How Do You Know a 16 Yr Old Cat Is a Diabetic
- Lifestyle
six Tips for Dealing with Diabetes in Cats
- Past JaneA Kelley
- , November 12, 2018
I program to bring a new cat into my family. She's a beautiful daughter who has the very advisable name Bella (brusk for Belladonna). She's specially special considering she has feline diabetes. She'll need ongoing care and attention for the remainder of her life, but I've found that the basics of keeping a diabetic cat salubrious are not very scary at all. Hither's what I've learned about diabetes in cats so far:
1. Diet is crucial when dealing with diabetes in cats
Diabetic cats shouldn't consume dry food. Most vets recommend a high-protein, low-saccharide nutrition for diabetic cats, and no dry food is low in carbohydrates. Even grain-costless dry out foods contain a lot of substitute carbohydrates such as potatoes, peas or tapioca. Carbohydrates tend to make claret sugar levels fluctuate quite a bit. The shelter where I'yard adopting my Bella has had cats that became diet-controlled and no longer needed insulin when they began eating low-carb food. There are depression-carbohydrate foods bachelor at every cost point, so you don't have to buy super-expensive food to feed your diabetic cat properly.
Curious about what people with diabetes should and shouldn't eat? Cheque out this article >>
2. Home testing isn't as difficult every bit information technology seems
Similar diabetic humans, cats with feline diabetes need to accept their blood glucose tested regularly. You can do this at dwelling house with a standard glucometer and testing strips that you tin can buy in a drugstore. Record your cat's claret glucose level, along with the engagement and time, after each examination. The small vein running around the edge of the ear is the easiest location to go a blood sample for the exam. Your vet tin tell you lot how oftentimes you should test your cat. Yous can find step-by-step abode-testing instructions and videos online to see how it's washed.
3. Giving insulin isn't as hard equally it seems, either
If your diabetic cat needs insulin, you will need to give it by injection. The good news is that cats have a lot of loose pare between and around their shoulders, and this is the platonic location for giving shots. Your vet will show you how to practice this, and videos of this process are besides available online if y'all need a refresher.
iv. You'll need to work closely with your vet
Your cat will probably demand more frequent examinations, particularly as her insulin dosage is being stabilized, and you'll want to send records of your cat'due south habitation-test blood glucose levels to your vet so they can go part of your kitty'due south records. Yous'll likewise demand prescriptions from your vet to buy your cat'due south insulin and syringes.
5. There are ongoing expenses associated with diabetes in cats
Caring for a cat with feline diabetes means you'll need supplies: syringes, test strips and batteries for your glucometer, insulin, and so on. Pet health insurance doesn't encompass pre-existing weather, so if your cat is diabetic when you adopt her, you'll need to be ready financially if she has a health crunch. A diabetic cat needs to be fed regularly — even if you're going away for just an overnight trip, you demand to make arrangements for your cat to be fed and monitored. For well-nigh people, that means hiring a cat sitter. Make sure that sitter is comfortable with managing diabetes in cats and knows how to home test and administrate insulin, too.
6. At that place'due south a lot of support for feline diabetes available, too
The best known and highest rated support website fro diabetes in cats is FelineDiabetes.com. Dr. Lisa Pierson's CatInfo.org has lots of information about nutrition, as well as a section dedicated to diabetes. Diabetic Cats in Need is a nonprofit that provides financial assistance for caretakers of diabetic cats.
Diabetes in cats really isn't scary. You need to exist educated about feline diebetes, you need to have a vet you trust and with whom you can communicate well, and yous need to be set up for the fact that your lifestyle will change when you bring ane of these special cats into your home.
Tell united states of america: Practise yous have a diabetic true cat? Are in that location resources and websites you've found particularly helpful when information technology comes to diabetes in cats? Allow us know in the comments!
This slice was originally published in 2017.
Thumbnail: Photography ©vladans | Thinkstock.
