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Melina

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Hi all,

I found out today that my 13 year old female cat Sammy has diabetes. I've been an emtional wreck today! I haven't made a decision on how ot proceed but I have to let my vet know within two days. I took the day off of work to research, cry and research some more.

Can I really handle this? This is where I'm struggling. I'm a career woman and live a busy life which is why a cat was always the perfect choice for my lifestyle. Well here I am faced with the horrible decision to put her down or totally change my life.

How has everyone else done this? I was told that she would need two injections a day and glucose monitoring. How do you live a life but still be there for your cat? I feel so selfish having these thoughts but I have a hard time coming to grips that I won't be able to go away for the weekend or even on vaca's because who is going to watch Sammy and give her shot??

Sammy has a temper issue and no one can touch her besides the top of the head. I can barely handle her with her getting pissed off. So therefore, I wouldn't be able to get someone else to give her injections. It just wouldn't happen.

Anyway that's where my mind is right now. Any direction would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Melina
 
I'm fairly new here as well, and had some of the same struggles. But for me, putting my cat down isn't an option. And luckily, I had some time off this week worked into my contract. So I can take the time to really try and get a handle on things.

Here's what my decision came down to: My cat is fairly young (11), diabetes is regulatable in humans, and cats are the only animals that have a pancreas that can actually recover from diabetes if the treatment is done right. I realized I would be doing a disservice to my cat and myself if I didn't do everything in my power to get her over the hump.

Here's my suggestion: Keep reading, try not to despair, and get everything you need to monitor your cat's blood glucose from home. Take a Monday or a Friday off (if possible), and monitor your cat over a three day weekend. Get a handle on what the insulin does to your cat. And then go from there. Once your cat is fairly well regulated, I don't see any reason you can't be home often enough to give her a couple of shots a day. Close monitoring of her blood glucose will be a necessity at first, but you won't be needing to run full glucose curves every day for the rest of her life.

But most of all: Keep reading. There will be someone on this board who has a situation that is very much like yours, and will be able to help you through the hard parts.

You can do this. :-)
 
Hi guys ... and welcome to the board! I know it is a lot of information to take in all at once .. but you have come to the perfect place to find a ton of caring people who only want the best for you and your kitty .. There will be others here soon enough with questions for you and about Sammy, how he was diagnosed, symptoms, etc. but I just wanted to stop in and say hi, and to "breathe" and to give sammy a few extra cuddles ... Feline diabetes is NOT a death sentence for your kitty ...
 
Hello, and welcome!

I am a single attorney who has been managing this disease for a few months now, and while it certainly has complicated life to some degree, I am so happy that that I did, given that I now have a happy, healthy (albeit insulin-dependent) kitty. It has taken some work, but I have Willie and I on a schedule that lets me make sure he's safe, but still have a life. We do our shots at 5:30am and 5:30pm, which allows me to get a couple tests before heading to work to ensure he is safe (you'll find that most of us here are big believers in home testing), and while some nights, I am giving Willie his shot the minute I walk in the door, we are making it work. The nice thing about the timing is that it still allows me time in the evening to grab dinner/a movie with a friend, hit up a happy hour, or head to the gym. At times, I think it is like being a parent... I don't always get as much sleep as I like and Willie can throw a monkey wrench in my plans with low numbers I need to stick around and monitor from time to time, but the way I see it, Willie has been by my side for the past 13 1/2 years of my life, the least I can do is be committed to helping him live out his remaining years as healthy and happy as he can, even if that commitment is a bit inconvenient at times.

I do still go on vacation and I do still get away for weekends, but I hire a pet sitter to come give Willie his shots and medication, or I take him with me, depending on the situation. I have an upcoming out of town bridal shower, and I'm still going. If I decide to make a weekend of it, Willie will tag along, if not, I'll take the train up and back the same day and have a sitter give him his evening shot (which I could even just skip or give late, I just prefer to keep him consistent). Is it more expensive? Sure. But that is hardly Willie's fault.

If you feel like you aren't able to make the (mostly minor) sacrifices needed to ensure Sammy's health needs are met, I hope that you will consider trying to put her up for adoption. There are organizations who may be able to help foster her until she is regulated and can be adopted. Diabetes doesn't have to be a death sentence.

Life is full of challenges that don't always allow us to lead our lives just as we had envisioned them. However, I think that if you choose to start Sammy in treatment, you will be rewarded. It won't necessarily be easy, but a month from now, when her coat is glossy and she is happy and healthy, I think you'll find it was well worth the sacrifice. Please keep in mind that with a diet change and insulin, many cats achieve remission, and some do so quite quickly. I would urge you to at least give it a shot.

