Hello, we just found out that our male cat Zim has diabetes. We've just stared new feeding schedules and insulin injections. We have three other cats so we are trying to get them all on a wet food diet. We understand the importance of a wet food diet and three of the four are doing ok. My question is, how important is the 12/12 schedule? He is on Lantus. We're sticking to it at the moment, but he's very finicky and getting him to eat an entire can is sometimes daunting. Usually he's good about his morning meal but am having difficulties getting him to eat the entire afternoon meal. Any advice would be welcome.
Our new journey with Zim
- Thread starter TimB
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FurBabiesMama
Member Since 2017
Hi. The 12 hour dosing is important for insulin. As far as feeding, you want to feed at shot time, but you don't have to feed only at that time. Many of us feed multiple smaller meals throughout the day. (I feed 4 times, once every 6 hours, and leave the leftovers out for grazing.) He does not have to eat an entire can in one meal. My girls would never do that.
Idjit's mom
Member Since 2018
Hi Tim and Zim, welcome to FDMB. I'm glad you have found the board and will have the benefit of a wealth of information and the support of the community.
It is best to feed a sugar cat more frequent smaller meals throughout the day, unregulated diabetic cats are usually very hungry because they can't utilize food well. You could use a timed feeder or freeze wet food in ice cube trays and leave out cubes for meals in the day or night. Now having 3 other kitties around might lead to some issues there, but hopefully we can put heads together and work toward a good solution for everybody concerned.
Since you are brand new here, please create a signature so that Zim's information is available when you post. It saves repeated asking and answering down the road.
Setting up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
click on "signature" in the menu that drops down
type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using and dosage amount /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has. You can add your name, and a geographic location (sometimes the time zone matters) Be sure to SAVE when you are finished.
You don't mention if you are testing his blood sugar at home, and if you aren't, I encourage you to do this. Just like with humans, it's a very important component of diabetic treatment. If you test before an injection you can be sure it's safe to "shoot", and testing at other times in the 12 hour cycle will tell you how low the insulin is taking the blood sugar. This is important to determine if the dose is too much, too little or a good dose. It also will help you prevent a hypoglycemic event
(very low blood sugar) which can be life threatening. It also saves trips to the vet for testing, avoids that "vet stress" for the cat, which can significantly raise the BG, and keeps a few more dollars in your pocket. We can help you choose supplies and learn the process.
Another reason for testing since you are transitioning to the all wet diet: this also lowers the blood sugar (BG) and the insulin dose may need to be adjusted accordingly. We changed Idjit's diet, was not advised to test before injections, and to test only a couple of times a week, midday. Just happened to test on the right day and he was going too low. The members here helped me intervene and prevent a hypo. Made a believer out of me!
Regarding the 12/12 schedule, yes, it is important. You want consistency with timing and dosage. By the way, a dose is not determined by the pre-shot numbers, but by the nadir, or lowest BG level in the cycle. Many new members see a high number in the morning and think more insulin is needed, and begin adjusting the dosage. The only way to see if the dose is right is to test, record the insulin and testing data on the spreadsheet we use here and see what the pattern is. If the vet did a one time BG test for diagnosis, the prescribed dose might have been influenced by the stress of traveling to, and being at the vet, and be too high.
You can read about Lantus and the protocols used here on the Lantus insulin support forum:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-basaglar-glargine-and-levemir-detemir.9/
There are many knowledgeable and experienced members that can answer your questions about using this insulin in this forum.
It is best to feed a sugar cat more frequent smaller meals throughout the day, unregulated diabetic cats are usually very hungry because they can't utilize food well. You could use a timed feeder or freeze wet food in ice cube trays and leave out cubes for meals in the day or night. Now having 3 other kitties around might lead to some issues there, but hopefully we can put heads together and work toward a good solution for everybody concerned.
Since you are brand new here, please create a signature so that Zim's information is available when you post. It saves repeated asking and answering down the road.
Setting up your signature (light grey text under a post). Here's how:
click on your name in the upper right corner of this page
click on "signature" in the menu that drops down
type the following in the box that opens: kitty's name/age/date of diabetes diagnosis/insulin you're using and dosage amount /glucose meter you're using/what he eats/any other meds or health issues he has. You can add your name, and a geographic location (sometimes the time zone matters) Be sure to SAVE when you are finished.
