Remove food immediately or leave out

[EliseVanLooij]

Our cat, a seventeen-year old neutered tom, has had diabetes for three or four years now. He's been in remission, but the diabetes returned a year ago. He's not easy to regulate and everybody has their own opinion. My housemate insists that his food (he gets dry food and raw, and recently also wet in sachets) should be removed as soon as he stops eating. He is fed and injected (Caninsulin) twice a day. I measure the food I give him at mealtimes and feel it's up to him when he finishes it. He often eats half or two thirds, goes off to sleep and returns for a little nibble a few hours later. My housemate feels that this spoils his appetite for the next meal and interferes with getting him regulated. I have read that it is natural for cats to eat small meals throughout the day and feel that this concept of two big meals and nothing in-between is more of a human ideal. What do you all think?

 

[Blue]

Our cat, a seventeen-year old neutered tom, has had diabetes for three or four years now. He's been in remission, but the diabetes returned a year ago. He's not easy to regulate and everybody has their own opinion. My housemate insists that his food (he gets dry food and raw, and recently also wet in sachets) should be removed as soon as he stops eating. He is fed and injected (Caninsulin) twice a day. I measure the food I give him at mealtimes and feel it's up to him when he finishes it. He often eats half or two thirds, goes off to sleep and returns for a little nibble a few hours later. My housemate feels that this spoils his appetite for the next meal and interferes with getting him regulated. I have read that it is natural for cats to eat small meals throughout the day and feel that this concept of two big meals and nothing in-between is more of a human ideal. What do you all think?

Dry food is high carb so you would do better to stick with raw, what type are you feeding, and low carb canned food. The gravy sachet are also high carb and so are contributing to the need for insulin.

Diabetics, humans and all others, do better if food is available at all times because cats can help to level out their BG by eating when needed. By removing the food, you are making regulation less likely.

What dose of Caninsulin are you giving now?
Are you home testing to know how regulated he is getting, or are you going by curves done at the vet office?

 

[EliseVanLooij]

The dry food is Hill M/D which has 40% protein (and costs 80% more money). I home test his glucose (ADC Freestyle Lite). I know the sachets are quite high in sugar and compensate with extra insulin. He's recently been very ill with either a virus or bacterial infection, but is recovering and is wild for the sachets -- he has lost quite a bit of weight and I think he simply needs the nutrition. But the point is: after he has devoured part of the food I give him, do I take away the leftovers of leave them out for him to finish later on?

 

[BJM]

Leave the food out. It is better for him to nibble when he needs to do so. If his glucose suddenly plumments, he needs to be able to eat, especially if you aren't there.

It there is a concern about food spoilage, make sure the food is not near an air vent or refrigerator exhaust. You can freeze some of it to put out and it will thaw throughout the day. Or use a refrigerated pack with the food dish to keep food cold.