Good luck in making your decision. If you decide to continue on, the folks here are wonderful at answering questions, giving advice, etc. I hope we are learning more about you and Sammy soon!
 
It's okay to be scared, I think we all were at one time.

Before you make any decisions please tell us about your cat's diet. Not all cats can become diet controlled, but there are many who have transient diabetes. Their blood sugar is high because they can no longer tolerate the dry food and the high carbs, some have other things like a bladder infection that cause BGs to go up.

Could you tell us more about how your kitty was diagnosed, what signs you saw, what food your cat eats now, what test did the vet run?
 
I took her to the vet this morning because I noticed that she was constantly drinking water and peeing alot more. Also with her urine it wasn't being absorbed like it usually is. I noticed this a couple weeks ago but monitored it cause I didn't know what it was so I decided to take her in today.
The vet did a blood test and a urine test. They found sugar in her urine and her blood sugar was really high based on her blood test results. She's on a strict dry food diet - Science Diet.

I hate to sound selfish but what about if I'm going away on vaca or business trips? My husband is here and he can barely come near her. She doesn't like to be touched especially by someone other than me. I would have a hard enough time myself giving her injections without the risk of losing a hand.

Another example...me and hubby are avid motorcyclists and have a weekend getaway planned in July. What do we do with her then? It's things like this that don't sit right in my head. i have no problems doing it if I have to but it's the time away and vaca's.
 
Well, the first thing you could try is to feed wet lo carb food. I am convinced Science Diet gave Oliver diabetes. We gave it to him for years and he was quite overweight. When we switched from dry to wet, he went down 100 points overnight. Within 6 months of the diet change and decreasing amounts of insulin, he was off insulin, at a good weight and diet regulated. Every cat is different but we do have many similar success stories.

Read this website by a vet to see why wet is better than dry: www.catinfo.org This food chart has the carb amounts of different foods. We try to stay under 8-10% carbs (Janet and Binky’s chart) You might try the diet change first to see if it makes a difference. (Whether it is a viable choice is dependent on her blood glucose levels - which we can teach you to take at home - and whether there are any other medical issues.)

Whether you can devote some time and energy at this point in your life is a choice you have to make. I feel safe in saying no one here who has made the choice to treat is sorry. It forms an incredible bond between animal and human; it could do the same for you and your kitty.
 
Melina, I was shell shocked when my cat was diagnosed too. I think most of us are. Even when we are aware that the diagnosis will probably be diabetes, hearing it from the vet can be overwhelming. But it's not the end of everything.

Yes, your cat will need insulin twice a day, as close to 12 hours apart as you can. Sometimes when the disease is caught early and diet changes are made, insulin will only be needed for a few months. That was not the case for me and my cat, but it happens for many others. Maybe you and your cat will be in the lucky group.

Some insulins (like PZI or ProZinc) are more flexible in when it can be delivered. With PZI or ProZinc you can shoot 14 / 10 if you need to. With insulins such as Lantus, a strict 12/12 schedule should be followed. Do you come home most every night, or do you travel frequently for work? Petsitters can be hired for when you are away. Or find a good boarding situation. Some people actually travel with their cats.

If you cat is too fractious for that, then, well. OK, if it was me, then I'd do the best I could. If there was no one else who could help, if it was just me as my cat's caregiver, and I had to be away, well then, I guess my cat would do without his shots. Not the best situation, but I wouldn't give up without trying.

Cats can live a long time unregulated and be relatively happy. I certainly don't recommend not treating your cat's diabetes! But I think if you are willing to make some compromises with your lifestyle and some compromises when it comes to providing care for you cat then you'll find some middle ground that works for both of you, and give you many months or several more years together.

My vet didn't actually offer me a choice when my cat was diagnosed. I was just handed my cat, a vial of insulin and a box of syringes and sent on my way. I honestly don't know what I would have done if I was asked what I wanted to do. But also, I don't have any regrets. Other than I really wish I hadn't fed him dry cat food all those years.

Good luck with your decision.
 
Hi Melina and welcome to FDMB. We all understand how you feel and let me assure you that feline diabetes is a disease that can become very managable. It will not take very long before you develop a routine and will soon be giving advice here. :mrgreen:

My suggestion to you is to begin reading information on this site. There is a lot of information, but concentrate on diet and hometesting first. We recommend a low carb/high protein diet and many of us feed our cats either Fancy Feast or Friskies canned food. You want to start to wean your cat off of dry food. Sometimes all it takes is a diet change for a cat and no insulin is needed.

