OTJ Lucy not eating..ideas & meter question??

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SugarFreeLucy

SugarFreeLucy

Member Since 2012
Hello FDMB!

I have been lurking and reading for the last year + since miss Lucy has been OTJ, but I am back with a question. In the last couple of days, Lucy hasn't been interested in her food. She has been a member of the clean plate club since she started insulin....until recently.

She used to be fed 1/2 can of Grrreat Choice at breakfast and dinner and then 1/3 can of FF in her auto feeder at each +3, +6 and +8. About a month ago she decided that she no longer likes the Grreat Choice food! NO problem, we changed her to FF exclusively. She currently is eating a full can of FF for breakfast and dinner and then the same feeder as previously.

I have tried offering her food from my hand with no luck! I have tried tuna water as well, with zero interest.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Other than the food aversion she is her normal sugar free self!

Another question - for those with OTJ cats, do you still test? I have been every two or three months, but I went to test last night and my strips were expired??!! Does anyone know of either strips that have a longer expiry or another meter available for more occasional testing?

Thanks!
Val & Sugar Free Lucy
 
I'd pick up some new test strips.

Using a meter with inexpensive strips such as the WalMart ReliOn Prime might be worth investigating, since your testing will be infrequent.

You might take my list of Secondary Monitoring Tools to use as a systematic checklist for things that might indicate something is off.

Sometimes batch forumlations alter slightly and the palatability ... isn't. If you have any left, note the batch/lot numbers on the can and call the company to give them a heads up.
 
Unfortunately you cant get the relions here in Canadian Walmarts but you could pop across the border and get one and strips - they are much cheaper than what you get here.

Scroll down this link for ways to entice your cat to eat:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NSWUx2ak7wcs2_G5TXr7BhPMrU7CVmW_3ouKPTUQhhA/pub

However if she hasnt eaten anything in two days you should take her to the vet. It might be an idea anyway to make sure nothing weird is going on.

Wendy
 
Thanks! I managed to get her to eat about 3/4 of a FF can last night! It involved her eating three or four bites and then moving to a different spot and me following her with the food dish! It was quite a spectacle! She seems to be offended by the counter her food was served on, rather than the food itself! This morning she was intersted only if the food was served on the floor! What a weirdo!

I didn't think we could get the Relion meters here :( I am going to the states in November so I may have to bite the bullet and buy one more set of strips for the meter we have until I cross the border. Does anyone know if there are strips available with either longer expiry dates or quantity of less than 100 that are relatively inexpensive here in Canada? I'm going to speak to the pharmacist at lunch and see if they have any advice!
 
Are you still using the accuchek aviva? You could try ebay. I have a bayer contour and buy the strips at half the price on ebay - just check its a reliable vendor and the expiry on the strips

Wendy
 
Oh! Good call about ebay!! I will check after work :) I know we're not that far from the Niagara Falls border, but sadly I need to get my passport renewed and that isn't in the budget until after the summer.
 
I've read that Fortiflora is a good appy stimulant. Or parmesian cheese haha....others have used their good old dry pulverized and sprinkled on top...just a smidge though.
 
Hi Val,
I have 2 OTJ cats & test one of them every month (about 9 or 10 y/o female) because she exhibits no "iffy" symptoms. The other one is 13 y/o & in his 2nd remission -- I test him daily if he seems "off" to me or weekly if he's doing OK (eating, drinking, peeing, grooming, pooping). He seems very food sensitive, as well as, responsive to speedy insulin injection at the beginning of his 2nd DM symptoms (higher BG).

Controversial & strictly personal opinion & not the position of this website: I've used expired testing strips with good results: however, playing Chicken Little, I have always verified with non-expired strips. Some may yell at me, but medications with expired dates are often sent to regions where they're not available. I would gladly welcome comments here. I know, for example that milk (unopened) or eggs can be used for several weeks past exp dates. Why not testing strips???

Best wishes,
Sophie
 
I used a box of Relion Confirm test strips that were a year past the stated expiration date. No problems.
 
I wasn't too concerned about the expired strips - they only expired June 30th! The problem was that my meter said "code expired" and then shut down! Ugh! Perhaps I can try another meter but fool it by entering a different date?! <---I just thought of that idea as I typed this post! ha ha!

Thank you so much for the ideas about how to convince Lucy to eat! I will give some of them a try!

I'm also thinking the new behaviour may have something to do with our large drooler Logan trying to sample her food when she wasn't paying attention! Grrrr! Normally he is tolerant of the cats, and leaves them alone - but DH left the cat food on the counter one day and Logan got a taste of it.....now he's obsessed!
 
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