Grimm spends much of his day sleeping, much like any other older cat. But when he's awake he follows me everywhere. He generally gets up in the afternoon right around the time my 3-year-old son goes down for a nap and spends Matt's naptime sitting on my lap while I'm at the computer. He has a dinner of canned food in the evening when he gets his shot and at bedtime he is still able to jump up on my bed (a good 3-foot leap) and sleep with his nose buried in my hair. Mornings he meets me in the kitchen for his morning shot, or else he lounges in bed and has me bring it to him.
I've treated him all this time because I love him and I can afford to. He was my first cat as a grownup--he moved into my first apartment a week after I moved in there myself. In college he moved from apartment to apartment to duplex to house with me and my husband. He moved with us to Florida about 5 years ago and then he moved with us here to Washington not quite 3 years ago. He has been a part of and a witness to my entire adult life and I can't imagine not doing everything I could to keep him healthy and happy. He's been so fearless and loving with all the changes I've put him through. Do you know, now that I have 5 cats and 2 dogs and have loved and lost several more since he came to live with us, that anytime we introduce a new animal he just gives them a cursory sniff and then goes on about his business? He is just completely unfazed by everything new I've thrown at him! And he's been nothing but gentle and respectful with my son, from the time Matt was a newborn.
Diabetes has done nothing to change Grimm's life, other than a quick shot every morning and every evening and the occasional irritating ear prick. Oh, and probably the most aggravating thing for him of all is the occasional lack privacy at the litter box when I stick a KetoDiastix under him while he's peeing.
To look at him, you would never know he has diabetes, shiny coat, bright eyes, playful, and generally happy most of the time.
I have no regrets about keeping him going on a daily basis, he give me more happiness then anything in this world and it is the least I can do for him.
I never could have done it without the help from the great people on this board, I count my blessings everyday he is with me. And our quality of time shared together is treasured. Since diabetes Poey and I have connected with each other very deeply. "He is my heart".
My husband took him to the vet on June 16th, and then later that night packed his bags and walked out the door (things were not going well for us). The next day, the vet called me at work to tell me that Sabre was diabetic, and she wanted to know if I wanted to put him down. From what I can gather, most owners of diabetic cats that she had encountered had opted to put their cats down rather than be bothered with taking care of them. I think I cried all afternoon. But I made a decision - I would try to take care of Sabre for a few months and see how it went. If it was really difficult, then . . . maybe . . . .
The vet showed me how to do the shots, and then my EX-husband picked him up and brought him home for me a day or so later. On my very first shot, I couldn't get Sabre to hold still. Finally I did manage to plunge the needle into him, and then he took off with the needle dangling from his back. I just wept. I don't know if he actually got any insulin that first week.
Then something occurred to me. The vet showed me how to do the shot with Sabre on the examining table, so I thought if I put him on the kitchen cupboard where he would be at my level, I might have more luck - and it worked! Within a few weeks it was starting to become routine. A few weeks later he had gained back some of his weight and was actually running around and playing with my other two.
Sabre has just "celebrated" his 3 year anniversary and I have no regrets about deciding to take care of him. It doesn't cost me a lot of money or time, and he repays me by being my big, cuddly teddy-bear kitty. He is so good about the shots - he'll come and get me when it is time, I give him the shot and he rarely even flinches. Sometimes he purrs noisily as I pet him while giving the shot. The vets who have seen him tell me that he seems very healthy (so far).
As for quality of life, he is enjoying the same quality of life he was before he was diagnosed with diabetes - maybe even better! He gets better food now than he did before, and I pay more attention.
She makes sure that I get enough exercise as she now comes indoors to poop in the litter tray (and has taught the others to do the same).
When she thinks that I am getting complacent or inactive, she will throw up on the carpet just to give me something to do and something to worry about.
I am allowed now and again to sit in my favourite chair and always have company at meal times. She even offers to help me eat most meals.
So on the whole my quality of life is not too bad and I am very grateful to have such a caring and generous cat to share it with.........
Max was regulated within six weeks of our first visit to FDMB, and went off of insulin about five weeks later. Max had developed diabetic neuropathy. He walked on his hocks, couldn't stand for long, and was having a lot of trouble eliminating. He now walks with his tail held high, and can jump, run, and play. He walks so high on his toes that it looks as though his rear end might float away. Since he was switched to high protein, mostly canned, diet, Max's health has improved immensely. He hardly ever drinks water (since he went off insulin), he drinks significantly less than he did even before the diabetes diagnosis. Max's fur is softer and more shiny than it has been in years. Max's weight is perfect, he hasn't been at his ideal weight since he was eight. I not only still have my cat, I have a cat that is in better health than he's been in for four years. He has more energy than our three year old civilian! I hometested Max's blood, and raised the insulin slowly and only after a full curve. I did all the testing and shots by myself. I switched Max from Science Diet Light dry-high carbohydrate, to Wellness canned-high protein. I used Methylcolbamin B-12 for the neuropathy. I watched his caloric intake. I gave vitamin E supplement. Like I said, I took all the advice I was given! FDMB definetly cured my cat! I continue to watch Max's food carefully, no high carbs, very little dry food (Iams Kitten dry), and we still count calories. I try to feed (TBC)...
