Our beloved Norwegian Forest Cat, Priscilla, was diagnosed with FD about 2 weeks ago. We are now giving 2 units of insulin twice a day. She is doing much better now as she had lost quite a bit of weight and her beautiful eyes have their glow back. She is afraid of me when shot time comes and she is trying to hide. She acts scaired of me when I come into the room. This breaks my heart and is difficult for us to handle. I've read some tips and tricks from this website and others and am trying different methods. What a tough thing to go through but the alternative is totally unacceptable. She is only 7 years old and such a sweet and beautiful cat(Long black and white tuffs of hair sticking out at her cheeks and tail). My wife Carolyn and I would love any and all suggestions for easier ways to do her insulin shots that we know a lot of you may have. Thanks and lots of kitty love, Tom and Carolyn :?
We're new at this!
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Hillary & Maui (GA)
Very Active Member
Hi and welcome.
Would you mind telling us what insulin you are using?
Are you home testing?
What kind of food are you feeding?
Where are you shooting the insulin? Flank, scruff? Are you tenting? Do you know about tenting the skin before shooting?
If you could share some more information, we will be better able to help you.
Would you mind telling us what insulin you are using?
Are you home testing?
What kind of food are you feeding?
Where are you shooting the insulin? Flank, scruff? Are you tenting? Do you know about tenting the skin before shooting?
If you could share some more information, we will be better able to help you.
Marvie and Tugger
Very Active Member
Welcome! We're still pretty new to this ourselves, even though Tugger was diagnosed in December. You've found the right place to get help =)
I'm pretty lucky that Tugger is a very relaxed dude, so he hasn't been frightened by all of this at all. I kind of thought he might start trying to hide from his shots or tests but he seemed to figure out that the shots made him feel better pretty quickly and he started showing up at shot time. Then when I started testing him all the time, I really thought he'd hide, but again, he comes to me most times and if he doesn't I can find him pretty easily.
Treats are key I think. Tugger gets delicious treats for all poking. I've found a few that are all meat that he really likes, some are even dog treats! He only gets them for pokes, no other reason. He also gets lots of skritches and love talk when it's test or shot time. He loves that, so he tolerates the poking for the treats and lovin's.
I put together a small basket with my testing supplies. It has the meter and the lancet and the test strips, cotton balls, extra lancets, Neosporin with pain relief and the special treats. I carry it with me when I have to track him down and it's nice to have everything right there with me. I was forever having to run back to the kitchen because I forgot the strips or something and we won't even talk about the number of blood smears on my sweats from not having cotton balls handy. Now, when Tugger hears the rustle of the basket sometimes he comes running. Generally he just waits where he is though, and flops over on his side for me. Then he races me to the kitchen for his snack or meal.
Are you nervous when you go to shoot or test? Your emotions transmit to kitty from the other end of the house, so if you are nervous she will be nervous. Tugger resists me when I'm anxious or stressed or in a hurry but if I take the time to take some deep breaths and relax myself first, then give him lots of loving before I start poking it seems to help.
I'm pretty lucky that Tugger is a very relaxed dude, so he hasn't been frightened by all of this at all. I kind of thought he might start trying to hide from his shots or tests but he seemed to figure out that the shots made him feel better pretty quickly and he started showing up at shot time. Then when I started testing him all the time, I really thought he'd hide, but again, he comes to me most times and if he doesn't I can find him pretty easily.
Treats are key I think. Tugger gets delicious treats for all poking. I've found a few that are all meat that he really likes, some are even dog treats! He only gets them for pokes, no other reason. He also gets lots of skritches and love talk when it's test or shot time. He loves that, so he tolerates the poking for the treats and lovin's.
I put together a small basket with my testing supplies. It has the meter and the lancet and the test strips, cotton balls, extra lancets, Neosporin with pain relief and the special treats. I carry it with me when I have to track him down and it's nice to have everything right there with me. I was forever having to run back to the kitchen because I forgot the strips or something and we won't even talk about the number of blood smears on my sweats from not having cotton balls handy. Now, when Tugger hears the rustle of the basket sometimes he comes running. Generally he just waits where he is though, and flops over on his side for me. Then he races me to the kitchen for his snack or meal.
Are you nervous when you go to shoot or test? Your emotions transmit to kitty from the other end of the house, so if you are nervous she will be nervous. Tugger resists me when I'm anxious or stressed or in a hurry but if I take the time to take some deep breaths and relax myself first, then give him lots of loving before I start poking it seems to help.