Near JaneA Kelley: Punk-rock cat mom, science nerd, animal shelter volunteer, professional cat sitter, and all-effectually geek with a passion for bad puns, intelligent chat, and role-play adventure games. She gratefully and gracefully accepts her status every bit chief cat slave for her family of feline bloggers, who have been writing their award-winning cat advice blog, Paws and Effect, since 2003.
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JaneA Kelley
JaneA is the webmaster and principal cat slave for Paws and Effect, an award-winning cat advice blog written by her cats, for cats and their people. She is a professional member of the Cat Writers' Association, and has been a speaker at the BlogPaws and Cat Writers' Association conferences. In addition to blogging about cats, JaneA writes contemporary urban fantasy, and whatever else strikes her fancy.
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Great Post! I retrieve you should write more on this topic.
Don't pay any attending to all the true cat lady types that say it'southward no big deal, that'south cause they have no lives. I've been doing this for two years and it's literally killing me. My physical and mental health has deteriorated. You tin can never go anywhere or do annihilation that takes you away for more than that 12 hours and so that role of your life is OVER.
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I would like you lot to give a huge thumbs up for the information y'all have shared in this post. Thanks for sharing.
thanks for the information
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My cat (13 yo) was just diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. Vet recommended only one type of food for her if i cant afford insulin treatments. Problem is that food is $61 a bag and that would cost well over $100 month, comparable to insulin costs. When i asked vet for an affordable alternative of food he simply seemed to become annoyed that i didnt accept his first suggestion. I simply had to borrow $225 from a friend (not even 100% sure ill be able to pay back too presently) to become this diagnosis and attitude from him every bit he seemed to act as if i didn't trust his choice. Problem is i live on a very restricted income and cannot afford what he recommends. I checked with websites, and hundreds of them for answers. All i become is "click here to purchase" and sent to a page that wants my money, only no concrete information on what i tin can do. I need some serious help or i will lose my pet. She is my family and i need help. Any aid that is NOT merely trying to sell me a product without specific information. I am just so tired of the greed out in that location. Please send me something that will guide me to an affordable solution to saving my little girl's life and all the same allowing me to swallow for myself? I volition be so happy to phone call someone and talk similar humans practice instead of everything being done via email and websites, and waiting hours, days and even sometimes weeks to get responses. And then i accept to respond and wait once more for further i formation later on asking relevant questions.
Would like to help past donating an A1C diabetes test. It is normally $99 simply nosotros effort to help out every bit oft as possible. Merely send as an email, we are on google nether baycom diagnostics A1C test for cats and dogs
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Our ten year sometime male domestic shorthair has been on Prozinc insulin and weight direction dry food for two-one/2 years. His glucose is now below 100. He runs, jumps, plays, and purrs. The trouble is that he weighs 20 pounds. If nosotros restrict his food intake he will dry out heave and eat carpet and plastic. Should we restrict food intake or not restrict food intake?
Oh, please don't retrieve you have to put your kitty downward. I live in Minneapolis (I mean, information technology'due south fine, simply non the Athens of North America), my kitty got all these weird symptoms, and I found in one evening ii local vets who charge based on your income. In that location is hope for you also!
I am warehousing a former feral who was diagnosed as diabetic this calendar week. He volition plough 10 this spring. The vet said insulin was the only way to care for feline diabetes but Punkin' Pie will not let me take hold of him, much less inject him. What is the class for untreated diabetes? He gets served Fancy Feast twice a solar day and gratis feeds on non-grain Petsmart kibble. How long will he last and what does the terminate stage look like?
Hi there Maggie,
Cheers for reaching out! Nosotros suggest contacting the vet who suggested insulin for your true cat with these questions.
I had a diabetic cat. Sadly, the vet never mentioned daily testing to me and I didn't know to inquire. She lasted almost iii years,with the illness before I lost her. I wish I had been instructed to test her. But I have heard since that non all vets fifty-fifty encounter information technology every bit necessary.
