Timed Feeder Recs and Trying to Get Insulin

C

Cat Mom97

Member Since 2023
Hey everyone!

So Mus's BGs have not been so great lately. The vet I was going to refused to prescribe insulin for him as he's "functioning" just fine in the 300s and they don't prescribe insulin for cats unless they're upwards of 600. Their concern is that putting him on insulin would put him at risk of a hypoglycemic episode when he's "just fine" right now. Despite explaining my reason for not wanting to give Mus the prescription food, the vet wouldn't consider any treatment unless I put him on the prescription diet.
Tomorrow I'm taking him to a vet I used to visit to see if we can discuss putting him on a small dose of Lantus/Glargine.

We've also recently moved and now I'm really in need of a timed feeder. I've been eyeing the CatMate C300 because I worry he'd somehow get the C200 open. I also haven't found any metal inserts for the C300 like the C200 and C500 have. Any advice or reviews are appreciated!
 
Tim & Pookey said:
I think @Staci & Ivy and/or @squeem3 are more familiar with the CatMate. We have the Petlibro but it is a little more expensive.

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...libro-polar-wet-food-feeder-read-this.302714/
Click to expand...
I use the Cat Mate 500 and I like it a lot. I have 2 of them. One for am one for pm. That way I don’t have to constantly change the timers (I know I’d forget and mess up the opening of the feeder).
I use the metal bowls which are easy to keep clean.

I use it every day even when I’m home. That way my girl is used to using it all the time.
Hope this helps! 🥰
 
Sorry, I don't use the Catmate feeder. I use the Petsafe 5 compartment one.

I've heard of people buying a small stainless steel or glass bowl and fitting that into the compartment. Try looking for something in the kitchen section of a store / web site.

Definitely get a new vet. Remember you speak for your cat and make the decisions not the vet. The vet can push prescription food, no insulin etc but you can push back and say NO. Take your money and spend it on a better vet who is more open to listening to clients and working with them. There are FDMB members all over the world. You can start a new post asking for a vet recommendation in your area.
 
squeem3 said:
Sorry, I don't use the Catmate feeder. I use the Petsafe 5 compartment one.

I've heard of people buying a small stainless steel or glass bowl and fitting that into the compartment. Try looking for something in the kitchen section of a store / web site.

Definitely get a new vet. Remember you speak for your cat and make the decisions not the vet. The vet can push prescription food, no insulin etc but you can push back and say NO. Take your money and spend it on a better vet who is more open to listening to clients and working with them. There are FDMB members all over the world. You can start a new post asking for a vet recommendation in your area.
Click to expand...
Staci & Ivy said:
I use the Cat Mate 500 and I like it a lot. I have 2 of them. One for am one for pm. That way I don’t have to constantly change the timers (I know I’d forget and mess up the opening of the feeder).
I use the metal bowls which are easy to keep clean.

I use it every day even when I’m home. That way my girl is used to using it all the time.
Hope this helps! 🥰
Click to expand...
Tim & Pookey said:
I think @Staci & Ivy and/or @squeem3 are more familiar with the CatMate. We have the Petlibro but it is a little more expensive.

https://felinediabetes.com/FDMB/thr...libro-polar-wet-food-feeder-read-this.302714/
Click to expand...

Thank you! I'm definitely eyeing the CatMate line since it looks like it'll be more affordable for me right now. I guess now I'm just between the C300 and the C500. Leaning C300 right now, but I've noticed that a lot more people seem to have the latter.

As far as vet updates, the vet said a few things. He wants me to change Mus's food to one with higher protein and less fat, which would mean no Friskies. He thinks this diet change could help and he's fine with the food not being prescription. He's hesitant to start on insulin because he says that my cat is doing well and he doesn't want Mus to rely on insulin until we've done a urinalysis and a curve. He's okay with me doing the curve at home, but he wants me to use a pet meter alongside my ReliOn so that he can see the difference in the numbers. Don't have a pet meter so that means I'd have to get one.
 
