Should I euthanize my cat? Am I a horrible person?

Try to find a no kill shelter that will take her or some one who wil take her. Talk to your vet – a lot of what your saying here can be easily done at home and your vet should be able to show you how to do it. I instruct my clients to get a meter like the “one touch” and do their own sampling and adjust the insulin dose accordingly. Its easy and will save you a large amount of money. The key to controlling Diabetes is to keep everything the same i.e. The same brand of food, the same type of food, the same amount, etc.

An important thing to remember is that there are 2 types of diabetes (type 1 and type 2). Dogs typically have type 1 so the goal is control. Cats on the other hand typically have type 2, (i.e. there is still some insulin production) so the goal in cats is to cure them. Talk to your vet, do research, call a vet school and talk to some one in internal medicine. Get more info before doing any thing drastic.

I don’t understand why your meter would be so far off. I have had clients using it for years and have never had any problems and have always had excellent results and control. In clinic and meter results were never more than a few points off from each other. The only thing I can think of would that it was a bad meter. I would recommend you contact the store or company: something is wrong.

Sorry to bother you again – something about this just doesn’t sound right. First: In your position euthanasia is a consideration. Second: If your Vet is doing in clinic glucose measurements why do fructosamine? Third: Once you get the glucose curve and the insulin dosage set it should not have to change it very often, glucose only needs to be checked a few times a week. How high was her glucose when she was diagnosed with diabetes?

It also sounds like there may be some insulin resistance occurring. Is she on steroids and/or has she has a UCC ratio done? UCC ratio is a screening test for Cushings disease. Contact me if you wish.

Source(s): Vet

Please, there are at least two VERY good diabetic cat lists on YahooGroups, just go over there, search on diabetic cats and you’ll find them. Join one or more.

Your cat has her curve done already, she’s got a doseage that’s been recommended, you’re giving her insulin. She does not need a fructosamine test more than twice a year at most since she’s already regulated. You’re now looking at the costs of the insulin and the syringes.

Call the local pharmacies and check pricing. WalMart was cheapest for us for both – the box of 1 syringes was $12. I used each syringe twice, not just once. This cut the syringe cost in half – one box of 1 lasts for 3 1/2 months.

The insulin ours was on was Lantus. You do NOT have to throw it out after 28 days. The doctors tell human patients to do that, but Lantus is far more stable than that, you can use it for up to 7 months without loss of strength IF you keep it refridgerated, do not shake it (roll it gently instead), it does not change color to pink, and does not have many tiny bubbles in it. A 1,0 unit vial is $98. This lasts for months.

Our cat was on 2 units twice a day, at the end of the year his insulin/syringe costs broke down to $13 a month. Very affordable.

As for disposal of the syringes — simplicity itself. Get a small glass bottle. Use a needle nose pliers to break off the syringe needle and put those into the bottle. Pull the plastic parts apart and dispose of them in the garbage. The only MEDICAL thing needing to be disposed of is the needle part. You can take forever filling that bottle up then find some family member or friend who’s diabetic and ask to have them put the glass bottle with their sharps container for disposal. It won’t take up much room at all.

The meter is free on the internet at a lot of sites, but the strips run about $1 each. If you go onto ebay and look, the strips can be gotten as low as 50 cents per strip. You don’t need to do readings often, especially if the cat is doing fine on the doseage.

Euthinazia is not your only option as others on here said there are no kill shelters but also there is pet health insurance that can greatly reduce the price you pay for vet care also there is likely to be low caust clinics near you that offer treatment for substantaly reduced prices. I look at it this way cats and other pets are as much our children as thoughs of our blood and we as their parents owe them every opertunity if your baby had diabeties would you put her to sleep because you had trouble afording her treetment or would you look into any option you could find first? And remember if you can’t find a way to aford the treetment finding her a new loveing forever home with a family who can aford her medical care should always come befor putting an animal to sleep the only time euthinazia should be resorted to is if no mater what you do the animal will die anyway then it is kinder to end the siffering of the animal but if it is over nice things and money then it is not right

You’re not horrible at all!! you’re just trying to survive and you’ve done a great service for kitty thus far!! but please don’t let it stop here. with some honest effort you CAN find a great adoption family!!!!

I Highly suggest that you place adds in several places such as Facebook, Craigs List and other such sites as well as at your local pet stores, grocery stores and even telephone poles. Explain in your add the kitty is a “special needs” kitty and so forth. there are certainly plenty of cat lovers that would adopt. also, ask your vet if they know of someone that would adopt such a kitty and call other vets as well.

www.petswithdisabilities.org/catadopt.html

www.petfinder.com/index.html i’m not sure about this one but it may have some ideas.

matadornetwork.com/life/why-you-should-adopt-a-special

www.cap4pets.org/pet-adoptions/special-needs-adoption

www.webexchange.net/specialneeds

these are some sites i found for you to start with but i didn’t have to time to check each one out. when i typed in google: “people that adopt special needs cats” a ton of websites came up!! i mean a ton! so, you could add your area. like: “Boston area Adoption for special needs cats”

i will do some more research for you if you would like some help. you can email me at: [email protected]

also, maybe you could ask your vet if there are any pharmaceutical companies that offer a discount to low income pet owners. worth a try.

i’d Love to help more if you would like the help just let me know.

Source(s): mom to 9 cats two semi special needs

Make a Craigslist add: I have a wonderful __ year old female cat who is great with children and seniors* as well, but I can no longer keep her because she has diabetes and I cannot afford her medicine. The humane society/shelter will not take pets with medical needs, and I love this kitty and do not want to put her down. Please help this wonderful loving kitty, she will brighten your home for the holidays. Show pictures of her playing, her being cute, her sleeping, and the things you may be giving away with her here. And make sure you charge them at least $75 for her, you want to make sure they can afford her medicine and upkeep. Good Luck!

Source(s): * make sure she really is.

You are not a horrible person. You are just trying to think of what might be best for your cat. Obviously, I have no idea where you live, but there is this one organization called “All 4 Pets” that helps pet owners in Monroe, Livingston, Genesee, Wyoming, Erie, Niagara, and Orleans Counties in New York State. If you do not live in any of those places, then talk to your Veterinarian or someone at your local pet shelters to see if their is an organization that you can get a loan from. (Like a medical insurance for pets.)

If not, then maybe you can hold an event to raise money for your cat. (You can go to your town hall for more options on that.)

Source(s): www.all4pets.wny.org

I’m sure there are shelters out there that will take a diabetic!!!!!! At the least, you can try to find a friend or contact the owners/managers of the shelter to see if they personally would be willing to take the cat in. Most cat-lovers would take a cat in in a heartbeat if they knew they were saving its life. DO NOT EUTHANIZE THE CAT!!!!!!!! It’s not fair to the cat-do not make its life shorter!!!!!! Even if you can’t afford him, there are plenty of other people who would take him in. Personally, I would choose the cat over nice things.

Source(s): Cat person

Is she eating commercial cat food? If so, that’s probably why she has diabetes. Diabetes in cats can go into remission if they are fed a low-carb diet. Even prescription foods contain too much carbohydrate. Check out the link below for more details

Source(s): http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felinediabetes

There are people that will adopt even a diabetic cat. It might be hard…but it will happen with effort. I’m sure someone on here will know of a website for adoptions that will guide you. You wouldn’t want your mama to give you up for adoption cuz you had diabetes right?

Good luck. Please don’t euthanize the cat…find a new home.

Google search no kill shelters in your area. They will make sure your special needs kitty will find a nice home. 🙂 Don’t feel bad you did your best. She will live a long healthy life with someone else.