Calloway's eating!! update 12/2

[jennielynn1970]

Well, I took Calloway into the vet because he was wheezing really badly. With working 2 jobs I didn't really notice it, but being out on sabbatical I've been able to really see what these guys do all day. He sounded horrible!

So, off to Dr. Hess we went. I knew she wasn't going to be happy because of his weight. He's like a bowling ball with legs. I've tried low cal foods, indoor foods, EVO, California Natural. You name it, I tried it. Nothing has been working, and Cal had managed to GAIN 1 1/2lbs. Not good.

I did notice that he was visiting the litterbox downstairs more often than he should be, and the water dish was being emptied quicker. So, I tell Dr. Hess and she decides to do a glucose test. Not good. 369. Not sure what normal is for a cat, but she was not happy with this number. She did say that with food and weight loss it may be manageable. If it had been higher she would have recommended insulin injections. I'm not a needle person, so I hope this does not happen.

So, now I have to go from free feeding 8 cats down to feeding everyone 2xs a day and making sure Calloway only eats his Purina DM food. He does seem to like it, which I'm happy about. Although I've never seen him turn his nose up to any food, which may account for the portly stature he's acquired.

One thing that cracked me up yesterday was when I was driving home. Calloway was crashed out in his carrier, not paying attention to anything. I pull up to McDonalds for a Sweet Tea (I'm addicted to their tea... but ONLY the tea, lol). Calloway perks up immediately! I'm at the window paying for the tea, and he's meowing at the woman and trying to poke through the crate! I'm thinking that where ever he was before I fostered him, and you can tell he was a beat up stray (his ears are so tattered), he definitely made friends with people at fast food windows, lol. The lady was talking to him, and you could tell he just wanted her to hand over a chicken sandwich, lol.

Anyway.. send some good thoughts out for Calloway so that he can get his glucose down, lose some weight (he was about 19 1/2 lbs at the vet ), and his asthma calms down. I think the asthma is kicking up because the furnace is on now too.

I'll have to get a full length picture of Calloway so you can see all his chubbiness, lol.

[Medusa]

I'll bet that was a sight to see. I can just picture him chowing down on a chicken sandwich. Well, here's hoping that his glucose level goes down as well as his weight. No more sick kitties. We've had enough o' that stuff now.

[jennielynn1970]

Pics of my big boy from the past few months








Calloway when he first came to me, and actually fit behind the fridge, lol.

[Medusa]

Gosh, Calloway looks like my RB Peeka. She was a tuxie w/the same marking on her face except that her moustache was black. She had quite the temper and w/the black moustache I sometimes called her Adolph. Not nice, I know. She became a little watermelon on legs, just like Calloway and when she walked, her udders swung back and forth. She never did lose the weight until she suddenly became ill w/acute renal failure. Maybe chubbiness is a tuxie thing. Anyhow, Calloway is a hottie. Is he a snuggler? Peeka would knead my tummy for 30 minutes or more. Keep us posted on this handsome hunk.

[jennielynn1970]

Cal and Zach both are my snugglers, lol. I love them!

[Moesha]

My Morgan was over 19 pounds and his sugar level was over 300 also. He went on insulin shots though. We started at 8 units once a day. Then I think it was 5 twice a day. Progressively we worked our way down unit by unit. He was put on Purina DM also. I've only given him the dry food though. He would get a small teaspoon of canned food, usually Nine Lives Tuna Select because it is very low in carbs with his insulin injection. I am so not a needle person either. But after a time or two, it wasn't a big deal for me or for him. Of course he just wanted the wet food. He would come and tell me when it was time for the insulin. Anyway, the diet worked and he hasn't had to have insulin for 2 years. I just keep strict watch on what he eats. The last time he was at the vet's office, they said he had lost a pound, which was a good thing. Although I am skeptical because they weighed him on a different scale. Everytime they've used this one scale all my animals have lost weight. But whatever. Morgan had been strictly rationed Science Diet Light catfood for years and would gain weight everytime he went in for a checkup. The DM is the only food that he hasn't gained weight while eating. Anyway, the point of my post was to say that I've been where you are plus with insulin injections and it is possible to have diet control the diabetes. My vet doesn't worry if the sugar level is in the mid 100s. He says that the stress of being at the vet causes the sugar levels to be a little on the high side anyway and as long as I don't notice him drinking or urinating excessively not to worry. Feel free to ask any questions you can think of though.

[Taz_Zoee]

I already told you this, but she looks like my friends RB Groucho with the reverse mustache.

He must be a small framed cat. Because my Tazmo got to 21 1/2lbs and never looked round, fat. He was just BIG, all over. And he never slowed down either. He could still jump onto a window sill, or a counter or table. One vet said I had three cats. I didn't get it at first. But he said the average weight for a cat is 7lbs. I couldn't imagine a 7lbs cat. But I think I'll have one, Paizly.

Well, I hope you can get Cal's glucose under control without injections. Best of luck to you, LOL.