If you aren't going to start insulin, please get some urine ketone testing strips and start testing for ketones at home. Tips to catch and test a urine sample Numbers over 300 are not OK, even more not OK on a human meter.

The sooner you can get your kitty onto insulin, the easier it'll be to get him regulated. Otherwise his body gets used to the higher numbers.

Lots of people here feed Friskies pates. Maybe the vet is suggesting lower fat so he'll lose some weight?

Ask the vet if you can borrow their pet meter and say it's too expensive for your budget. Before the pet meters came out, vets used to use human meters too. That wasn't that long ago.
 
Wendy&Neko said:
If you aren't going to start insulin, please get some urine ketone testing strips and start testing for ketones at home. Tips to catch and test a urine sample Numbers over 300 are not OK, even more not OK on a human meter.

The sooner you can get your kitty onto insulin, the easier it'll be to get him regulated. Otherwise his body gets used to the higher numbers.

Lots of people here feed Friskies pates. Maybe the vet is suggesting lower fat so he'll lose some weight?

Ask the vet if you can borrow their pet meter and say it's too expensive for your budget. Before the pet meters came out, vets used to use human meters too. That wasn't that long ago.
Click to expand...
I test his ketones here and there and so far we haven't had any issues. I've explained to more than one vet about how I want to start him on insulin, but they both have wanted me to start him on different diets. One wanted prescription, this other one is fine with high protein low fat/carb. I've mentioned the forum info too and that I need to be able to afford things long term, but even today's vet says that we need to try what he's asking before he considers insulin. Which would be a diet change, urinalysis, and a curve with a pet meter alongside my human meter.

This whole thing has been so tiring. I can't keep paying for these vet visits and getting nowhere. 😢
 
Good for you for doing that ketone testing. As long as there are no ketones, you can try a diet change for a couple weeks and do the other things today's vet has suggested.
 
I am so sorry you are going through this.

I generally don't bash someone's vet. They have a hard job when it comes to having to diagnose and treat a variety of species. That said, is your vet an idiot? A blood glucose level of 600 is critically high and places a cat at a huge risk for diabetic ketoacidosis or worse. In humans, that high of a level is considered life threatening and typically, people are hospitalized to get their blood glucose under control. This is a link to the 2025 consensus guidelines for diagnosing and treating feline diabetes. They indicate a blood glucose over 270 mg/dL is considered diabetic numbers. Feel free to send the consensus guidelines to your vet. The guidelines are from the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery which is a very well regarded veterinary journal. The full criteria from the guidelines are:

* A random (fasted or unfasted) BG concentration ≥15 mmol/l (≥270 mg/dl) with classic clinical signs of hyperglycaemia* (with no other plausible cause) or a hyperglycaemic crisis, and at least one of the following criteria:
- Increased glycated proteins (eg, fructosamine);
- Glucosuria on more than one occasion on a naturally voided sample acquired in a home environment at least 2 days after any stressful events.

* A random (fasted or unfasted) BG concentration >7 mmol/l(>126 mg/dl and ≤15 mmol/l (<270 mg/dl) and at least two of the following criteria:
- Classic clinical signs of hyperglycaemia* (with no other plausible cause) or hyperglycaemic crisis;
- Increased glycated proteins (eg, fructosamine);
- Glucosuria on more than one occasion on a naturall
Is there any chance there is a feline only veterinary practice in your vicinity? This search engine may be helpful.

One other thought. If you start a new thread and ask if there is anyone in your general area that is happy with their vet, there may be members who can recommend someone who is more knowledgeable about feline diabetes.

Failing that, ask your vet to document your concerns in your cat's records. After discussing your concerns with the vet and indicating that if they fail to treat your cat especially if blood glucose levels are above 300, if your cat develops DKA, treatment will be at the vet's expense.
 
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