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.

Karen: Having a diabetic cat has made me a proponent of proper feline nutrition. Proponent doesn't really cover it--I've become one of those people who accosts strangers in the pet food aisle in pet stores, selling them on grain free canned food. I make homemade raw, but also use grain free canned. I truly believe the latter saved my (now GA from kidney disease b/c of prescribed drug) diabetic girl's life, and gave me a healthy 5 more years without shots and BG tests. I have drunk the Dr. Lisa (www.catinfo.org) Kool-Aid, and recommend her site to anyone who will listen. Ditto for www.felinediabetes.com. It also taught me the importance of being an advocate for my pets in general, asking questions, getting second and third opinions, trusting my gut, and, most importantly, doing my own research.

Mary: Having Miracle and then Muffin changed so much about me. Both were rescues, and started me down the "rescue" path. They taught me to NEVER give up on the most hopelessly complicated situations which has led to some amazing Miracles in my life. They taught me to LOOK, really LOOK at something, as opposed to glancing and deciding based on a glance.  Research, they taught me to do my research, and how to do that effectively. They taught me to think outside the box, and how to teach others how to think outside the box too. Even vets, who seem to have a hard time doing that sometimes. They taught me about a love I had never had, that I can go many days with no sleep, I can give fluids, shots, test BGs, argue with vets who felt hopeless, make them believe we could win, make me believe in myself enough to change my whole life for them. They taught me that if you can hang with a dog in the car, you can hang with 2 cats. Cats can walk on leashes, and be advocates for a disease thats killed some of my best friends. RIP Steve. They taught me so many things that there is not room here for the list, but most of all they taught me that special needs means special love. I miss my Miracle and Muffin daily. I found their logs the other day, and I really miss that part of my life.

Sonia:  FD made me realize that I have to be an advocate for my cat as I am for my family. I had total confidence in vets before and now I am not afraid to question - in a good way. I have also realized how much I can do. I never thought I would be able to do this, the testing, the insulin, the regulation. It also made it less scary when I had to start giving fluids - dealing with FD gave me the confidence.

Stephany:  We took care of our cat Celeste for 5 years after she got diabetes and we lost her this past February. I always said we were meant to have Celeste because she taught my husband and I that we have the ability to take care of special needs kitties. Before this I never would have thought about adopting a cat that had special needs, but now I know this is what we were meant to do. We adopted Mai Thai through your organization about 2 months ago and she was meant to be here too!!

Lori:   My iddle buddy-man Winston got diabetes when he was 6 ..he lived to be 15. Died in my arms very suddenly from a heart attack. His baby sissy got diabetes when she was 9 and she is 17 to this day ..Margaux.  She was diagnosed with renal failure a month ago but she is not ready for the rainbow.

Molly:  We had 2 cats with diabetes. They were litter-mates and developed it one after the other stopped needing insulin. It helped us realize that giving a kitty an insulin shot each day is something manageable. (Unless one needs to travel all the time for their job but then why would that person have a dependent pet??)

Stefani:  Feline diabetes has taught me: no matter how scary it is, you have to remain in control of your loved ones care. You can't trust most vets, and you probably won't be able to tell the trustworthy from the untrustworthy, so stay in control, leave nothing for granted. The "experts" are often wrong. Communities of people living with or treating a disease can often give you more useful real world information than your docs. Check, and double-check, everything. Love is what you DO, not what you SAY YOU FEEL. Lots of people claim they love their diabetic cats, but aren't willing to home test or stop convenience feeding dry. Trust yourself, believe in your ability to understand this disease and manage it. Our fear that cats bodies work so differently from our own encourages in us dangerous blind faith in vets and giving over control and responsibility. Cats bodies aren't that different from ours -- different, yes, but similar principles. I would tell diabetic cat owners, "you can do this," and bite my tongue while finishing the thought: "and if you love him, you will.". I also learned that it is possible to make true friends in online communities, it is possible to love people -- and cats -- that you have never met. I learned that it is easier to manage feline diabetes than human diabetes, because it's easier to control a cats diet than a humans. I learned that many cats can go off insulin (all my foster cats have) and dry food is not a good primary diet.

 

Sheila:  FD's are addictive - like potato chips - you can't have just one! I have had the pleasure of caring for three FDs now, and the sorrow of losing one to cancer. Now, with Cami's issues, I realize that treating diabetes is a piece of cake, er a slice of rare roast beef... You can work it around almost anything else. I don't worry about it because I know I can adjust the treatment (dose). I worry about the other stuff. When Beau was diagnosed I thought it was the end of his life. It is 7 years later and he is on my lap purring right now! I think, more than anything, people need to be educated about FD, told it is easy to treat and that diet is so important for all our cats lest we create more FDs.

Crystal:  I've had 3 diabetics now. It's easy to treat and I like to think that they KNOW you are helping them. Never had an issue with readings or needles with any of them.  2 of them went into remission

Sonia:  We dealt with FD for 3.5 years with our good old favourite black cat Tom - also dealt with CRF and SCC - he was OTJ almost until he passed in December 2011 at age 18. Without that experience, I would not have taken Katmandu as a foster and I would not have failed as such and kept him here

Debra: When my black kitty, Benny, was diagnosed with FD two years ago, I was devastated. I had just lost 3 cats in a period of 15 mos. Benny has taught me much since being diagnosed. He taught me that FD is not a death sentence if managed well. He has taught me the art of patience .... Something cats are very adept with. FD has also taught me how important it is to have a vet who listens, discusses, and addresses your concerns. But, most important, Benny has taught me that he is happy living life. He has his good days, and a bad day now and then, but he hasn't given up on me, and I would never give up on him.

