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My cat is about 12 years old. He was diagnosed as a diabetic about a year ago. He gets two insulin shots each day, 12 hours apart, when he eats.
I've found it very difficult to "regulate" his blood sugar levels because he wants to eat all the time. I feed him only wet food as advised to do so by the vet. He's a big cat. And he just seems to not be able to make it for 12 hours without eating regardless of how much he eats at feeding time! I've been giving him a small "snack" after about 8 hours during the daytime, and then giving him his regular feeding portion at 12 hours plus his shot.
Just wondering if anyone else here has now or has had in the past a diabetic cat and what experiences you've had with your pet.
I have a diabetic cat. But I don't have the blood sugar regulation problem you seem to being going through. He gets two units of insulin twice a day. How many units do you give your cat? Is his blood sugar levels at his last curve running high or low? When was the last time you had a curve ran? And How often do you go for a blood glucose curve? My cat has to go in every three months for a check. If your cats blood sugar is running high or low sounds like you may need an insulin adjustment which means you need to go in for a blood glucose curve.
I have a diabetic cat. But I don't have the blood sugar regulation problem you seem to being going through. He gets two units of insulin twice a day. How many units do you give your cat? Is his blood sugar levels at his last curve running high or low? When was the last time you had a curve ran? And How often do you go for a blood glucose curve? My cat has to go in every three months for a check. If your cats blood sugar is running high or low sounds like you may need an insulin adjustment which means you need to go in for a blood glucose curve.
I'm giving him one-and-a-half units twice a day. You're right, I do need to take him in for the blood glucose curve again. Last time was in October. The problem with my cat is that he wants to eat so much. Right now he's eating five cans of Fancy Feast a day.....and still wants more. I'd give him more if he could eat as much as he wants just twice a day....but he can't. The amount of food he eats throws the amount of insulin he needs/gets off. Before he became diabetic, he had food in his bowl all the time, so he ate whenever he felt like it......dry food that is. Anyway, it kills me to not feed him when he is clearly hungry, but if I fed him every time he was hungry, then it would just destroy the effects of the insulin! It's a hard change for him (us) to try to get him adjusted to being fed just twice a day. Most of his life he weighed between 18 and 20 lbs. Now he fluctuates between 13 and 15 lbs. He's a really big cat. When he weighed 20 lbs he didn't look overweight.
How often does your cat eat? Do you give him/her snacks during the day?
Perlier, Chasey's advice is sound. Getting another check on your cat's blood glucose level is a good idea.
And also, from the way you are describing, your cat's hunger is coming from the fact that he is not getting the proper nutrients he needs. Fancy Feast would not be my first choice for a cat, especially one with Diabetes. If I were you, I would start looking at threads here regarding food choices, and the best diet to feed a feline. I know if you changed his diet to a better food, your cat would not be exhibiting signs of hunger all the time.
What kind of Fancy Feast are you feeding your cat? The "classic" flavors are approved for diabetic cats. They have NO wheat gluten and less than 10% carbs. Stay away from Fancy Feast minced, flaked, morsels, etc. There are 11 flavors in the "Classic" line of FF. I had a diabetic cat who ate only the "Classic" line and after 4 weeks he no longer needed insulin shots! I know there are more expensive foods out there but with today's economy it's nice to know there is something affordable and acceptable for diabetic cats. Good luck to you both.
What kind of Fancy Feast are you feeding your cat? The "classic" flavors are approved for diabetic cats. They have NO wheat gluten and less than 10% carbs. Stay away from Fancy Feast minced, flaked, morsels, etc. There are 11 flavors in the "Classic" line of FF. I had a diabetic cat who ate only the "Classic" line and after 4 weeks he no longer needed insulin shots! I know there are more expensive foods out there but with today's economy it's nice to know there is something affordable and acceptable for diabetic cats. Good luck to you both.
Thanks. I had read somewhere online that Fancy Feast was low carbs and recommended for diabetic cats.......I didn't know the part about the "clasic flavors".....lucky for me that's what I've been feeding him. At first I bought the prescription diabetic wet food from the vet, but then I read that Fancy Feast was just as good if not better so I switched. The vet said that was okay.
Thanks. I had read somewhere online that Fancy Feast was low carbs and recommended for diabetic cats.......I didn't know the part about the "clasic flavors".....lucky for me that's what I've been feeding him. At first I bought the prescription diabetic wet food from the vet, but then I read that Fancy Feast was just as good if not better so I switched. The vet said that was okay.
Perlier, Chasey's advice is sound. Getting another check on your cat's blood glucose level is a good idea.
And also, from the way you are describing, your cat's hunger is coming from the fact that he is not getting the proper nutrients he needs. Fancy Feast would not be my first choice for a cat, especially one with Diabetes. If I were you, I would start looking at threads here regarding food choices, and the best diet to feed a feline. I know if you changed his diet to a better food, your cat would not be exhibiting signs of hunger all the time.
I chose Fancy Feast because I had read somewhere online that it's a good low carb diet for diabetic cats. I fed him the prescription wet food for diabetic cats at first, and he did the same thing, just couldn't last for a 12 hour period without being very hungry. Those cans were bigger than the fancy feast cans and he ate three of them a day! He's just a very big boy and he has always been a big eater. It's proving very difficult to change his habits after 10, 11 years of having as much food as he wanted any time he wanted it. But now his feeding times just have to be regulated somewhat. The insulin I give him is called ProZinc. It was developed just for cats. And it has a 12 hour cycle, so I'm supposed to feed him only twice a date, 12 hours apart, and that's the problem.
Actually, diabetic cats starve to death if they aren't treated. The vet told me that the diabetes prevents them from getting nutrients from ANY KIND OF FOOD, so they eat all the time, but lose weight. That's what happened to my guy. He started losing a lot of weight all of a sudden. But once we started the insulin shots he started gaining weight. The amount of insulin prescribed for your cat is determined by a formula which includes knowing almost the exact amount of food he/she eats each day. More food, means more insulin. It's tricky. If they eat less, and you give them the regular amount of insulin, they can go into insulin shock. My kitty did that once when we first started the insulin! It was AWFUL. I thought he was going to die. The vet, fortunately, had told me to buy Karo Syrup and to give him that immediately if he did have a seizure, which I did!
What kind of Fancy Feast are you feeding your cat? The "classic" flavors are approved for diabetic cats. They have NO wheat gluten and less than 10% carbs. Stay away from Fancy Feast minced, flaked, morsels, etc. There are 11 flavors in the "Classic" line of FF. I had a diabetic cat who ate only the "Classic" line and after 4 weeks he no longer needed insulin shots! I know there are more expensive foods out there but with today's economy it's nice to know there is something affordable and acceptable for diabetic cats. Good luck to you both.
Perlier, my mistake. Sorry. I was not aware of the "classic" line, but now I do. Thank you, ouigeewoman for educating me!!
I really wish you all the luck, Perlier, with your cat! I know the agony of watching someone you love go downhill, then begin to get well, etc. It is so hard, and you really are doing a wonderful job! Keep up the great work! Again, I really do apologize! (((HUGS)))
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Good luck to you both.
I was not aware of the "classic" line, but now I do. Thank you, ouigeewoman for educating me!! 