The other recommendation is to learn to hometest. This means using a human glucose meter (any brand including store brand) to test your cats glucose levels before every shot. Hopefully your vet supports hometesting, but if not, we have information here that will help you learn how.

Ask any questions you may have. We are here to help and will do our best to give you an answer as soon as possible.
 
I picked up some of the Wellness canned food today. I read this information on catinfo.org. Does anyone else use this? My cat gobbled it up like it was the best meal she's ever had. lol.
 
Melina said:
I picked up some of the Wellness canned food today. I read this information on catinfo.org. Does anyone else use this? My cat gobbled it up like it was the best meal she's ever had. lol.
Click to expand...

Wellness is definitely one of the ones good for diabetics.
Try to stay under 10% calories from carbs. Feed fish only 1-2 times per week, due to high
phosphorous content (bad for kidneys) and heavy metal content.

Wellness:
Turkey 3 % calories from carbs
Turkey & Salmon 12 %
Chicken 8 %
Chicken & Herring 9 %
Beef & Chicken 1 %
Kitten (3 oz can) 3 %
Chicken & Lobster 9 %
Sardines, Shrimp & Crab 10 %
Salmon & Trout 14 %
 
Hi Melina, and, of course, you too, sweet ornery, Sammy,

Melina said:
Can I really handle this? This is where I'm struggling. I'm a career woman and live a busy life which is why a cat was always the perfect choice for my lifestyle. Well here I am faced with the horrible decision to put her down or totally change my life.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can really handle this. Why? Because after the initial emotional wreck part which could take a few weeks as you both adjust, you'll discover it's just a couple of extra minutes morning and evening. Feline diabetes is very do-able.

Melina said:
How has everyone else done this? I was told that she would need two injections a day and glucose monitoring. How do you live a life but still be there for your cat? I feel so selfish having these thoughts but I have a hard time coming to grips that I won't be able to go away for the weekend or even on vaca's because who is going to watch Sammy and give her shot??
Click to expand...

Melina, you'd be absolutely amazed how much life can be lived in 12-hour increments. (Okay, there could be a 2-hour window... Life and work happen...) As for your get-away weekends or vacations, you have a couple of choices. You can take her with you. I've been blessed with two great furry travelers. Gizmo preferred the diva chauffeured position in her carrier in the back seat. Nikki likes riding shotgun and being navigator, also in her carrier. It's really amazing how long seat belts actually are... Or, you could hire either a vet tech from Sammy's vet practice or a pet sitter.

Melina said:
Sammy has a temper issue and no one can touch her besides the top of the head. I can barely handle her with her getting pissed off. So therefore, I wouldn't be able to get someone else to give her injections. It just wouldn't happen.
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I think there's every possibility that Sammy may somehow be related to Giz. She was a one-person cat from the kitten get-go, and I was her chosen person. She held her vet's record of being his most ornery patient for 17 of her 18 years. He actually received a worse furry terror Giz's last year. Hard to imagine...

What I can tell you, Melina, is this. This most ornery furry being, beyond Stephen King's worst nightmare, came to understand I was helping her feel better. We developed a bond I never imagined possible. Giz was 14 at diagnosis, and, I will never regret dancing with her for four more years.

Melina said:
Any direction would be appreciated.
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Just keep putting one paw and foot step in front of the other and keep walking. Soon, you'll be dancing!

Welcome to the place you never wanted to be; but, will be blessed for having found.

Countless encouraging for you both,
Deb and Nikki -- and, Giz, forever dancing in my heart...

PS: Treats help with home testing. Giz taught me everything about treats... Hmmm... No, that's wrong. Giz taught me everything about bribery...
 
My cat got off the juice after about 6 weeks. If you are changing the food, you will need to add probiotics to the food to help settle the stomach since it is getting new food. Otherwise, the kitty will have the poops and will vomit a lot. I know from experience. My cats are on Wellness now. We feed only the chicken canned food and turkey canned food. I had a cat before who ate some fish cat food and I believe that contributed to urinary tract problems so I do not give any fish at all any longer. Be careful with a diet change since that will drop the sugar level so that your cat will not need as much insulin. The "shed" had filled back up. My cat got 4 small meals a day which I think helped his pancreas heal. My cat did have a seizure at one point. I believe it was when his body had built up its own insulin so that he did not need as much additional insulin. Be ready for a hypo. There is a lot of information on this board about that which had me watching for and prepared for when it happened. It saved my cat's life since I had everything i needed. You will find all the information and help on this board. The people are great and so very helpful.
 
