Anyone with a diabetic cat?

ktwlpn, LPN · Jun 18, 2005

My cat was diagnosed with diabetes three weeks ago (blood sugar over 600!). QUOTE] I don't have a diabetic cat but I had my 23 yr old boy until last Thanksgiving......I found many good web-sites just search for "feline diabetes" and go from there.You'll find numerous sites from veterinary colleges to message boards by pet owners....I hope your new vet really works out-ours is a great guy-a real "cat person" It makes a difference....My old guy was healthy until the last couple of years when I treated him for renal insufficiency (diet and sub q fluids several times a week) In the end his heart just gave out-his renal function was actually stable and not too bad at the end but he fell off the bed in the morning and could not walk-turns out he was having syncope........I listened to him with my stethoscope -he was having little tachy runs and then his heart was just stopping....I miss the old guy.....I hope you have many more yrs with yours....

RN-PA, RN · Jun 18, 2005

I love cats but can't help you with your questions, unfortunately. I would suggest doing a Google Search by typing in "Cat Questions" (which I just did) and you should probably find some sites where Vets and others can help you. Here are a couple of sites that may be helpful that were the first three that came up on Google.

http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/FAQ.htm

http://cats.about.com/mpboards.htm

http://www.catchat.org/forum.html

Wishing you and your kitty(ies) all the best!

fluffwad · Jun 19, 2005

I've had diabetic cats in the past. I bought a glucometer elite for mine.....the glucometer that has the little green strips that suck up tiny amounts of blood. The ears are handy, but I found that just about anyplace will work, you just have to push the fur out of the way well enough. My vet just ordered 8U all the time and did not try to use any kind of scale, but I found that this was sometimes too much. I didnt test the cat everyday....only periodically and when he didnt seem right.

http://www.purina.com/institute/news.asp?article=232

http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00105.htm

Hairstylingnurse · Jun 25, 2005

My cat was diagnosed with diabetes three weeks ago (blood sugar over 600!). I changed vets today because after 3 weeks of doing nothing for the diabetes and hearing stories of people who have pets on Insulin I think this vet was doing my cat an injustice even though I told him that I would like her treated. The new (much younger) vet we saw today is starting the cat on a low dose of NPH Insulin and will have the cat for one full day next week to do periodic blood sugar checks.
For the last three weeks I've been feeding the cat any kind of meat she will eat. I was told that a high protein diet like this is OK in a cat as long as they have normal kidney function, but they can't get all the vitamins and minerals they need from a straight meat diet. The cat doesn't seem to like the Purina DM dry food that the first vet told me to start her on.
I've also got two other cats who are perfectly fine, but since they all sleep and eat together, what I do for one I pretty much have to do for them all.
I would like to know if there are others out there with diabetic cats and what you are doing for them. I would also like to know if there are any good articles, books, or textbooks on feline diabetes that I can get to read up on this.
Any responses would be very appreciated.

That poor kitty. If you put your kitty on almost all meat diet he may have some hypoglycemic attacks(I'm a type 1 diabetic and if I don't get any carbs, I defiantly go hypoglycemic and that is a scary, horrible feeling.I'm on insulin, and you are supposed to have carbs, just limited amounts.) The good news is you don't need a prescription for the some of the insulins now. Best of luck in your kitty's treatment.:)

Hairstylingnurse · Jun 25, 2005

I've had diabetic cats in the past. I bought a glucometer elite for mine.....the glucometer that has the little green strips that suck up tiny amounts of blood. The ears are handy, but I found that just about anyplace will work, you just have to push the fur out of the way well enough. My vet just ordered 8U all the time and did not try to use any kind of scale, but I found that this was sometimes too much. I didnt test the cat everyday....only periodically and when he didnt seem right.
http://www.purina.com/institute/news.asp?article=232
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00105.htm

I wonder if you could use some trimmers like us hairdresser's do and shave a small spot on the cat's inner thighs or arms where you can't see it and rotate sites like that and not hae to deal with the fur. I can't imagine having to check my cat or my pomeranian's bs. :)

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jun 25, 2005

We used to have a cat with diabetes - a 25 pound tomcat that dropped to 12 pounds around the time of his diagnosis. He, too, had a blood sugar over 600. They kept him overnight for hydration and glucose regulation, then sent him home on 2 units of insulin BID. We fed him whatever he wanted to eat, he was spoiled! He never did gain back much weight - maybe got back up to 15-16 pounds. We gave him insulin for 3-4 years before his kidneys started to fail and we had to put him down. At this point, he was about 14 years old, so really that's not bad at all for a "sick" cat.