I test his urine 3 and 4 times a day and in the nite several times. He has never hypo'ed on me, thank God. He seems to be very well, no PU/PD, on 6-1/2 units bid of BCP Bovine PZI U-100 I sure love that Pharmacy. I use the short 30 gauge 3/10 needles especially for U-100. I have had him on many different insulins, and this one seems to be the best. He probably is not as low as I would like him to be, but he sleeps and plays and does not overeat or urinate a lot. I go by his actions. He comes up with a few Negative tapes quite a lot and I drop one unit. If he does not eat, I give him no shot. If I should accidentally (only 1 time) push the needle thru his fur and loose the insulin on my hand, I do not give the shot again, I wait it out. If I cannot get the urine outright, I use an equal amount of cat litter in a cup and stir. Put urine dip stick in the liquid. Negatives are negative. Positives are half of their usual value. I got this info from http//www.sugarcats.com/infirmary/diabetesnotes.asp. I usually can get his urine in a plastic lined litter pan.
He is a beautiful boy and has filled my life with so much love and happiness. He is now at 17 pounds because he is free fed DM dry and has the juice from canned tuna and will sometimes eat chicken or other cat food. He is striped lite & dark brown with some black. He has a slanted nose and beautiful blue eyes. He is dark brown under all of his feet and hocks. Siamese I gather. His mother has lived on my front window in a house we made for her behind the hedges. We did catch her once and had her inoculated and spayed , but was asked never to bring her back, she was so wild. She has been on the window sill above her bed for 15 years now. We keep a heating pad for her when it is cold and She will not let us touch her. She cries to us and rubs against the window, but that's as close as she gets. My Vet is only a few houses away and says when the time comes we will have to tranq. her to get her to them. I'm sorry to have make this so lengthy, but I'm a young 75 year old girl on 6/18/02., and my husband of 54 years is 77. I do not know what we would have done without you wonderful people. We love you all and pray for all the sugarcats daily. xoxo Marion & Spindles Semi-Si our other cat is not a sugarcat. We have also a 9 Yr, old Sheltie Duke!!!
MANDY'S TAIL! A big ginger tom and a blond ladycat came to check us out in March 1987. There were 4 of us left from a litter of 8 and I could see they were smitten by my brother Louis, not that I could blame them as he was a gorgeous Blue Burmese, and I was getting a bit worried as I was the runt of the litter. The lady kept crying so I put my paws on her leg to comfort her, she reached down, picked me up and my journey through life began. They had lost their boy cat Charlie but we all fell in love with each other, Frank the ginger, Pamela the blonde, Louis & me and we are living happily together. When I was 12 & 13 I had some steroids because I had trouble with my back legs and it gave me FD. Mum soon mastered the art of jabbing without hurting and I loved the extra cuddles and the treats.
We had trouble regulating him and I was always scared. But he did improve and the symptoms disappeared, he gained the lost weight back, his fur started looking good again. He even seemed to have more energy cause he'd been way overweight prior to the diabetes. When I had a scare with a new vet I'd seen, I got online and found my way to the FDMB, and learned a whole lot of things that had been done wrong. And I'm slowly learning how to do them right.
If Sammy has made it through two years of all the "wrong," imagine what he can do if I get things right! I intend to do my best job to get him to live his full potential of life. He deserves nothing less.
What we have been through over the past two years has only bonded us more and made me love him more, if that is possible. He is my child, and as nerve-wracking as it is sometimes, I will do whatever it takes. I know he loves me just as much, even when I have to prick his ears. D His life is worth every minute of everything I have to do. I'm pretty sure he agrees.
And no more bad dreams. And he's always there to greet me when I wake up in the morning, climbing on my back and reaching out a paw just enough to touch my face. -)
Her and her brothers were all due for checkups anyway, so it was off to the vet (so much fun when you have three!). Blood tests were done, and the results were through by the time I had taken her and Josh (needs his teeth cleaned, but otherwise healthy) home and was back with Otis (who is healthy as an ox).
Somehow managed to be very brave and not cry at the vets, and held off in the car, but burst into tears the minute I got home. Apparently she is still very healthy, especially for a 12 year old. She has never really been sick before, so we're not coping very well. I'm not used to her being so inactive, so can't wait to get her regulated and back to herself again.