It seems overwhelming at first, but I dealt with Bandit's diabetes while working two jobs and going to grad school. Once you get into a routine, you'll find that it's really only an extra few minutes of your time each day. Yes, it's a pain to have to get a pet sitter when I go away, but Bandit is worth it to me. I couldn't even dream of putting him to sleep over that minor inconvenience.

Home-testing was hard maybe the first few days I did it because Bandit would fight me. I gave him diabetic safe treat (freeze dried salmon or chicken) after every test and pretty soon he would run to his basket to get tested when he heard me click on the glucose meter. After that, it was cake. I can now do it one handed on the phone. And each test takes less than a minute. At 7am I would get up, test Bandit, give him his food and his shot at the same time (he never even realized he was getting a shot because he was eating), and head to work. I started him with tiny doses of Lantus because I knew I wouldn't be there during the day to test him. 7pm (when I got home from job 1) would be shot/meal number 2 and then I would test him every few hours until I went to bed.

After a little over a year, he didn't need insulin any more. He's now diet controlled, and when I have to go someplace overnight I freeze his meals and put them in a time release auto feeder. Many cats go into remission, and if you use a good, slow acting insulin (we used Lantus), and monitor your cat by blood testing frequently, chances are Sammy will too.
 
After reading through the responses to your post, I'm sure you're seeing we were all scared and overwhelmed at first. You don't have to make any decisions right away. Not sure why your vet said you only had 2 days. Once you learn about what you need to do and get into the routine, you'll hopefully find managing the diabetes is not as hard as you think. I had my cat Max on a dry food that was high in carbs without realizing. Once I got him on insulin and changed his diet to low carb wet, his health improved dramatically and he is now in remission. Remission doesn't happen for every kitty, but it does happen and is worth a shot. If your kitty is ornery and you need to be out of town, I would look into boarding at a vet's. They are better able to handle an ornery kitty. My vet did boarding and it wasn't too outrageous in price. Anyway, I would give treatment a shot. You may be surprised.
 
Thank you soooo much everyone. If I'm being honest I've been changing my mind every 10 mins or so. Especially when you talk to certain people and they say let her go cause the quality of life won't be worth it for her and that I'd only be doing it for me and not for Sammy. There is some part truth in that for sure but I just don't know.

It's going to be a tough tough road trying to give her injections and blood tests. She doesn't like being touched so much. She does...but it's very specific. The only hope I'm holding onto is the possible chance of remission but obviously we don't know that for sure.

My vet gave me two days to decide but I'm not sure why. I was such a mess yesterday that I didn't ask those questions that I wanted to ask. I'm waiting for her to call me today so I can get more information on the sevarity of her condition. Is there a possibily of her getting better by just changing her food without insulin? I have her on Wellness canned food now and she loves it. Will this make her better on her own? I know we really don't know for sure but I'm just curious.
 
The certain people that you mention, that tell you your cat's quality of life will be compromised, have they owned or treated a diabetic pet? Do your diabetic friends appear to be suffering on a daily basis? Diabetes is a manageable disease, for people and pets. Treating it well does require some education and some dedication, but it does become routine quickly.

In my limited experience monitoring various cats' progresses on fdmb, some insulin has always been given even when cats quickly (within several weeks or months) become diet controlled. The injected insulin helps bring down the blood glucose levels so that the cat's pancreas can heal and start making its own insulin again.

There are techniques for dealing with cats who won't cooperate for testing and shots, such as wrapping securely in a towel or using clothes pins. I've never had to go to those extremes but others have and could give you advice and encouragement.

For many, the battle is switching foods. Some cats love their dry food and will absolutely refuse to eat canned food. That your cat has cooperated with your wise food change is a good sign.
 
Every cat is different, so we can't tell you that the food will make the difference. We can just say that it has, for some cats.

But, regardless, you need to learn to hometest. We have had members who hometested feral cats. One way some people work with difficult cats is Clothespin trick They use this for awhile, giving treats with every poke and believe it or not, the kitty comes around. Testing her levels will let you know whether the food change is working or if you need insulin.

As for quality of life, the vast majority of kitties here get regulated or go into remission. They have shiny coats again, start grooming themselves again, get their weight back and form a real bond with their owners. It's like they understand what we are doing is helping - is making them feel better.

We will be your support group. If you want to list your city and state, maybe we have a member who lives nearby and can help you through this first part, this steep learning curve.
 
