Reading their signals

[RobbiesMom]

This is a very general post I hope it's OK - we're struggling a tad with adjusting my boy cat Robbies insulin - I've rushed things I think and his eating has been (I believe) contributing to uneven numbers due to when he wants food and when I'm able to give it to him. We are trying to get our auto feeder working (this weekend please? I told my husband) or I'm buying a new one. But one ofthe issues is he gets VERY vocal at about 4-5am and his shot time is 6:30 am/pm (was 7:30 it's moved a tad earlier). There are days when my husband has to get up at 5:30 for a very long work day and weekends when I've had to work till midnight or so (like last night). Keeping him quiet so the other person can sleep has typiclaly (before the slip back to diabetes) involved giving him a half a can of food - he's maintained his weight on this method just fine even though post OTJ first time around it did mean he was fed about 5 times a day. Now with his shot being at 6:30am feeding him food at 5 or 5:30 seems problematic. Anyway we've been trying to deal with this in a variety of ways - if he's really hungry I don't want to deny him food. However this morning my husband simply went out into the living room, and fell asleep in the chair near where Robbie sleeps - he said Robbie hung out for a bit than curled up and slept but if my husband got up to go back into the bedroom Robbie cried. Now I know he sometimes just wants attention - he's a big mush like that - he'll come up to me and cry and I pick him up and he puts his head on my shoulder and purrs like a nut. SO now I'm trying to be a bit more intune with what he just might want and/or need - even if it's at 4:45am in the morning. I am thinking if he got a snack at around 3am he'd be happy, stay quiet and his numbers might make more sense to me.

 

[jt and trouble (GA)]

When you figure out just how to "read" them...? You'll make millions and Robbie will be famous.
You have my full support and admiration,
jeanne

 

[nwnews]

HI Ellen, well usually the protocol is no feeding two hours before preshot test. So if you can set the autofeeder to 4am and then test at 6:30am - 7:00am that should accomplish keeping your kitty happy but giving you a pretty good basic number to shoot insulin from - with the main goal being that your cats blood sugar is high enough to safely give insulin. Maybe some of the more experienced folks might have different advice - I've only been a sugar cat Mom for 4 months. Jan

 

[BJM]

Talk half of a meal and freeze it. Put out both - the frozen chunk sill slowly thaw, which reduces scarfing. From what you are saying, it will get eaten more than 2 hours before the next shot.

You might slighlty increase the ration on a day you can observe to see how much is left at 2 hours before shot time. This may help you determine a more optimal feeding amount.

 

[RobbiesMom]

thanks all - love the frozen food idea - wonder how that would go over - he generally doesn't like food thats been in the fridge and will act just like nothing is there when I put it down! I always make sure I test him before those feedings so I have an idea what his number was before I give him his shot but of course than he's eaten and time has gone by ... so it's not ideal. I'll try the frozen food cause we still haven't gotten the auto feeder to work.

When you figure out just how to "read" them...? You'll make millions and Robbie will be famous.
You have my full support and admiration,

LOL oh, I doubt that will ever happen but part of the fun is the constant learning experience... I am waiting for all the animals to learn to speak english - would make life SO much easier!