My cat'southward glucose stays loftier fifty-fifty he united states of america not eating much. I mean he was eating more wet food and was doing proficient. Suddenly, his glucose spiked upwards to 383. And nosotros are working with our vet reducing foods, increased insulin from one/ii unit twice a day to 2 units twice a twenty-four hours. Still high. Hw drink a lot of water and pees a lot too. I'm very much concerned.
There is likewise an A1C test available for cats now. It gives y'all lxx days of average glucose levels in a single test. It is called A1CARE
I call up my cat has diabetes. My vet needs a urine sample, but my cat goes out for her wee; any suggestions?
Hi Ely,
Sorry to hear your cat might have diabetes. We suggest explaining this situation to your vet and seeing what he says.
I believe the all-time tests are from blood.
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My Emerson has diabetes. His first glucose number was 471. The vet kept him for a week and "stabilized" him on dry nutrient and sent him habitation for a week with feeding in the morning and 2 units of insulin. Recheck in a calendar week. BS was 471!! He was on dry out nutrient and I asked the vet if the carbs in it were not good for him. She said the food he was on for weight loss and diabetes. But when I took him back his BS was 596! So they kept him for four days to try to get him stabilized. When I picked him up he is on wet food half a can in the morning at 8 am and then ii units of insulin and the same in the evening at 5 pm. He is constantly hungry because he is a big boy (15 pounds) and what he is eating isn't keeping him satisfied. He goes back on July iii for more evaluation for the day. I promise he is regulated by and so. I don't think his diet is sufficient for him.
I work at a cat sanctuary/adoption center, and we have a room in our clinic building dedicated to whatsoever diabetic kitties we become/have developed. There's one old boy in particular I'm hoping to foster and bring home. He's the sweetest thing and the actress direction to his intendance doesnt stage me in the slightest.
Thankfully my workplace has a program in identify that will dramatically decrease the costs for properly caring for him, but he also has another trouble. Namely, IBD. He's on a special Royal Canin PR dry/wet diet and is as well on insulin.
Whatsoever additional tips for managing his care at home with his extra, special needs?
Thank you for your thoughts and ideas. Our cat was diagnosed today with a blood glucose of 502. It will be Mon before he can get started on his insulin. After going over the price of everything needed to take care of this, I told my husband we may have to put him down . Our income is limited and we have two other cats. After reading some comments here, I experience more than encouraged that there may be a way to save him. Rescued him four years agone. He is a truthful sweetheart .
Y'all can buy insulin from Canada that is much less expensive than in the U.South. You can find good pricing on the supplies too. Don't put your cat down because he has diabetes.
Oh, please don't recall you have to put your kitty down. I live in Minneapolis (I hateful, it's fine, but not the Athens of North America), my kitty got all these weird symptoms, and I constitute in i evening 2 local vets who charge based on your income. At that place is hope for you too!
Try goodrx. I found a bottle of Insulin for only $25.00 at Walmart with coupon. My latest addition was a stray true cat I found at work. She was not gaining weight, ate like a pig and was peeing all the time. Took her to my Vet. Her blood carbohydrate was 426. He put her on a special diet but did remember information technology would piece of work, since she is simply a year old and under weight. Volition take her back in 3 weeks. She has gained a little weight and I have educated myself on giving shots and testing.
Thank you for sharing this data. Our cat just received a diabetes diagnosis today. I was actually worried until I read your article. Now I feel that this is something nosotros can bargain with and isn't a capital punishment. We will exist meeting with our vet side by side week simply at to the lowest degree I tin sleep at night until then.
Glad we're able to help! Best of luck and experience meliorate to you and your kitty!
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This is peachy information to have. I have an overweight cat. He went from 22.5 lbs to 20 lbs over an 8 calendar month menses when eating Nutro weight direction nutrient. I switched him to prescription weight direction food at twice the cost and he gained back all his weight. I feed him and the other 4 cats separately.
I'm discouraged about his power to lose weight and his diabetes risk is loftier. Should he develop diabetes, at least at that place are good resources out there. I do wonder if putting them all on a high protein wet food now would go a long way toward prevention, and I'll be looking into this.
