Diabetes in Cats

**TommyCat** · 01-14-2010, 05:44 PM

Hi Moesha,
Thanks for the above info on Nine Lives Tuna Select. Did you keep Morgan on some of the Canned DM Purina, or was he eating totally Nine Lives tuna? Maggie loves tuna, so I bet she would like it. It's amazing when they don't mind the shots if they know they can have something good to eat afterwards.

**jennielynn1970** · 01-15-2010, 09:05 AM

My one foster cat, Calloway, was diagnosed with diabetes, and he did not respond well to the insulin. His glucose levels were over 400 almost everytime we went in for an appt, it was horrible!! I had him with me for about 3 years, but 1/2 a year of that was him being diabetic (he's still around, but with another foster placement that can do injections more often when needed).

What I found that helped with the eating was buying Stage 1 in babyfood. Chicken, Turkey, Ham, Beef, Veal.... Calloway LOVED this, and would eat it rather than eating the wet food. He HATED the wet food. Stage 1 is just the meat and the broth, so it's good for them.

I hope you find something that will work for you that your kitty will like to eat. The food prescribed by the vet is just not tasty stuff.

**TommyCat** · 01-15-2010, 03:47 PM

Thank you Jenn,
You're so right; the DM food looks awful, and it must also taste blah if all our cats won't eat it. Thanks for the suggestion of the baby food. It's too bad she can't eat the Fancy Feast, but it is too fattening, and she is overweight. I was at Petco today and bought a few cans of the Nine Lives Tuna Select, which Moesha recommended, to see if she likes it. And now I have the baby food suggestion, too. Fortunately, she is doing very well on the Lantus Insulin, so I am relieved. I am glad Calloway is still around and doing okay. Thanks again, and I'll keep you all posted.

**Moesha** · 01-15-2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by TommyCat

Hi Moesha,
Thanks for the above info on Nine Lives Tuna Select. Did you keep Morgan on some of the Canned DM Purina, or was he eating totally Nine Lives tuna? Maggie loves tuna, so I bet she would like it. It's amazing when they don't mind the shots if they know they can have something good to eat afterwards.

Morgan never would eat the canned DM. I did try to vary his canned food on occasion, but like I said, he didn't really get much of it at all anyway. One can lasted him 4 or 5 days at least. I was a stingy mom! LOL

Here is a link to the website with the food charts. There are some varieties of Fancy Feast that are listed as high protein/low carbs. If you click on that Janet and Binky link, and then you have links to canned and dry chart tables. That's where I came up with the 9 lives select tuna. Each kitty is different and I'm sure you'll find what works best for you and your kitty. Keep us posted.

**TommyCat** · 01-15-2010, 09:55 PM

Thanks Moesha for the link. That is great, and I am glad to see some of the Fancy Feast is on it. Yes, the DM can I open for Maggie lasts a long time for her, too. She gets 3/4 FF and 1/4 DM right now. Thank you and thanks to everyone for all your suggestions and support. Her appetite isn't lacking, so I know soon I will find something she likes. I am going to try the Nine Lives tomorrow.

**TommyCat** · 01-17-2010, 06:31 AM

Hi Moesha,
Some good news with Maggie and food. I bought a 4 pack of the Nine Lives Tuna Select, and she really likes it as long as it's fresh from the can. Once it's refrigerated, she's a little picky. I can return the DM to the Vet, but I will still try to sneak some in to see if she's changed her mind and just give it one more chance. I bought a glucose monitor yesterday and thought I'd learn how to do some in-home monitoring. I'll still take her to the Vet weekly.

**Moesha** · 01-17-2010, 07:24 AM

That is good news. Perhaps you could let it sit on the counter for a little while to warm back up or even put it in the microwave for just a few seconds to take the chill off of it. Your Maggie is certainly in very good hands!

**TommyCat** · 01-17-2010, 01:16 PM

Thanks Moesha. She has been good with the insulin shot. I'll try leaving it on counter before feeding. I tried a little warm water, but she left most of it. She's still getting a little of the Fancy Feast. I need to go back on that link and check out different FF's. She likes the gourmet (ground) which isn't listed.

**jennielynn1970** · 01-17-2010, 02:42 PM

Calloway's favorite was to get a treat of the babyfood while he was getting his shot. The sweetheart actually jumped up on the window seat in the kitchen when he heard the jar lid pop, and would meow until he got his babyfood, lol. Gave him the babyfood, and the shot and he was a happy boy!!