Jennifer:   Savannah is my second diabetic cat. I've learned that a compassionate, loving veterinarian is worth every dollar spent. I too have learned that not all cat food is created equal...even if it's prescription food. I've learned that despite the car rides to the vet and the sticks of the needles, these special cats quickly learn (and truly understand) that we love them and that we will do anything for them and that despite the pain we are doing everything we can to make them feel better. I've learned that cats CAN travel...they might just need a little extra encouragement (and some Dramamine never hurts, either ;-)) I've learned that a diabetic, one-eyed, declawed cat CAN save her mommy from the evil, hairy-scary flying squirrel!

Dorothy:  I thought my cat was going to be diagnosed with kidney failure when he had excessive urination, so in an odd way diabetes was a relief because it could be treated. I had a difficult time getting him off of dry as my vet had recommended. In fact, due to daily vomiting, had given up. This group helped me and now he is dry free! Still not fully regulated, but "getting there". My background is working as a technician in veterinary hospitals, so I have always been on the other side....handing back cats with diabetes though now I have one of my own. It is hard to see my once solid mass of muscles boy, having declined a bit. Caring for him comes from my heart. I was lucky he let me into his heart after finding him as a stray when he clearly felt humans were not too be trusted. As he now patiently sits for all of his treatments I wonder do these cats some how know we are trying to help them or why is it that they put up with us? Pets are not disposable, pets are not always physically perfect but they are for life.

Suzanne: I have so many feelings about taking care of FDs, but I'll start with this. After successfully getting Nemo, Spotty and Mel OTJ in a pretty short span of time, I was feeling quite good about myself, like I had the magic touch, or something - knowing deep down it had pretty much ZERO to do with me whatsoever! So when Nanner came into my life, I had a little ego about it, even tried to estimate the month he'd go OTJ. Well, Nanner was obviously in my life to teach me a lesson. To expect the unexpected. To take your ego right out of it because it's silly. That sometimes pancreases don't heal and sometimes you're just a forever diabetic, and that's OK. Sure, I'd have to evaluate my vacations going forward and take shorter ones. That night in Montreal last month, seeing my favorite band, while furiously texting my petsitter because Nanner's BG was 37? Yikes. Scary. But he lived, and I lived through the stress. It's all difficult, but it's so, so worth it. Nemo taught me how special the bond is with FDs. And it's why I continue to adopt them today. On top of all the stress and change in lifestyle, the love and closeness is incredibly worth it.

Ownedby Pets: At one point I had 3 diabetics. It was just a matter of changing my life to be at home at 7am and 7pm to give shots. Sometimes that could come in handy if I needed to leave somewhere. "Sorry, gotta go shoot the cat"

Angi: At first I was devasted and doubted my ability to treat properly without harming my cat. But I soon found out it wasn't as hard as it seemed and I learned a lot from people on the FDMB and soon learned I was in control of this not my vet. And I do believe a plus side to having a diabetic cat is it brings you and kitty even closer than you may have been before.

Lu-Ann: Grayson's diabetes (and Insulin Resistant Acromegaly) have made me even more conscientious of the diet my kitties are eating and how it impacts their health. Others in my household have benefited from this knowledge, and we have all but eliminated "inappropriate peeing" simply by changing the food they eat. It took a while to get here, but eliminating the source of that problem seems to have helped not only them, but me dealing with it! Thanks to Janet & Binky, and subsequently Dr. Lisa Pierson for the food lists now available on www.catinfo.org which I've shared with many friends.

Postscript from Venita. When Jennifer asked the question on DCIN's Facebook page, she was thinking that she would get more examples of the emotional closeness one builds with a cat when treating it for diabetes.

Many people do build a closeness with their diabetic cats--they are able to handle them for tests and shots, they "know" how their insulin treatment is going by the cat's demeanor, voice, appetite, fur. However, for most, closeness is such a natural part of being a caregiver for a cat they have had since kittenhood that they don't think of that as being unique. That is part of who they are with their cat, their friend, their family member.

My closeness with littermates Maxwell and Ennis didn't come from them being diabetic. It came from them being part of my life for all of their lives. Maxie only made it into his teens; Ennis would have been able to vote when he passed. But for years before they became diabetic, we had connected heart to heart. They shared many life challenges with me; they were my comfort. And at the end of their lives, I was their comfort. In between, when they were diabetic, I gave them the very best care I knew to give.

Perhaps that is what is uncommon about Jenn's experiences with Tucker and Fred compared to many of the rest of us with our homegrown diabetic cats. Tucker, Fred, and Jenn's other diabetic cats came to her later in their lives. They already were diabetic. They had been abandoned by people who should have been more caring of the cats they had had since they were kittens.

The middle-aged or later meeting is a seminal condition in Jenn's relationship with her diabetics. And it brings a perspective for those considering fostering or adopting middle-aged or senior diabetic cats. Not only can you achieve a closeness with the cat, but it will be a special closeness that comes from caring for a cat that truly needs you and that appreciates and loves you for caring for it.