Hey Ktrain
I think it was me that created the original cat diabetes thread, so I'll add my thoughts and advice
Unfortunately, feline diabetes is increasingly common, especially for indoor cats. This is because there is so much bad cat food on the market and we can't really let our cats explore the outdoors on their own anymore. The original owner of my cat didn't know any better and fed it those Friskies cans every day (which is like the cat version of eating Macdonalds everyday).
Symptoms of diabetes is similar for humans. Your cat will lose weight and pees an excessive amount.
The good news is that the disease is very manageable these days and your cat can still continue to live a long healthy life with proper management
I was a big bio nerd and had previous experience with diabetes. I started in the beginning by testing my cat's blood 4 times a day. Once in the morning (blood sugar medium/high), when I got back from work (low/medium), 2 hours after he ate dinner, and before bed. He would get 5 units of insulin in the morning and again before bed time. This seemed a little excessive, but I was curious to see what his blood sugar curve was like. After a week or 2, I have an idea when his high and low peaks was like and he just got tested 2 to 3 times a day.
Your cat will fight the injections and blood testing initially, but they get use to it afterwards. Mostly because they associate it as a means to get fed
I'm not sure if there is a universally right way to test for blood sugars on a cat, but I was taught to use a syringe, and prick the edge of the ear. This will take some practice and you'll feel bad doing it at first. The goal is to prick the ear between the skin and the cartillage of the edge of the ear (so we're not poking a hole through it, rather sliding it parallel to the ear). It's a rich capilliary area but generally not painful to the cat if done correctly. Have kleenex handy as sometimes you get a glob of blood from the puncture site. The reader is the same type you get at any pharmacy for human blood sugar testing. Usually they are free with a purchase of the testing strips ($1/strip, so they get pricey for a box of 75-100. Check Costco). Have the cat straddled between your legs and get him comfortable by rubbing his ears (both because the cat likes it, but it also increases circulation into the area). Shove in a test strip into the reader and set aside. Poke his ear and take the reader with strip to collect some blood.
For injections, it's pretty simple under the skin injection. Make your cat comfy, pinch his side with 2 fingers to get a roll of fur/skin and give the cat a quick poke into the bundle between your fingers.
With time and practice, your cat will become use to it. You'll also be aware of the blood sugar cycle and if it doesn't change too much, you don't have to check too often, just as long as the cat eats after their insulin injection. This is important, as if you give insulin and the cat didn't eat, their blood sugar can drop too low (under 2) and your cat goes into shock.
My last tip is to look into vet food. It's more pricey, but it's good for them in that the food will protein based (not of a lot of strach/grain filler) to keep sugars down. Also, diabetes is linked to their teeth health as well. Get a good dental food to go with their dry food (since it's really rare that people brush their cat's teeth). The Science diet D/T is really good, and did wonders on my cat's gums.
Anyways, sorry if this is a long post. All the best to you and your cat. Just the fact that you are willing to learn about the responsibilities that come with your cats diabetes shows that your cat is in good hands
pm/reply if you have any questions
Lchoy
My Cat Has Diabetes
