How to home test your diabetic cat

This video is for people who are having a hard time home testing their diabetic cat's blood sugar. This is not meant to scare newbies but to show that it is possible to home test uncooperative cats.

Lancing devices didn't work when we first started. We gave it another try since this video was shot and it now works like a charm.

I do not recommend burritoing your cat unless you think you really need to. Some people say that the cat feels secure in a burrito but I think mine gets more stressed because he doesn't like to be restrained.

If you need excellent help managing your cat's diabetes, please visit felinediabetes.com. We would not have had the success that we've had if it weren't for the folks there. They are truly our guardian angels. Please donate to them if you can.

About Junior: Diagnosed with diabetes in February 2011. We were initially trained on paw pokes and used that method for 5 months before switching to ears.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• feline diabetes
• cat diabetes
• diabetic cat
• home testing
• hometesting
• blood glucose
• blood sugar
• ear pokes
• cat burrito
• kitty burrito
• insulin

[ppitstop38]

Thanks for your video. I tried my newly diagnosed guy for the first time today and couldn't get enough blood. Then when I got some, I just got an error msg twice. So I gave up for today. He's usually very good with doing stuff to him, but after a few pokes he started to wrestle me and try to pull me off his ear. And since I haven't clipped his nails in a while, I lost! We'll try again tomorrow morning.

[mauiguppy]

@ppitstop38 Oh you poor thing! And your kitty too! It's like riding a bike and will take some practice. It was hard to believe that Junior could be as calm and relaxed as the cats in other videos. Within 2 weeks of posting this, he was! It just takes practice and lots of patience. One note: Don't underestimate cat scratches and bites. If it looks infected within 24 hours, go see a doctor. Junior bit me 3 weeks ago and I wound up getting a tetanus shot and having to be on antibiotics for 2 weeks.

[zuboratube]

Thank you so much for this video! I am nervous about how my cat is going to react when I start doing this and I your honest and loving video gives me courage. Thank you!

[mauiguppy]

@zuboratube I know how you feel! The more you do it the more the nerves will go away -- I promise! Practicing will give you confidence. Good luck to you and your sugar cat!

[rnmolnar]

Thank you! My cat just got diagnosed and I will be dong this soon and I know he isn't going to be as patient with the testing as the other cats I see in the videos, LOL. THANK YOU!!!

Your cat stayed still inside the towel too! Mine won't do that I'm sure, lol.

[mauiguppy]

@rnmolnar You're so welcomed! Mine tried escaping by scooching backwards. Just cross your ankles so he has nowhere to go. Junior was so upset the first time I did it that he peed in the towel. By the time we mastered this (~3 weeks after the video was shot) he was off insulin. LOL! Good luck to you!

[AngelavengerL]

Your video really helped me a ton with our squirmy girl. I've been linking to it on FDMB forum for other new people cause it helped me so much. Thank you!

[kusername1234]

aw! i'm sorry he hasn't gotten more comfortable with it! poor baby! and poor you! i feel bad for your hands haha. i hope my cat is pretty calm about it. he was diagnosed yesterday and i'm about to go out to get his meter. he's a very big cat with large teeth. no front claws though which is good. haha. i started tearing up when watching this because it's so nice to see that other people love their babies as much as i love mine. :)

[rnmolnar]

Thank you! My cat just got diagnosed and I will be dong this soon and I know he isn't going to be as patient with the testing as the other cats I see in the videos, LOL. THANK YOU!!!

[mauiguppy]

@libbyallensongs FANTASTIC!!! I'm so happy for you! I know the joy and relief you're feeling.

If Wellness gets too expensive, Fancy Feast Classics (not Grilled or anything with gravy) is also a good economical choice. I avoid the seafood flavors because of the phosphorous content.

And yes, the lesson I also learned was that I need to eat better. I don't ever want to be diabetic!