- Feline Diabetes. The Tiniest Tiger has it too!
Friends, I want to take a moment to talk to you about something serious. Many of my cousins and their parents have diabetes. I have feline diabetes too. In my photo, you can see where my fur was shaved for my blood test. I don’t mind showing you because we are all beautiful, imperfections and all.
I developed pancreatitis after receiving some medicine and during the recovery process, I developed transient diabetes. This was a super difficult time for me and my parents and for my Doctors too. It was hard to get the right dose of insulin for me and I knew my parents were scared and that scared me too. My feline diabetes disappeared for a long time, almost two years.
Last Fall, I started showing feline diabetes symptoms. I was getting super thirsty again. It seemed like I was always hungry and even though I ate more I was getting thinner, and thinner. My parents scooped me up and put me in the ~shiver~ carrier and we went to see my Doctors at the Morris Veterinary Clinic.
I don’t like to be in my carrier at all even when Teenie Sardini rides along with me. And when I know my parents are worried, I get even more anxious. They try to stay calm but I can see their teeth chattering from nerves.
All the people that work at the clinic are super nice to me. They really are. Here is a photo of me being examined by one of my Doctors and Joe. (Joe has red hair like my dad. He is really nice to me and always smiling.)
It was determined that my diabetes had more than likely returned and I needed to stay at the clinic for a glucose curve. Even though everyone is nice to me, I sure don’t like to see my parents walk out the door without me. They don’t like it either because my dad has to tell my mom to get going and then sometimes I see my mom tell my dad to go when he turns around to look at me before they leave.
My parents always come to visit me when I am incarcerated, I mean staying at the clinic. I get super hungry when they visit and my cell, I mean condo door is opened so they can pet me and we have a bit of a chat. My mom usually picks me up and hugs me. Sometimes too much but this is one time I don’t mind.
This can be a scary time for our pet parents. They want to do everything they can to help us too. Our parents have to learn how to test our glucose levels with a glucometer, we use the Alpha Trak. They have to learn how to give us injections of insulin. I take ProZinc and we use the Diabetes Care Kit.
We have to learn how to stand still while they prick our ear or paw pad. I need more practice at the standing still during the ~shiver~ ear stick. Some days I am just, well to be honest, wild!
During the first week or two, my parents were so worried, they even cried. Sometimes they would give me the injection but the insulin would pool up on the outside of my skin. Sometimes I would wait until they were ready and then take a big step to the right to avoid the needle. Now we have it down to a routine.
I think we will chat more about Feline Diabetes in a few upcoming posts. Our cousin Sassy is newly diagnosed and her mom Carol is super scared like my parents were. Our Friend Trish really helped my mom when I was first diagnosed too. I really like it when our small paws can unite to help our Friends in need of love and support. Thank you everyone.
I have some kitty friends with Diabetes too. Than you so much for the informative post, Gracey — awareness is so important!
Gracey: My calico cat Muffin has had diabetes over 5 years ago. She’s 18 this month. She has gone from 1 units to 3 united 2 times a day when the readings are off. She is very good at getting her shots. Usually I give her something to eat, while she’s eating, I give her her shot. She has to go to the vet every three weeks for a blood check and also a convenia shot. This shot helps her gums stay healthy. Her teeth need to come out but is too dangerous to do surgery due to her kidneys not working very good either. The vet has said he’s never seen a cat live so long as long as her with her problems.
As long as you are getting checked regularly and getting your shots you will feel so much better. I know you don’t understand why this is done sometimes, but we do this to keep you healthy.
Keep up the good work!!
My cat’s name is also Sassy and she is a diabetic. She was diagnosed over 2 years ago. The blood sugar fluctuates all over the place. Fortunately, Sassy doesn’t have to have her blood sugar checked at home. There is no way I could do this to her, I would cry and want to run away myself!! Her blood sugar gets checked now every month by her doc. And the numbers are so high lately,One time in the afternoon, her sugar was 44!! I feel for her because I too am diabetic, but from surgery.
She gets 2 injections every 12 hours a day. She hasn’t lost much weight, maybe a pound, but she drinks like crazy ! She literally gulps her water and she eats the most in the evening. In the evening, I only give her a little bit at a time. She is eating Hill’s Prescribtion Diet dry food. She also has the canned food of the same thing, but lately is not interested in that.
She is still loving, cuddly, and playful. Looking at her you wouldn’t know she was diabetic.
At first of course, I thought she was the only cat who had this. It is nice to know that she is not the only one going through this. If anyone is interested in contacting me by email, here is mine: llmallen76@att,net
Laura Allen
I, too, have a diabetic cat named Sebastian. He developed diabetes about 13 months ago. I knew from his constant water drinking that that’s what it probably was, and blood tests at the vet confirmed it. He continues to be a very loving boy, eating a lot and wanting to be held. Following a special canned diet and insulin injections can be very trying, but out beloved pets are so worth it. I would encourage any of you that have pets with chronic conditions to give them the love, time and patience they deserve. They love us back and I know they trust us to take care of them the best way we know how.
My Gremlin (RIP) was diagnosed with diabetes when he was 10 years old. He lived to be 18 years old! We all missed the subtle warning signs; he had just been to the vet’s for his check up two months earlier. When the diabetes was first discovered we almost lost him. I had been away on a business trip and my parents were taking care of my cats. I was on my way to pick everyone up when I received a call from my mother – Gremlin was not acting normal. He was in a corner and dazed. I immediately took him to an emergency vet and he remained there for a week.
It was an adjustment at first getting used to our new routine with Gremlin. It was also very scary to give the insulin shots twice a day. It took a few weeks to develop a routine and to get over the fright of needles. For the next 8 years everything worked out without a hitch. Gremlin went in on a regular basis for his glucose tests and we didn’t have to change his insulin dosage that much of the years. He was a very happy and playful kitty.
Thank you so much for the wonderful share, Gracey. It means a lot to me and other fans of yours, and your kitty friends on your facebook photo pages, to know such a brave girl kitty you are. I am proud of you and your endeavors to help other kitties all over the world by sharing your life. I am so glad Bing has you as a friend.
I had a gorgeous long-haired calico that we adopted from outdoors. She was diagnosed with diabetes and I had to give her insulin shots twice a day. She was so very good about it! She died 2 1/2 years after being diagnosed, but she wouldn’t have had those years if I hadn’t have given her the shots. Please don’t be scared about the diagnosis! It’s not a death sentence! It just means a different kind of care for your dear cat!!!