I have had four diabetic cats, two of which I adopted knowing they were diabetic. Diabetes can affect their quality of life but in a good way. :mrgreen:

1) They get a better diet - canned or raw food instead of that yucky dry food.
2) They feel better when their diet is changed and they are on insulin.
3) They get extra low carb treats
and...
4) They get a lot of extra love and attention from their owners.

I have already decided that if I am reincarnated, I want to come back as a cat and adopted by someone on this board. :lol:
 
Melina said:
Especially when you talk to certain people and they say let her go cause the quality of life won't be worth it for her and that I'd only be doing it for me and not for Sammy. There is some part truth in that for sure but I just don't know.

It's going to be a tough tough road trying to give her injections and blood tests. She doesn't like being touched so much. She does...but it's very specific.
Click to expand...

My Bandit is a healthier cat now than before he had diabetes. The diabetes forced me to educate myself on feline diets and nutrition, and make some diet changes that greatly benefited his health. As I'm writing this, he's chasing his toy mouse around the house at breakneck speed. 4 years ago he was obese because of the dry food I fed him and barely moved. Today, he is an extremely happy, active, spoiled cat. I know many people with diabetes who live normal, healthy lives, and it's no different for cats.

An insulin injection is delivered just under the skin, so it's a lot quicker and easier than you would think. The only part of the cat that the needle pricks is the skin. You're not trying to find a vein anything, and most cats have pretty tough skin and they don't even feel it. I gave Bandit his injections while he gobbled down his food and in over a year he never noticed once. Blood tests were a little harder because he felt those, but I got a basket and wrapped him up like a burrito in a blanket so I could draw from his ear (you only need a super tiny drop, and I always put a tiny bit of antibiotic ointment + pain relief on afterward so his ears weren't sore). Like I said, he got used to it after a little while and even came to me when he heard the glucose meter turn on so that he could get a treat. I only have to test him occasionally now, but I can just walk right up to him and prick his ear and he doesn't even flinch.

I'm not saying your cat will end up being easy like Bandit, but before all of this I considered Bandit a difficult cat and never would have thought I could do it. I discovered most of the difficulty I had with him was because he sensed my frustration and acted accordingly. When I calmed down and things just became a fact of life, he did, too. It's not all going to be easy right away, but after a short time it does get easier and easier until it's hardly any trouble at all. Even the most difficult cats can cooperate with you if you can find the right approach.
 
Sue and Oliver said:
We will be your support group. If you want to list your city and state, maybe we have a member who lives nearby and can help you through this first part, this steep learning curve.
Click to expand...

I found this web site about 2 months after I started home testing and doing insulin injections, but I think that if I had someone show me how to do the ear pricks and injections in the beginning with Bandit, I would have not freaked out the way I did and things would have been easier. I am also fortunate enough to live in a city with very current vets because we have the top ranked vet school, and my vet showed me in her office how to give injections and do home testing on their office's resident cat. If you don't feel comfortable having someone here come walk you through the first time, hopefully you can find a vet who can help you through the process. There are some things you want to look for in a vet to help you along:

1. Recommends home testing (this is *the* most important step in regulating your cat).
2. Prescribes a slow-acting insulin, like Lantus, Levemir, or PZI.
3. Starts Sammy out on a very low dose (1 unit of insulin or less) twice a day. Once a day injections do not cut it for cats because of their metabolism.
4. Is willing to take phone calls if you need to ask questions during the learning process.

It helps so much to have someone there to guide you. It takes a lot of the pressure off!
 
Hello again, Melina!

I know that this decision is hard, and I imagine it is made harder by folks who are relying on their mere perceptions when giving you advice on how they think you should proceed.

I can tell you that in the three months since we started down this path, it has been as if you turned the clock back 10 years for my Willie. He had other issues that we got under control, and suddenly he was healthy, happy... you'd be hard pressed to tell he has an illness. Heck, you'd be hard pressed to tell that he is pushing 15! He has begun spontaneously playing for the first time in years, and now plays several times a day. Last night, I got him to do a vertical jump with his toys that he hasn't attempted in years. While it was only a couple inches, as opposed to the 2-3 feet he would have had years ago, it still brought joy to my heart.

I am a strong believer in knowing when it is "time." I made a pledge for Willie that when he reached the point that his time on earth was not good for him, I would let him go and not allow him to live in pain for my benefit. He is nowhere near that point today. The improvements to his quality of life have been nothing short of miraculous, and he is definitely enjoying it!
 
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