deborahjross | Diabetic cat update

We beat the odds! Our 14 yo cat, Ranae, has been newly diagnosed with diabetes and we have now successfully controlled it with diet and oral meds, NO INSULIN SHOTS! She's only the second cat in the vet's practice that didn't need insulin.

First, we put her on a kitty-Atkins diet, aka Fancy Feast. Our other cat, Cleo, and our dog went batshit over the smell, but Ranae, whose small brain can encompass the concept of only one type of food at a time, made the transition from dry (Science Diet Senior Hairball Control) only slowly. But she did. Costco carried Fancy Feast in a 48-can seafood-variety box. Diet alone brought her fasting blood glucose down by half. Glipizide (brand name Glucotrol) did the rest. Her fructosamine (long term glucose level) was excellent.

Alas, she has a persistent bladder infection, has been through one broad-spectrum antibiotic, another chosen by culture and sensitivity, now we're doing a bacterial identification, hoping to get even more specific in antibiotic choice. But she is looking and acting very well. Her coat is silky again, dandruff gone, she's grooming herself and even frisking a little with Cleo, and her chronic nasal crusties are completely cleared up. A much happier and more pleasant cat, back to her usual affectionate self.