Diabetic?

We had a very scary trip to the vet on Sunday. My cat Ebony was going in for a dental cleaning and tooth extraction (under anesthesia), so no food the night before. We had him in the cat carrier and were on the way to the vet when suddenly he started meowing loudly and pooped in the carrier. Then he began drooling and went all glassy eyed. I totally panicked and ran with the cat carrier into the vet. After we took him out of the carrier he seemed to improve and the vet said that it was probably just fright but suggested a blood test just in case before they did the surgery. The blood test turned up a high glucose level, and the vet has suggested that we do a urine sample (Ebony had the tooth extraction and is doing fine). He thinks that Ebony fits the profile of a diabetic cat, as he is basically always looking for food.

How does one get a urine sample from a cat? Why would Ebony suddenly freak out in the cat carrier? I am really worried about him and the prognosis for a diabetic cat.

Regina

My cats are like that when they are in the carrier They act as if someone is killing them. However, the high glucose level in the blood means you need to make more tests to see if he's diabetic or not.

Your vet should explain to you how to get the urine sample. There is a special kind of litter which is non absorbent that vets sometimes use for this purpose. After the cat urinates in this litter, you can gather the urine which stays in liquid form. See if your vet can provide you with this type of litter or else ask the vet how he wants you to get the sample.

My cat was just diagnosed with diabetes about a week ago. He was urinating a tremendous amount and drinking a lot of water. His levels were very high. My vet took a urine sample while he was there. Do you know why your vet didn't? I have gotton samples in the past by putting some plastic (like saran wrap or glad, etc) in the litter box. Try to place it where his bottom would be and not over the entire box. Of course, it's more successful if you can be there immediately after he uses it - especially if he's a digger -my baby isn't so it was pretty easy. Don't know about the special litter. It sounds like it might be worth a try. I hope it turns out to me nothing serious.
Janine

Anne and Janine,

Thanks for the information! The vet gave me a cup to collect the urine but Ebony likes his privacy (he normally runs out of the room when anyone sees him on the litter pan) so I doubt that we will be able to manage that. I am afraid to try Saran Wrap as Ebony may try to eat it (he likes biting on plastic bags!). I called the vet and he has said that we can try putting aquarium gravel in the litter pan to collect the urine, so I will try that first. He didn't mention any special litter for this purpose, so perhaps it is unavailable here. I don't know why he didn't extract the urine during the operation. Perhaps Ebony's bladder wasn't full enough?

Janine, I'm so sorry to hear about your cat. How is he being treated for the diabetes? Do you have to give him injections?

Regina

I am not really familiar with all of the facts on diabetic cats(yet). I do know that where I work we use what is called a urine collector kit. We get it through JA Webster, which I am pretty sure is nation wide. They look like plastic pellets and once they use the litter pan you just squeeze and get the urine to take into the vet.

Regina,
As of now, Punkin has to have two injections daily, however, they're still trying to regulate him. I'll take him back to the vet on Friday for another check. It was still a little high last week, but the vet wanted to give him a break from all needles. He had been there 5 days being stuck at least four times a day. Although, I think the vet really wanted to give me a break. It was killing me. I'll know more Friday. I don't suspect there been any additional shots, maybe just more insulin. He is drinking and urinating less. I forgot to tell you that another symptom I saw was his increased appetite. He's always had a healthy appetite,(he weighed over 17lbs) but he just acted famished all the time.
I don't quite understand why the vet doesn't know if your baby is diabetic. If his glucose is high, why is he not already trying to lower it. They hospitalized Punkin immediately. Maybe Punkin's level was much higher than your baby's level, but I feel quite sure, and the vet agrees, Punkin was in tremendous danger. I don't think he would have lasted a lot longer. Also, this hadn't been going on for a long time either. Punkin had blood work done in June and also again in August and his glucose was fine. This happened in a matter of a couple-three weeks. He was going down fast. He also had lost over
3 lbs.
Keep me posted.
Janine

Hi Janine,

I'm sorry to hear about Punkin's condition. Is it difficult to do the injections? I think that perhaps my cat Ebony is not yet seriously diabetic (if he is diabetic) as his behavior seems perfectly normal and he appears healthy. If we hadn't performed a blood test we would not know that anything was wrong. The vet has told me that the elevated glucose could also have been related to his fear response to riding in the car. Although Ebony is always interested in food (anything we eat has to be examined first and determined inedible by kitty), he eats normal amounts. If I give him a lot more than usual (say, if I go away for the weekend) it remains uneaten. The vet noticed, however, that as soon as Ebony came out of the anesthesia he immediately came to the door of the cage and meowed, so he thinks he was hungry and looking for food, a response typical in diabetic cats. However, Ebony had not been fed in almost 24 hours, so this doesn't seem too unusual to me. So the case is quite inconclusive and we really need to do a urine test to make sure.

If I cannot obtain the special litter, I will do the gravel in the litterbox thing this weekend (quite complicated as we have to wash the gravel several times and dry it to remove the dust)and take the sample in on Sunday. Ebony seems fine, although not at all happy with the antibiotics I have to give him following the surgery.

Regina

Regina,
The injections are not difficult, once again probably more stressful for me than Punkin. The needles are very small. After 2-3 times it became more comfortable. I discover that the needles could be placed just under the skin and he barely feels it. If you discover that you wil have to do this with Ebony, I'll go into more detail. I give it to him while he's eating. He is much more interested in the food.
Much luck with getting a sample. I hope it is successful.
Keep me posted, please.
Janine