FELINE DIABETES
My introduction to this disease came with John's mother, Judy. Many years ago, at age 13, she was diagnosed with diabetes. At that time nobody knew anything about diabetes in cats. We made the decision to send Judy to the bridge because treating this disease would have been very hard on her. She would've had to have insulin shots at least 6 times a day and spend much of her time at the vet's office. That was no way to live. She would have had no quality of life. She had been suffering from pancreatic failure for several years, but we didn't know it. She had been checked for everything but diabetes. Checking for diabetes was not something that was done on a regular basis at that time.
The second time I encountered feline diabetes was with my rainbow angel, John. He was diagnosed and then spent a long two weeks at the vet being stabilized. This was a tedious and difficult procedure. At one point he went into insulin shock because his pancreas began to produce insulin. He had violent seizures and was blind when he came out of it. He regained his sight, but we weren't sure if he would or not. He needed insulin for the last few years of his life, but I don't consider him to have been a true diabetic. I feel that he was suffering from pancreatic failure, due to his age. I say this because his pancreas did produce insulin just not consistently. Although many strides had been made with respect to managing feline diabetes, there was still much that was unknown. Cats were still much more difficult to stabilize than dogs and urine tests were the only testing method that was discussed.
Taffy was diagnosed with diabetes in the summer of 1999. I was stunned. I wasn't sure what to do. It had been many years since I'd dealt with this disease. I discovered that while many advances had been made, urine testing was still the common practice. This was not a practical solution for several reasons. Taffy is female and squats lower in the litter box. I found that it was nearly impossible to get the test strip in the stream of urine as I had done with John. It was also difficult to be there when she went. Because she is part Manx, she is missing the nerve at the base of her spine and she has no tail. That means the litter box needs a lid. She will go over the edge without it because she is unable to determine where the edge of the box is. I found it very difficult to reach in and test her. She didn't like the invasion of privacy either. I also have 3 other cats. That makes it difficult to get a sample from the proper cat, too.
I was forced to take Taffy to the vet every week to have her blood glucose checked because I knew of no other viable solution. This quickly became a nightmare. She hated going and she became more and more belligerent. The vet was unable to get an accurate reading because Taffy was so aggressive that her blood glucose was always higher than normal. She was also not being monitored closely enough. She ended up going into insulin shock and almost dying. I barely made it to the vet with her in time. I had never seen a seizure before nor do I wish to again. I was certain that she wouldn't make it, but she did.
I decided that I needed to find a better way to manage Taffy's disease. I was certain that there had to be something I could do. I posted about my situation on Acme Pets Cat's Window Bulletin Board (no longer in existence) and found that there was a whole new concept: home blood glucose monitoring. I found a lot of support there and also was directed to the Feline Diabetes Bulletin Board.
Shortly after Taffy was diagnosed so was her sister, Punky. They are both given insulin twice daily and I monitor their blood glucose level at home. I use a glucometer and the ear stick method to test them. They even come and remind me that it is time for ear sticks. They both have a good quality of life. I believe that this is the most practical solution for monitoring and treating diabetic cats. It is also proof that they can lead normal happy lives with this disease. Please feel free to contact me about my experience with feline diabetes. If your cat has been diagnosed or if you suspect feline diabetes, there is hope.
Since this page was written, Punky has gone to the bridge. Her heart weakened to the point that she no longer had a good quality of life. I opted to help her cross over rather than put her through the rigorous testing and medicating she would have had to endure with heart problems. She joined her human mom (and mine) on October 19, 2001. She is free of pain now and has plenty of strings to play with for eternity. I miss her so much, but I know she is in a better place.
* All symptoms listed here are based on my personal experience with my own cats. Symptoms may vary from cat to cat and nothing is a substitute for a medical opinion. I urge you to seek medical advice if you think your cat is ill.
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