Hope + (((Baby)))GA
Very Active Member
Talk with Priscilla......it is not crazy.....you would be amazed at how much they do understand. When it is in-between shot times, sit her down and explain that she has diabetes and she needs the shots. Without the insulin "she will die". I used to tell Mishka she would go back to ER......she didn't care, she knew them there better than she knew me. An animal communicator I used told me to tell her "she will die".....only took a few days for her to decide she didn't want to die. In the beginning I needed gloves and an E-collar over her to test and shoot. I then started talking and explaining everything....she even learned that no test meant no food and would jump up on the sofa for the test. Talk to her, praise the living daylights out of her, and please, please, please buy a meter and learn to hometest ASAP. It is a lifesaving tool that will not only help you regulate her but if she vomits, looks at you weird, becomes lethargic.....you can test immediately and know what her number is and if it is going into or into a hypo range.
It will settle into a routine that Priscilla will also learn and understand and your bond with her will also become much stronger.
It will settle into a routine that Priscilla will also learn and understand and your bond with her will also become much stronger.
kate and lucky
Active Member
Welcome to FDMB Tom :mrgreen:
Please don't be disheartened, patience and perseverence go along way.
Lucky was an extremely fractious cat, but I got there in the end.
Hope? I think said it as did Marve? Talking to Priscilla, trying to control your nerves will really help.
I bought a small throw (very soft) and would gently place over Lucky's back and then scoop her up. Had to be quite tight in the beginning, but within a short space of time, loose and was seen as more of a comfort (she still had her moments of clawing me badly so sometimes the banket afforded a little protection)
If your in America, you can get freeze dried chicken treats-they seem to be a hit. I just boiled chilcken and shredded it. Most of the time Lucky didn't want a treat, she liked the cuching, stroking and talking.
Good idea to pickyour spot in the house and always test and shoot there. Then become familiar to cat.
I used kitchen as small and Lucky prone to pegging it.Alot of people sit on settee with kitty.
As said previously, get all your supplies together beforehand, much easier and less stressful on you.
What gauge needles are you using? Sometimes they are too thick and kitty feels them (we had 26g to start-youch!)
The higher the number the thinner-30g seeemed best for us and I know is one regularly used.
As Hilary said could you provde a little more info about the insulin. what food you feed, any on-going or previous health issues, behaviour of Priscilla.
There's a wealth of knowledge here, ask as many q's as you like, it's a 24/7 board
Please don't be disheartened, patience and perseverence go along way.
Lucky was an extremely fractious cat, but I got there in the end.
Hope? I think said it as did Marve? Talking to Priscilla, trying to control your nerves will really help.
I bought a small throw (very soft) and would gently place over Lucky's back and then scoop her up. Had to be quite tight in the beginning, but within a short space of time, loose and was seen as more of a comfort (she still had her moments of clawing me badly so sometimes the banket afforded a little protection)
If your in America, you can get freeze dried chicken treats-they seem to be a hit. I just boiled chilcken and shredded it. Most of the time Lucky didn't want a treat, she liked the cuching, stroking and talking.
Good idea to pickyour spot in the house and always test and shoot there. Then become familiar to cat.
I used kitchen as small and Lucky prone to pegging it.Alot of people sit on settee with kitty.
As said previously, get all your supplies together beforehand, much easier and less stressful on you.
What gauge needles are you using? Sometimes they are too thick and kitty feels them (we had 26g to start-youch!)
The higher the number the thinner-30g seeemed best for us and I know is one regularly used.
As Hilary said could you provde a little more info about the insulin. what food you feed, any on-going or previous health issues, behaviour of Priscilla.
There's a wealth of knowledge here, ask as many q's as you like, it's a 24/7 board
Melanie and Smokey
Very Active Member
Sounds like Precilla is in great hands. It does get easier. After our first few days of testing, my girl would see me coming and lay her ears flat back while she ran to hide under the bed. It broke my heart when she'd flinch when I tried to pet her. Now she goes straight to the plastic bag she's picked for me to test on her on whenever she gets hungry (know a snack comes after) and if I'm not home and hubby is, she jumps up on the counter because she knows that's where he tests her. She usually purrs through it all. Sometimes she even asks for some time on the bed getting scratches and rubs from mommy as her reward for a good test. They figure eventually figure out that the test and shot leads to treats and feeling better.
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