Newly Diagnosed-Hates Wet Food, We Have 2 Cats-What to do?

[Gertrude9B]

We just received the diagnosis today. It feels like we got a death sentence and we're going to have to stop saving for our wedding or anything for that matter. Most of all, we're worried for our poor Gertrude. She has lost 6 pounds in a year, vomits at least once a day, and drinks constantly. We knew she showed signs of diabetes, but had no idea we were in for twice daily shots, pee and blood testing, fears of cancer, etc.

I read that wet food is a crucial first step in treating your cat with diabetes. Gertrude hates wet food. We have had her eating a meat-first-listed-ingredient dry food, as a previous one had ruined her coat due to its high corn content. I read up on this site that dry food can be a causing factor in feline diabetes and exacerbate it as well.

Any recommendations on the best dry foods for a type 1 diabetic cat? We are very tight on budget so a non-prescription brand is preferable.

We're also really concerned because we have two cats, a totally healthy 2 year old male Dumbledore, and Gertrude, female, just diagnosed today.

How can one monitor how much the diabetic cat has consumed (water, food) when two cats are in the house eating and drinking? Any advice greatly appreciated on managing one cat with feline diabetes while also having another without.

Looking forward to hopefully hearing from other pet owners in our shoes or who have been here and triumphed without losing sanity or too much money.

 

[Ry & Scooter]

Re: Newly Diagnosed-Hates Wet Food, We Have 2 Cats-What to d

First off - slow down!!! Sit back, take a deep breath and RELAX... take another deep breath. It's just diabetes... think of how many humans manage this disease every day and do just fine! It's not a death sentence and it is NOT going to ruin your life. Trust me... we've all thought the same thing at one point or another!

I just have a few questions for you. How was your cat diagnosed with type 1? I'd say 90% (or higher) of our cats are type 2. Was your cat prescribed insulin? If so, what insulin at what dose?

1. No dry food is good. Even aside from the high carb load, dry food is extremely moisture depleted and wreaks havoc on your cat's renal system. Long term chronic dehydration can lead to crystals, urinary blockage, infections, inflammation, and acute kidney failure. It's just not an appropriate food at all for a cat, period.

Yes, some cats can be troublesome to switch over to canned but that doesn't mean you should give up so soon. Please read the website http://www.CatInfo.org - it is written by a vet (who posts on this forum sometimes) and explains better why dry food of any kind is so bad for cats. It also has some great tips for transitioning dry addicts to canned. Please give these a try. Both of your cats' long term health relies on this for more reasons than just diabetes.

2. I have 2 cats and it's easy! Not everyone here just has one cat. Some have 1, 2, 5, 10, and we have a few with even more... some even have more than one diabetic!

When free feeding dry kibble it is harder to monitor who's eating what. That's another benefit of canned. Feed them both at the same time and when they're finished, pick the dishes up. If they're both grazers, you can just leave the food out and add a bit of water if it dries out. If they're gobblers, you can water down canned food and freeze it in ice cube trays. Pop a cube or two in the dish if you need to go out and it will thaw and give them something to snack on. There are even timed automatic feeders that work great for canned food. Litter box monitoring can be tricky, but most monitoring for diabetes does not rely on the litter box. I really don't do any additional monitoring on the LBs other than the routine checks for diarrhea, bloody urine, etc. if a problem shows up just isolate the cats with their own litter box and watch them as you'd normally do.

 

[Elizabeth and Bertie]

Re: Newly Diagnosed-Hates Wet Food, We Have 2 Cats-What to d

Hello, and welcome to FDMB!

We have all been where you are right now, so you are in good company!

I was horrified when my cat was diagnosed. I also thought it seemed like a 'death sentence'. And I was totally convinced that I couldn't give insulin shots, and as for blood testing at home, well, that was surely an impossibility? Right...? nailbite_smile ..... WRONG! I managed it all, and my cat has been diabetic and on insulin for almost 6 years. What's more, he's happy and healthy, and he's sitting on the desk here watching me type this message. :smile:

I have five cats, all of whom were addicted to dry food at the time my diabetic boy was DX. Phasing out the dry food wasn't easy, it took a little time, and more than a little 'tough love'. But you will get a lot of tips here about how to do that. You don't have to do everything all at once. As is often said here: "Managing feline diabetes is a marathon and not a sprint."

Although I phased out the dry food I didn't change the feeding routine at all. I'd always free-fed my cats and continued to do that. I have not found this to be a problem.

Ideally, it's best if you can phase out dry food BEFORE a cat starts on insulin, but it sounds like your boy needs to get onto insulin ASAP because he's not a 'happy bunny'. If it looked like the transition to wet food was going to be an easy one for you then it could, in that situation, be worth spending a few days transitioning to wet food and then getting your kitty onto insulin.

For cats on insulin it's important to only phase out the dry food if you are testing your cat's blood glucose at home. This is because removing dry food can significantly reduce blood glucose levels, and that in turn means a reduced insulin dose may be needed.

I would suggest that you try to monitor your cat's urine for ketones; IF they are present then these can build up in the system and become toxic. It's a dangerous condition and also expensive to treat. You can buy Ketostix/Ketodiastix from a pharmacy quite cheaply. The challenge is trying to trying to get a sample of fresh urine! There are folks here who are quite expert at it, but it does usually involve stalking your cat when he approaches the litter tray! :lol:

Take heart, feline diabetes is very treatable. And you'll also find tips here for managing Gertrude's diabetes on a budget.

Welcome aboard!

Elizabeth in UK

 

[bradie96]

Re: Newly Diagnosed-Hates Wet Food, We Have 2 Cats-What to d

my non diabetic HATED wet food, and after a million taste tests she LOVES IT now.....I took dry food away the minute i found this site for patches. we tried every flavor, brand, and she sure stuck her nose up to ALOT but eventually gave in. i still feed her wellness chicken and wellness turkey even though i dont have patches here anymore. not taking any chances

i freaked out when patches was diagnosed and thought all the same things you are feeling i left the vet with a huge ill, insulin, needles, a bag of the garbage food (only knowing that after this site) my cat and tears falling down my face walking to my car but it is manageable and once regulated it gets better

 

[Maggies Mom Debby]

Re: Newly Diagnosed-Hates Wet Food, We Have 2 Cats-What to d

You really need to start insulin, if that's what the vet said to do. Without insulin Gertrude's body will not be able to process the food you give her. Please read the FAQ's about feline diabetes. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=2501