The vet told us to keep Karo syrup in the pantry, and gave us a 1cc syringe to have next to it. If he ever seemed hypoglycemic (unresponsive, foam at the mouth, etc.) we were to draw up a cc of Karo and slowly drip it under his tongue until he improved. NEVER had to do this. On the other hand, there were times (especially in the summer it seemed) where he'd be laying by the water bowl drinking like crazy...and we'd know his sugar was too high. Then we'd do 3 units BID and increase up to as much as 5 units BID depending on his clinical symptoms. We never did blood sugar testing on him - just got it done at the vet every 6 months or so.

He was a great cat. Big, dumb, happy orange tomcat. My favorite! This cat, who was so "special" that he never learned to purr or land on his feet, actually went to the kitchen BID on his own and stood in front of the fridge, waiting for us to get his insulin. Then he'd sniff the syringe, watch us draw it up, and then lower his head so we could give him the shot in his neck. After we gave it a rub, he'd go right for his food bowl to have a snack. Amazing!

Good luck!

Stella-Ohio · Jul 27, 2005

Never had a diabetic cat but did have a diabetic dog.

Once we almost lost him (at diagnosis) and after it was under control it was pretty simple.

Since pets (especially indoor pets) eat the same food (you don't need expensive diabetic food - you just need to feed the same food all the time)

You and your vet will be able to tailor the exact insulin needs of your pet (barring any unexpected hypoglycemic episodes due to a poor appetite etc).

The dog, like another posters cat, liked getting his insulin. It obviously made him feel better and their neck is not sensitive to the small needle anyway.

The funny part was me occasionally having to chase him around the yard until he hiked his leg for me to use the 'strip' in his stream of urine - wouldn't want to try that with a cat.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jul 27, 2005

My cubby (may he rest in peace ) was diagnosed at age 5, and lived for about 10 yrs with diabetes. We gave him NPH twice a day. For about 8 of the 10 yrs, he was absoulety fine, on the same dose of insulin, ate whatever he wanted, and like a pig!! (no special cat food). We barely tested his sugar. And when we did, we did a urine dip (well, we waited for him to pee, and we stuck the strip under him). We kept the Karo syrup in the house too, but never needed it. Funny story- one day my mother gave the insulin to the wrong (non-diabetic) cat. She just grabbed the wrong cat and stuck him. We called the vet, and monitored him, and he was fine. No incodent report needed :chuckle .

Your kitty should live a long, healthy kitty life. It's more of a lifestyle adjustment for you (always need someone to watch him).

ktwlpn, LPN · Aug 1, 2005

To collect a urine specimen from a cat our vet gives us a a specimen cup filled with some kind of plastic beads-you put them in a clean litter box and after the cats pees you can pour the pee off into the cup.He did tell me that even a handull of clean aquarium stones will work-the cat just needs something to scratch ......

martymoose, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2005

I had a dm cat on nph bid for 3 yrs. would notice that his sugar was high when he would suck the water bowl down, and adjust by a unit or so. He didnt need to have his diet changed at all, and we did periodic whole blood glucose readings at the vet office.he was well controlled for the most part- i dont think he ever got too low.He did great untill he was diagnosed with cancerous nasal polyps that started growing across his airway, and I had to put him down due to the inability to eat- which is what he lived for. he had only been diagnosed for 2 weeks. I still miss him. It is worth it to treat them if we can.They get used to the needles. Good luck