Morning; I think I should have joined this group a long time ago. My cat Billy 12 years old - a beautiful mackarel tabby; 4 years in to being diagnosed. He has had a tough old life to date and several injuries along the way so aside from being on Caninsulin 3.5 he’s also on Gaberpentin and Famotidine. What interest me is recommendations for wet food; Billy has been having Royal Canin for 4 years and although mainly stable (he has off times); I hear other people talk of fancy Feast (US) and how good it is for diabetic cats. Is there a UK equivalent or what have other cat parents found works?
Hi Sally, waving from Surrey!
The UK equivalent of Fancy Feast is the Purina Gourmet Gold pates, I think. But many ordinary wet foods are low carb. Sheba fine flakes, for example, is a popular food with UK folks at the moment and is widely available. And if you're willing to buy online then Zooplus has a great selection of cat foods.
However, I second Sienne's advice above re transitioning to lower carb foods.
Reducing the carb content of the food can reduce the blood glucose, and therefore the need for insulin. Many cats need a lower dose of insulin if switched to a lower carb diet. And the caution is needed because too much insulin can cause hypo.
For safety's sake, for cats on insulin it is important to be testing blood glucose at home when transitioning to lower carb diet. That will enable you to monitor the effect of the diet change, and the insulin dose can be adjusted as necessary.
'Most' cats can be tested, and 'most' people can learn to test with a bit of patience and practice. Of course there are exceptions. But, it's well worth trying to learn. It can help to begin in
very small steps, maybe just getting the cat used to having his or her ears touched for a few seconds, and rewarding with yummy treats.
An alternative to 'hometesting' that some people now use is the Freestyle Libre device that attaches to the skin. This is made for humans, but is used in cats and dogs too. It does mean that a little patch needs to be shaved for it to be fitted.
The Freestyle Libre can last 'up to' 14 days. It's had mixed reviews, with some people reporting success with it on their kitties, and others not so keen. But, in the absence of hometesting blood glucose, or, while someone is learning to hometest blood glucose, it may give some useful information.
Eliz