| Its scary when you first know your cat has | | | | all!) but its always best for your kitty to skip a |
| diabetis but once you start understanding the | | | | dose than have a double shot. |
| disease and get more used to the monitoring it | | | | Eating is crucial - and it is equally crucial that your |
| becomes easier for you and your kitty. | | | | cat eats something immediately before or after |
| Informing yourself of the disease is crucial, its not | | | | the insulin shot (just like human diabetics). This can |
| the same as human diabetis and its a complex | | | | be difficult, as cats often don't eat when they |
| disease that you need to inform yourself | | | | don't feel well, so start finding all the creative |
| about.Don't feel overwhelemed by the amount of | | | | treats you can find that will entice your cat.You |
| information. Get all the info printed and make it a | | | | can probably try home-made (no salt or spices) |
| point to read them every night until you basically | | | | chicken broth, which gels when cold; baby food (all |
| have learned the info by heart. | | | | meat, NO spices, particularly onion powder, which |
| First of all, Feline diabetes is extremely difficult to | | | | is poisonous to cats); wet food (from the vet, |
| regulate. Feline metabolism is simply not designed | | | | particularly made for kidney problems); TUNA (the |
| to be diabetes friendly. By "regulate," we mean | | | | special favorite.) Experiment, but don't go |
| finding the correct insulin dosage for steady, | | | | overboard, and remember that however |
| healthy blood sugar levels.Feline metabolism is built | | | | 'underboard' is more dangerous. |
| specifically for short, fast bursts of power and | | | | As the diabetes progresses, be on the watch for |
| speed, not long chases, unlike dogs. It can take a | | | | other complications; Joint problems , need for |
| very long time to find the right dose of insulin, and | | | | heat, blindness. You'll need to make environmental |
| the "right" dose can change on you with little or | | | | changes to accommodate such things as they |
| no notice. Stress, even things that don't appear to | | | | develop. Some cats can come down with renal |
| us to be stressful, can set off sugar spikes in | | | | failure as a secondary condition to the diabetes. |
| cats. | | | | These are all treatable, but it will add to the |
| Thus, you MUST monitor your cat at all times. At | | | | adjustments you and your cat will need to make. |
| any sign of trouble,at least call your vet. You'll get | | | | Find out where your nearest emergency animal |
| better over time at recognizing what needs | | | | hospital/clinic is NOW before you need that |
| immediate attention. | | | | information. Because you will need it.Unless you |
| Signs of trouble (over-insulin) include: | | | | are extremely blessed, there will be at least once |
| Balance loss, unsteady walking (they'll act drunk ...) | | | | or twice that you will need to rush your cat for |
| Head shaking | | | | immediate care, because he goes into diabetic |
| Sudden craziness - this is different from the | | | | coma (the warnings I mentioned above.) Keep the |
| regular feline nightly run around and be active | | | | number someplace where you can find it at a |
| craziness. Sometimes, the cat might let out a | | | | moment's notice. |
| horrible witchy yowl at top voice, spin madly | | | | Towels are your friend. They can be used to |
| around chasing its own tail 4-5 times, jump in the | | | | wrap a cat who struggles when given shots; they |
| air, fall on the sides, pant and ultimately even lose | | | | can be used to put under a cat who is retching to |
| consciousness. | | | | catch the vomit (towels, unlike rugs and floors, |
| So, in such instances have a light corn syrup | | | | are easily thrown into a washing machine!);they |
| handy. If you over-insulin (which is all too easily | | | | can make emergency beds as the cat's ability to |
| done) you will need to get come easy sugar into | | | | navigate the environment changes. They can be |
| your cat FAST. | | | | used with plastic to catch extraneous urine around |
| The insulin is given subcutaneaously, that is, | | | | the litterbox (again - washable!). |
| directly under the top layer of skin, and NOT into | | | | Periodically ,talk to your vet about cat's diet. He |
| the blood. What you'll do is lift your cat's skin | | | | may already be on lower-protein food. If not, it |
| somewhere around the scruff or near that area, | | | | may be time to introduce it. Kidney problems |
| just as you would do to check hydration | | | | necessitate lower protein foods than normal |
| (something you'll want to do daily, by the way ...) | | | | This can be a harsh statement, but to be realistic, |
| You'll then have a little tent of skin lifted off from | | | | Diabetes in cats is fatal -- you may have weeks |
| the body. You'll insert the the needle along the | | | | or years, depending on how well your cat's blood |
| long line of the tent (think of a long pole | | | | levels regulate. Now is the time for the two of |
| supporting the tent like a roof line) rather than | | | | you to come to an agreement about what |
| from side to side of the tent. Inject and you're | | | | constitutes a quality-of-life threshold. Only you and |
| done. You'll get to where you can do it easily. | | | | your cat can decide when that is for the two of |
| Never give another shot if you think you missed | | | | you. But it is a conversation you should start, |
| the shot (sometimes you can make a mistake | | | | now,while you can still enjoy yourselves together |
| and give the shot to the fur.. which isn't helpful at | | | | as you have it. |