed, have eaten nothing but fancy feast and friskees, and I haven't bought dry food since.
http://www.catinfo.org/docs/Food Chart Public 9-22-12.pdf

Really, the food part is easy.

You'll have lots of other questions, so ask them as you think of them. Feline diabetes is not difficult to manage or treat. At first, very overwhelming, but it gets easier, I promise. And everyone here has dealt with it, most are still dealing with it every day. We are all able to help you out, so you are not alone with any of this.

You CAN do this, and we can help,
Carl
 
Welcome! Take a deep breath and starting reading and learning. On the Index page, there are nutrition and health links and information. Read and ask questions.

It will be best if both your cats eat wet low carb food (it could mean your other kitty wouldn't become diabetic!). A vet explains why wet low carb food is best for every cat here: www.catinfo.org. We like slow long lasting insulin like Lantus, Levemir or ProZinc. We like to start at a low dose like one unit twice a day, test at home and increase slowly as the numbers indicate.

We would love to help you help your kitty. Let us know how we can. We were all terrified and completely lost at first. The more you understand, the more confident you will be.
 
Good Morning and Welcome Bailey's Mom :-D
I have 4 Kitties (3 civies and 1 sugar kitty) in a small 2br apt and feeding really isnt a problem (esp considering I have 2 very food oriented kitties) I just make sure the civies who are on LC wet food as well get their food and are eating then I take Sugarkitties food to her and keep watch while she eats so that the other 3 wont steal her food when they are done eating (she has very little appetite so wont fight them for her food). THe worst part is over which for most of us is the diagnosis, now as others have said its time to Breathe and start looking into all the info available here and at the other linked sites. Please get a glucometer, lancets and test strips and go ahead and start hometesting and transitioning your kitties off the dry food. It is possible that just taking away the Dry food will drop your kitties BG into normal range but hometesting is a must before you start taking away the food so that between that and the Insulin you wont send your kitty into Hypoglycemia.
We are all here at various times a day and night and will be able to either give advice or hold your hand, venting is allowed :-D
Dani and Sandy aka Bug
 
Hi, I am fairly new to this site as well. I have two 2 yr old cats. My boy Steve was diagnosed at 10 mths. I know everyone has their own feeding routines but for us, I chose a time (7:30 am & pm) to feed them both their meals. Making sure they have enough calories with both meals for their daily needs. I have to watch to make sure they only eat their own food. But that allows Steve's feeding to be controlled. It definitely was an adjustment period but they both got used to it. On our vet recommendation we were feeding purina d/m wet and dry measured and mixed together. Now we have transitioned to all wet. Steve is a big boy so has a high caloric need and d/m is expensive. We have since switched to friskies pâté varieties which are an affordable low carb option. Steve was in remission for a year and 1/2 and just recently relapsed but has actually been doing really great. This website is a GREAT resource along with your vet. Hope this helps. Kim
 
Welcome Bailey's mom!
I am new here too and I can tell you this is the best place to be. Any question you have someone here can answer it for you. And I've learned that vet's do not know all about diabetes. I was lucky and Pepe has been regulated after only a little over a week! I printed out things from here to educate my vet and he was very interested in the information I gave him.
It can be overwhelming at first but it isn't that bad. Just a lot of reading! :-D

Sharon and Pepe
 
Welcome!

For supplemental tools in monitoring your cats health, please see my signature link Secondary Monitoring Tools.

These are tactics to aid you in detecting problems early by noticing changes in behavior, food & water intake and elimination.
 
Hey,

I am also a newbie so cannot offer many words of technical advice, but I can say that almost two weeks into this, and including a little DKA relapse I can notice the difference already. The injections get easier, the shock wears off and slowly but surely we are getting there. It does get better and the help and support from this site and the feline crf site, if that is also an issue, is invaluable.

Now if only I could stop watching her eat, pee & sleep so much!!!

Hope this helps

Juliet
 
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