very confused about food

[Christine Hamann]

My Miss Emmy was diagnosed with diabetes this last week and has started on her insulin to control it. Due to the fact that she can be a picky eater and doesn't care for the vets food (we tried it before when our other cat needed to lose weight and it didn't go over well) and the fact that she has a very sensitive stomach and has a tendency to vomit her food if it doesn't agree with her we don't want to mess too much with what she is able to eat.
Currently I have her on a mixture of Friskies and Friskies indoor selects. Prior to adding the indoor selects to her diet, she would vomit her food 4-5 times a week minimum. Since we started mixing it in, we have reduced the vomiting to perhaps once every 2 weeks.
I've tried looking at all the food charts out there to see if there is something better I should be giving her, or trying with her, but now all the numbers are starting to run together and I'm becoming more confused than ever. Is there a diabetic food for dummies? Or can someone tell me what I really need to be checking for? Or just plain tell me what food brands are better than others?
I want to do what is best for my baby, but right now I don't have a clue.

 

[Suzi_S]

Most of us feed Friskies or Fancy Feast Classics. Here is a website with more info on food. http://www.catinfo.org/ (Hopefully that works...not good at this pasting thing) I feed mine Nulo as well.

 

[Christine Hamann]

Thank you Suzi, that helps. It does sound like she can stay on the food she currently eats if I cut out some of the gravy varieties.

 

[Mogmom and Goofus]

There are a couple of food lists on here with low carb foods listed. Are you feeding all canned food or are you mixing it with dry. If your mixing with dry, Evo Turkey and Chicken Cat & Kitten is a good low carb choice, and while its not cheap by any means, it's not as pricey as some other options. You can get something from your vet for nausea as well.

 

[Christine Hamann]

Emmy had sever peridontal issues as a kitten and cannot eat dry food. She is strictly on canned.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

Hi Christine and welcome to you and Emmy to the forum. If you keep her wet food carbs under 10% that is best for a diabetic cat. As mentioned above, many of us feed the Fancy Feast CLASSICS as they are the lower carb ones. The ones with gravy are way too high in carbs and it's good to have a can of that on hand (separated from the other food) to give in case of hypo event. Also 9-Lives PATES are low in carbs as well. So are is Wellness NO GRAIN, there is a yellow triangle on the label. Hope this helps.

 

[Bobbie And Bubba]

foodchart Look at this chart and the carb column is the 3rd one from the left. You can check to see if the ones you are giving her are below 10%.

 

[Christine Hamann]

THANK YOU! That lets me know what to look for!

 

[Anitafrnhamer]

Don't overlook Weruva brand foods. They are low in carbs but a little more pricey.

 

[Sharon14]

Since you said the indoor food slowed the vomiting, I wonder if it's the fiber that helped. Maybe add a fiber source to her food. Many use canned pumpkin-NOT pie filling- or add some plain psyllium husk to her food. If you do the PH, add plenty water to the food.

 

[Christine Hamann]

I was wondering what to do after I saw the numbers for the indoor selects. They are so high in carbs, yet without getting them mixed in her food she has the tendency to throw up. I did talk to my vet and she said at this time not to change her diet, at least not until we run the first curve and see what her numbers are. I think right now she is factoring the food into her insulin dosage.