Diabetic Cats--Then and Now

YouTube ^ | 2/11/11 | MommaofMuse

[EBH]

A video of diabetic cats, most of which have found their furever homes. Many of these cats were placed by Diabetic Cats in Need, http://fdmb-cin.blogspot.com/

One of the cats featured in this video is my very own Atlas. When he came into my care last year he was full grown and under 5lbs. He was given to me to foster "for as long as he had left." Little did the shelter realize he had been given to an experienced feline diabetic caregiver.

The term, Off The Juice, means the cat no longer needs or uses insulin. Cats can go into remission if given proper care.

The other term you'll see is, Failed Foster, which simply means the foster decided to adopt the feline.

The video is in support of a group called Diabetic Cats In Need. This organization provided Atlas and our shelter with the insulin we needed. They do very good work.

[EBH]

Slings and Arrows thank you for wanting others to view this video on the kitty ping list.

Some of the scars will be with him the rest of his life. But for all that he has been through he still loves, purrs, and snuggles. In fact if you try to ignore him, he might just nip you to get your attention.

[EBH]

For the kitty ping-list!

Thank you!

[Nepeta]

A diagnosis of feline diabetes is NOT a death sentence.

I kept my diabetic cat going for many years after diagnosis, with insulin and diet management. He finally died of lymphoma. www.felinediabetes.com

[EBH]

Yep...them too...

www.felinediabetes.com

[DreamingWest]

I am in grave danger of being a cat lady. I <3 then all!!!
Yay for you taking in kitty.
Diabetes, FIV, FELV, and many other diseases are NOT automatic reasons to put down a kitty.

[Bronzy]

Ah, sweet kitties. I am an urban cat rescuer...if they show up beaten, hungry or abandoned, they are welcomed into our feline family. Since all began a stray, they get along fine. Up to 13 kitties. Oldest is 18 years. Once a part of the family, they are spayed or neutered, vaccinated and loved.

[EBH]

I have a feral/simi-feral I just put in the foster room last night. Pretty skittish yet...may take me another week to catch him to go to the vet! LOL...

He is sick though and needs to go...

[Bronzy]

Yes, our Bob was feral with gnarled ears from cat fights and flea ridden. After his vet visit, he was a pussy cat!

Kitty, Rasputin was wild as a bobcat. Had to spike his food with some kitty tranquilizers from the vet. He is a pussy cat now, too.

[vetvetdoug]

Good Job...

[who knows what evil?]

Damn mass-market cat food...corn, corn, corn...do cats eat corn in the wild? When is the last time you had to chase cats out of your corn patch? Corn meal to sicken the animals; corn syrup to sicken the humans.

Bastards.

[Lockbar]

I had a male tabby that went diabetic at ten years of age. The vet said he might get a couple of more years with proper attention, but he lasted 5 more years. He had to be put to sleep at age 15 because his kidneys were failing him. He lasted a lot longer than I expected, about the age of a regular cat without special needs. It was a tuff road with lots of ups and downs, but my buddy was worth it.

[GOP Poet]

love the cats! :-)

[Nepeta]

Damn mass-market cat food...corn, corn, corn...do cats eat corn in the wild? When is the last time you had to chase cats out of your corn patch?

I try to tell people that feeding dry cat food full of grains has been implicated in the onset of feline diabetes, and that cats do not have the metabolisms to process large amounts of carbohydrates, but I don't think a lot of people want to hear this. I will never knowingly feed a grain-based diet to a cat again.

I adopted two 5-month old kittens last month, and I intend to feed them meat-based, complete, commercial foods of high quality all their lives.

[Slings and Arrows]

[alicewonders]

I adopted two 5-month old kittens last month, and I intend to feed them meat-based, complete, commercial foods of high quality all their lives.

Are there any brands that you would recommend?

[aberaussie]

What brands do you feed your cats? I never thought of this, but it makes perfect sense!

[aberaussie]

We had to put down one of our kitties because of Feline Infectious Peritonitis. Is there hope for a cat who gets FIP?

[CAluvdubya]

A www. this takes me back a few years ago when, while caring for my own diabetic, I learned of an elderly, tripod FD kitty in need if a home.

His owner was going to a care facility and couldn’t take him. I fell in love with this brave, tired, kind soul. I got him “off the juice” but after only one short year with him, he developed heart failure and crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.

I will never forget my sweet Squeakers ever!

[CAluvdubya]

I feed all my cats, diabetic and otherwise, Fancy Feast. It’s been the best, not counting a raw food diet, with no gravy or veggies.

how about you, Nepeta?

[EBH]

Atlas now gets raw rabbit. He is still diabetic but went from 8 units of insulin twice a day to 1.5 units. We don’t know how much actual damage was done by the neglect he suffered, but I still hold on to some hope he will go into remission.