Thinking about Boots - diabetic cat (copied from re-homing, urgent)

[Tiggy's Mum]

What a shame for you both 

Really hope that Boots can find the right forever home, sounds like he's in a fab foster home until that happens 

[Dawn F]

oh well, its just not meant to be, bet another needy cat will cross your path soon 

[sheilarose]

Well, I spoke to Anna.

She's terribly disappointed for me but can't let me have Boots after all. She's tried him on free-feeding and he doesn't do well at all as he's so food oriented. In order to keep him on one insulin shot each day, he really does need to be monitored assiduously. Other than this she feels he would have fitted in perfectly as he's so calm and laid back.

I simply can't offer this level of monitoring, we need to have a free and easy feeding regime because of the way our shifts work, and all our furbabies have their own preferences which we pander to almost to the extent of spoiling them, but the trade off is our irregular hours. This necessitates a supply of dry food and water being available whenever we leave for work which would just make poor Boots sick again.

It's such a shame, our three Anna-sourced rescue cats have really flourished here, and it's a bitter blow that we can't take this little soul too.

But Boots will find the right home, of this I'm sure. He needs to be within reach of Finsbury Park area of London so Anna can continue to support and monitor him, as she's happy to continue funding his condition in the right home. Too far away and she wouldn't be able to use her own (reliably on-side) vet for his meds, so unless his new slave can also fund his jabs, he needs to be within reach.

He's around 10 years old, so there's potentially a good few years of laid back loving from Boots, just from a household with more control than we have in our fabulous furry chaos.

So back to the appeal, if anyone wants to consider a lovely little boy, whose story and needs are now quite clear, here's the page one last time.  for all the support and advice, friends.

Oh Boots, good luck. 

http://www.catchat.org/londoncr/cgibin/prview.cgi?id=2011022002

[Tiggy's Mum]

  - great news 

Really hope this works out for you both 

[sheilarose]

I think we're on.   

OH is very unhappy about this but I've promised all sorts to get my way  . Gulp. I've sent Anna a text and e-mail requesting a visit with Boots, with a view to taking him in for a trial.

Takes deep breath (and realises there's a smell of poo somewhere).

Heyho. I signed up for it, I get to clean it up!   

[sheilarose]

This thread is still kinda running in re-homing, so I thought i'd copy my last response here, as there are some questions need answers - Go!

Thanks, L*, this is very valuable. My 6 residents free feed on dry food: Applaws; Purina One and Go-cat that my Beau craves (but everyone else ignores GoCat so I indulge him, he's 13 and skinny) and have wet food for everyone's breakfast (whatever is on offer).

From what you're saying, L*, I wouldn't be able to monitor his intake so wouldn't get his insulin dose correct. I know it's important for humans to monitor blood sugar so dosage is controlled, is this something you can do with animals too? Or is my free-feeding household likely to be detrimental to Boots's health?

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has experience of needles, pen type or syringe, and how to administer single handed insulin doses and advice on free feeding alongside insulin dependent diabetic cats.

In essence I'm swaying towards taking Boots on a trial basis to see how he adapts as a foster. This would mean introducing him as a member of the household, albeit temporary, and seeing if he's healthy under our care. I believe he free feeds at the rescue (there's a house full of cats there who are impossible to feed individually) so maybe he's existing on his ability to self regulate his diet.

If our (partly) FIV, free feeding household is simply unacceptable, I'll step away.

OH is home from New York tonight and in an acquiescent mood. A few more glasses of wine and I might get a positive result here. Wish me luck...this is Boots moment. If OH says No, I'm going to sponsor his insulin anyway because those eyes give me no peace...sigh.

[Janeyk]

He's adorable 

[JackSpratt]

Boots is indeed a gorgeous boy and I can see why you're so wanting to give him a loving home.

As I said in rehoming, once the dosage of insulin is figured out things get a little easier to deal with overall. I have no idea about catteries as when we had Toby I had a friend come and stay who loved him almost as much as we did and she was happy to ensure he got his insulin dose in the morning. (And I got my "Toby's had his jab" text so I didn't worry..... )

[sheilarose]

Thanks, Helen I've adjusted the title as you suggested.
I'm being led by my head on this one as OH is keeping my feet firmly on the ground because we are already full, but poor Boots needs someone to give him the life he deserves.

God those eyes...

[Liz]

Any reputable kennel can cope with a diabetic cat and as long as they have some of teir own things like a bed and catnip then it should be no problem

Our diabetic cats one feral and one domestic were both on insulin shots twice a day and we had no issues with them during their time with us both have sadly passed from new illness's but were text book diabetics and were fed normal cat food as they didn't like the diabetic food although some of the other Clan members did!

If you feel he is right for you and you can do injections - vets usually give you guidance on this - we give antibiotic and painkillers to some of our ferals as its easier of both the cat and the vets!!!

[Tiggy's Mum]

I know there's a few on here with experience of diabetic cats - Jasmine, Jackspratt and Liz all spring to mind. Hopefully they'll see this and be able to advise, maybe adding 'diabetic cat' to the title might help? (you just need to edit the title on the first post if you want to do this).

Just looked at his pic and see what you mean about the eyes, it's like he's looking right into you pleading for a home 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

He is lovely and I am sure the injection would be easy to do, especially if he is an old hand at this..........what worries me is about him having to go into a cattery unless they are used to diabetic cats.

Stress can affect a diabetic and this would worry me.

[Janeyk]

  I was just about to move your other thread to this section which should get more responses.  Hopefully someone will come along and be able to advise.

[sheilarose]

http://www.catchat.org/londoncr/cgibin/prview.cgi?id=2011022002

This is the old boy I'm contemplating. Awwww, poor old Boots.
 
Now, I haven't contacted Anna yet as I'm really full (6 personality full residents inc. 1 FIV adopted stray), but Boots's soulful eyes have haunted me all week.

I've never had a diabetic cat, although I would be cool with this, my cat sitter would not want to administer injections when we're away  (she's an absolute star and very longsuffering with my cat habit, but this would be a step too far, I think).

Questions are:
1. How tricky is diabetes
2. Would I be able to kennel Boots for the 4 weeks each year we are out of the country with his needs (2 x 2 weeks) while my poor catsitter copes with the others?
3. If anyone reading this can take Boots, don't wait for me, he needs someone now.

Thank you for reading.

Sheila