You don't mention if you are testing his blood sugar at home, and if you aren't, I encourage you to do this. Just like with humans, it's a very important component of diabetic treatment. If you test before an injection you can be sure it's safe to "shoot", and testing at other times in the 12 hour cycle will tell you how low the insulin is taking the blood sugar. This is important to determine if the dose is too much, too little or a good dose. It also will help you prevent a hypoglycemic event
(very low blood sugar) which can be life threatening. It also saves trips to the vet for testing, avoids that "vet stress" for the cat, which can significantly raise the BG, and keeps a few more dollars in your pocket. We can help you choose supplies and learn the process.
Another reason for testing since you are transitioning to the all wet diet: this also lowers the blood sugar (BG) and the insulin dose may need to be adjusted accordingly. We changed Idjit's diet, was not advised to test before injections, and to test only a couple of times a week, midday. Just happened to test on the right day and he was going too low. The members here helped me intervene and prevent a hypo. Made a believer out of me!
Regarding the 12/12 schedule, yes, it is important. You want consistency with timing and dosage. By the way, a dose is not determined by the pre-shot numbers, but by the nadir, or lowest BG level in the cycle. Many new members see a high number in the morning and think more insulin is needed, and begin adjusting the dosage. The only way to see if the dose is right is to test, record the insulin and testing data on the spreadsheet we use here and see what the pattern is. If the vet did a one time BG test for diagnosis, the prescribed dose might have been influenced by the stress of traveling to, and being at the vet, and be too high.
You can read about Lantus and the protocols used here on the Lantus insulin support forum:
http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/forums/lantus-basaglar-glargine-and-levemir-detemir.9/
There are many knowledgeable and experienced members that can answer your questions about using this insulin in this forum.
Last edited:
Marianne M
Member Since 2019
Welcome Tim and Zim I am a newbie as well and it's a scary and at time frustrating journey with our sugar cats. I have been searching for the right dosage of Vetsulin for Mango and I think we may have found it. Got my fingers crossed. It's been a wild crazy ride for these last three weeks. Finding this board has kept my sanity. The advice and wisdom everyone has to offer when I feel unsure has been priceless. Don't hesitate to ask questions. An answer will be offered.
Cinnie Cole
Member Since 2019
I am a newbie too with my hubby Marty and our sugarcat Zoot!. He really doesn't like my fumbling around with his ears; poor guy. At least he is easy to give the Lantus. Good luck! I think feeding smaller amounts a few times a day may work better for us. We can separate him from the rest of our kitties and give him his special food. I am learning too!
Jack the Cat
Member Since 2019
Welcome! I am a newbie as well and have found the guidance and advice from the experienced folks invaluable, and calming.
My Jack the Cat is on Lantis as well. I have been home monitoring for about 10 days now. It was so scary and traumatizing for me to be poking holes in Jack's ear so many times. But now after!r 10 days, we've got the routine down and I can get a check his blood with one or two pokes. And he is so calm now.
The Sticky Notes are also an invaluable source of information. Sometime's it's hard to comprehend so much information. I kept forgetting what I had read because I was so stressed. But now after a couple of read throughs it all makes so much sense.
But now I have my spreadsheet up and working, I have home notes and have started graphing Jack's levels for each day.
Good Luck with Zim.
My Jack the Cat is on Lantis as well. I have been home monitoring for about 10 days now. It was so scary and traumatizing for me to be poking holes in Jack's ear so many times. But now after!r 10 days, we've got the routine down and I can get a check his blood with one or two pokes. And he is so calm now.
The Sticky Notes are also an invaluable source of information. Sometime's it's hard to comprehend so much information. I kept forgetting what I had read because I was so stressed. But now after a couple of read throughs it all makes so much sense.
But now I have my spreadsheet up and working, I have home notes and have started graphing Jack's levels for each day.
Good Luck with Zim.
Tomlin
Member Since 2019
Welcome! I am also new! The Sticky Notes were & are very helpful as are all the members here 
. We just started Lantus last Thursday but were on another insulin so its been about a month of learning now. At times its felt like drinking from a fire hose, but re reading the info a few times & taking time to read some of the posts &/or to do a few searches on the site makes the learning curve & process much easier.
Our cat will not eat a can at a time either. He likes to graze throughout the day.
. We just started Lantus last Thursday but were on another insulin so its been about a month of learning now. At times its felt like drinking from a fire hose, but re reading the info a few times & taking time to read some of the posts &/or to do a few searches on the site makes the learning curve & process much easier.Our cat will not eat a can at a time either. He likes to graze throughout the day.
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