Anyone got a diabetic cat? Are they expensive?

[Jimjams]

Posted recently that our cat had gone insane and was peeing everywhere. Noticed she's been drinking quite a bit so chucked a dipstick in this mornings puddle - absolutely sky high with glucose.

So dh is taking her to the vets- BUT I don't want to be forced to take on a lot of extra work/expense so I wondered if anyone could tell me what is involved. I read that they need to be fed at regular intervals and that they need insulin injections up to twice a day Now even finding time to do that will be tricky tbh as we live in a very chaotic household- could probably get into the routine though. BUT the big question is cost- we are currently spending over 400 quid a month on therapy for ds1- we are overdrawn evey month and I'm not prepared to take on more financial comittment for a cat that came free with the house (previous owners left her behind when they moved to Spain). So does anyone know how much it would cost per month to treat a diabetic cat? I read some vet sites that suggested re-prioritising spending to fund the cat's insulin- and whilst I'm happy to re-prioritise for ds1 I think "never buying ready made sandwiches" (the site's idea!) is a bit much for a cat!

That sounds positive Jimjams, hope it continues!

I have a pissy pussy too! She also makes caca outside her box - I wonder if this might be her problem? She is 19. It drives me mad having to clear up every morning and evening, but fortunately she doesn't go where the children play. DH hates Furface anyway and wants her put down. I love her to bits but can't stand the smell/mess

Jimjams I really feel for you, especially as it's not your cat. FWIW my beloved cat went into a cattery when dd1 was born (moving house) and came back weeing all over the place. She had been doing this a bit before but not quite so badly. So we put her back in the cattery for 3 weeks as I tried to get to terms with new motherhood. She came back and was weeing only in the house. Regrettably, we took her to the Blue Cross for rehoming, only to be told the next day that they couldn't possibly rehome her. So we went and got her back and sniff now she's at the bottom of our garden. She was 14 though, so 'spose she had a good innings. I do take my hat off to you for giving so much time to a cat that you haven't necessarily bonded with, for the reasons that you give. Very loving and responsible, you are!

Just took 2 of our cats to the vets tonight - one is very overweight at 7.6kg. He was ill lost a lot of weight then went on special diet food and has put it all back on and more. He's just a big lazy cat, the vet is worried about him getting diabetes as it's very hard to control in cats.

We are putting him on another diet but it's going to be really hard with another 2 cats in the house, they are normal size/weight and eat what they need. We are going to have to segregate their food and make sure fat cat doesn't get at it, all very stressful with a 10 week old babe as well

I know a cat behaviourist who is fantastic:

VICKY HALLS 01634 403497 www.vickyhalls.net

New book: Cat Confidential.

And we're back to peeing inside (although of course she hasn't had insulin today). Decided she has a month (we've had the garden done- so that will be time for her to get used to the new garden) and if not she'll have to be put down. I loathe the idea of doing that but I do know that it's too much with everything else we have going on. I've been given lots of good advice (I think my friend saw Vicky Hall- she did see a cat behviourist) but tbh with an autistic child it's just not possible to do the things that needed to be done (involved things like segregating the areas off and feeding there- there's just no way to explain that to ds1).

Jimjams, my MIL's cat has just been found to be diabetic. The vet wants to try and control it with a special diet but if that doesn't work MIL has been told the insulin injections would cost £50 a month. She has the same terrible dilemma as you as she really can't afford that.