Stay away from HILLS . Read the ingredients, lots of junk. The best food for a cat is can nutrient. Particularly diabetic true cat.
I accept a diabetic cat who is addicted to dry food. Right at present we are working on helping him acquire to eat wet food. Fancy banquet is non the all-time in the market place but is a good start. Finally I found a flavor he likes. Good luck!
My diabetic is eating hills and throwing information technology upwardly sometimes. Is there whatever other food that is improve for her that you know of
Hi, I have a Redpoint Siemese and he is 18 years onetime. 3 years agone he was diabectic and I changed his food and the Diabetes went abroad. It is back once again and will see the Vet in Vancouver BC tomorrow. Accept seen 4 Vets in Vancouver and they all push that crap from the Vets. Nutrient you tin only buy from the Vets. Would like to find some good food from a pet store and not the Vets office. Any suggestions. Thanks Jeff B.
I'm sorry that you and your cat are going through this. I would definitely recommend that yous go to http://www.felinediabetes.com/ and visit their message board–at that place are some great recommendations bachelor on food and all sorts of other aspects of feline diabetes. In that location are plenty of low-carb, high-protein options at all toll points that are adept for diabetic cats, and the FDMB (Feline Diabetes Message Lath) will accept this information handy.
Hello , my proffer is to stay away from HILLS prescription food. I fed my cats on that junk for years cause my vet said they needed to lose weight. In 5 years they never lost an oz. Ane of them developed abdominal cancer. Then I started to do my research just to find out that hills is junk. Just because it is expensive doesn't hateful it is healthy. At that place is a new food in the market right now ZIWI you can buy it on like from CHEWY.COM. continue your caraway from dry food specially if he is diabetic. Skilful luck
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Prognosis for diabetic cats
Depends on the insulin. Lantus and Levemir have an lxxx% remission rate. Fifty-fifty on the other insulins your cat tin live a long life. Loftier protein depression carb food (less than 9 carbs) is the outset stride. Practise not feed that dry nutrient from the vet office, it has corn and is very high carb. My cat started lantus insulin 1/2 a unit January 31st, and as of today (three/3/eighteen) he has been off insulin for 16 days and his numbers have been below 100 in the normal cat range. There is a group on Facebook chosen sugarcats and they can assistance you.
Anyone with a diabetic cat should join the FDMB right away. This site has all the information you lot demand on feline diabetes.
I take a 7 year old cat that has diabetes and I don't make a lot of money. The medicine is $145.00 and the needles are $50.00. Where tin can I go to get financial help. He gets ii shots a day four.5 units. I love him then much and don't want to get rid of him similar everyone keeps telling me. Is at that place any help out there?
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for reaching out. We recently wrote an article that might help: https://www.catster.com/cat-wellness-care/what-to-do-if-y'all-need-help-with-vet-bills
Where practise you lot alive? Needles for my true cat are $16 for 100. And insulin pen (from which I draw with the needle) is $80 from CVS. Then again, this CVS volition divide a packet of pens. I'thou in Florida.
Tin can't help with the cost of insulin, it's expensive everywhere. But for needles, Walmart has a lot of insulin supplies for cheap — their ReliOn Confirm meter and strips for sugar testing are fairly cheap, and you tin buy 100 insulin syringes with needles for under $15 in that location.
Diabetic Cats In Need. They have a website and FB page
https://www.facebook.com/DiabeticCatsInNeed/?ref=br_rs
http://world wide web.felinediabetes.com/vetbills.htm
hi I know how u feel. my 8yr one-time baby was just diagnosed with diabetes and I know it can be a flake costly but I found that wal-mart has the best prices on diabetic supplies and u can ask ur vet for the cheapest insulin. I pay $25 for a months supply of insulin and try to utilize for care credit but make sure ur vet takes the carte du jour and brand payments every month. I am trying to self educate myself on it. wish u luck but ur babe is worth living the best life he can. skillful luck!
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