Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Having an extra sweet kitty changes things... often for the better

After the recent loss of my little man, Fred, I started thinking back to the diabetic kitty who changed my life forever, his name was Tucker. I think it's simple to see the impact he had on me brought me to DCIN and gave me the desire to help more diabetic kitties. Then I got to thinking, I wonder how has Feline Diabetes changed others so I asked that question on DCIN's Facebook page and here, in part, are some of the replies.


Brittany:  I too have a diabetic cat, RJ, who just turned 11 last month. He became DKA 2 summers ago (when he was first diagnosed) and I was told by an after-hours emergency Veterinarian that "I should strongly consider euthanasia because diabetes is a huge commitment"... I refused to accept that answer, and brought him into his regular vet the next morning. The vet sent me home with a bag of fluids in hopes that he would start to feel better and eat again so I could start insulin. Low and behold he started eating, and I began insulin and home testing. It was a challenge at first, but now it's routine for us both and he's doing great 2 years later! He also became DKA again last summer... but pulled through again! Feline diabetes has opened my eyes to a world of cats who are written off just because they develop a treatable condition. I would like to adopt another diabetic one day when I have more space. However in the mean time I would love to take my knowledge and pass it along to others who may be on the fence about having a special needs pet.