[Emeraldgreen]

Calloway is one handsome guy! He looks very huggable.
I'm sorry that he has been diagnosed with diabetes. Moesha's post sounds really hopeful and maybe diet will be enough to lower his blood sugar. Do you think the litter dust might be contributing to his asthma? I always wonder about that with Jim. Prednisilone is supposed to be helpful for asthma and thankfully is cheap. At one time I got a puffer for him that the vet prescribed and a baby chamber thing to dispense it to him. They make ones for cats but they are more expensive. I stopped using it though because he got kind of freaked out by the chamber thing.
I hope he starts feeling better soon and that he likes his new diet.

[jennielynn1970]

Do you think the litter dust might be contributing to his asthma? I always wonder about that with Jim. Prednisilone is supposed to be helpful for asthma and thankfully is cheap. At one time I got a puffer for him that the vet prescribed and a baby chamber thing to dispense it to him. They make ones for cats but they are more expensive.

I hope he starts feeling better soon and that he likes his new diet.

I have been using the crystal type litter for the past 3-4 months, and I think it's less dusty. Maybe not though?? I think everything gets dusty as it breaks down.

The vet said she can't put him on any steriod with the diabetes, so the asthma med is something other than pred. I think it has been helping because I haven't heard him do the coughing/gagging noise since the meds, and when he wheezed, it was time for the next dose. I'll have to find the name of it. It's something with a T, lol.

[columbine]

Well, let me tell you 'bout Calloway the moocher
He was a great big cuddly smoocher
He used to live out on the street
But Calloway could always get goodies to eat.

He hung around at the drive-up window
The fast food servers could not tell him no
A chicken sandwich would make him purr
'Til everyone could pet pretty Calloway's fur.

Purrdy purrdy purrdy purr,
Purrdy purrdy purrdy meow!

He got so good at mooching goodies
He saw no point in slowing down, why would he?
He got so big he started to wheeze
And hauling all that weight was getting hard on the knees.

The whitecoat said, "Put him on a diet."
Jenn had a full house, but she said she'd try it
Now all the cats get fed twice a day
And Calloway is going to spend some more time at play.

Purrdy purrdy purrdy purr,
Purrdy purrdy purrdy meow!

[lvpets2002]

Calloway your such a Bigg Adorable Baby.. How are you doing?? I hope all is getting better with you.. Yup I can just see the abuss your getting with meowmom not feeding you & you not getting extra attention.. Right!!

[jennielynn1970]

He sounded so good yesterday, no coughing attacks at all.

Now today, 3 coughing attacks so far this morning. He's had one pill for the asthma already, and I don't want to give another till later on today. He was coughing and coughing, and then just laid on his side and is resting.

I have a humidifier I can put on, and put him in my bedroom with it. It's not a warm mist one though, I don't think. I got it last year, and it works nicely, at least it did for me.

Any thoughts??


Oh, the feedings are going ok. I just have a few that are not thrilled that they have to eat when I say so. Honey is rebelling and peed on the floor already. ARGH. Not happy with him. He does do the spite peeing. I bought a bag of Royal Canin Special for the others, it's supposed to be good for sensitive digestions, and no one has thrown up from it, thankfully. The last stuff I got was barf city. I don't think Honey is thrilled with this food, but until I get a bag of Indoor from my vet, he's stuck eating it. He's a barfer anyway. So many sensitive stomachs.

[Medusa]

Have you tried Science Diet I/D for the barfers? So far it's worked really well for the Fur Posse and they seem to like it, too.

[jennielynn1970]

He seems to like the Purina DM. Like I said, he doesn't seem fussy about food at all, lol.


The other kitties are eating Royal Canin Special. So far, that seems to be accepted by them, except for Honey. He's not fond of it. He just wants to be fed ALL canned food. He's fussy. He only gets canned 2-3xs a week, and only a small portion, otherwise his poop is all runny. Not fun to clean up when he misses the box.

[Emeraldgreen]

Now today, 3 coughing attacks so far this morning. He's had one pill for the asthma already, and I don't want to give another till later on today. He was coughing and coughing, and then just laid on his side and is resting.
I have a humidifier I can put on, and put him in my bedroom with it. It's not a warm mist one though, I don't think. I got it last year, and it works nicely, at least it did for me.
Any thoughts??

You might want to try an air filter to see if it helps Calloway. I bought one for Jimmy and it does help. It is a Honeywell and is about 2 feet tall and 6 inches wide so it doesn't take up too much space. It has three settings on it and clears a room in a few minutes and the air is so fresh. I was really amazed at the difference in a room before and after turning it on. It might help if he is reacting to the furnace. It cost about 80.00 at the hardware store.

Do cats get collapsed tracheas? Out of nowhere our dog Muddy started coughing and it went on all day. They did xrays and diagnosed him with that. He was put on the cough suppressent Torbutrol for weeks and we're slowly weaning him off it. The vet said that each time he coughed, he was irritating his trachea so it wouldn't heal and the irritated trachea is what made him cough. The Torbutrol kept him from coughing for long enough so his trachea could heal. I'm just wondering if cats get this? I'm not sure.

I hope that your big beautiful guy will be feeling better soon!! Please squeeze him for me.