What Is It Like to Give Your Cat Insulin?
Key takeaways:
In November 2023, I adopted a stray cat who appeared to be very sick.
My new cat, Little O, was diagnosed with diabetes.
I now give Little O insulin injections twice a day.
For the last 2 years, I’ve been taking care of two formerly feral cats who live on my front porch. Though they were initially wary of humans, they’ve become beloved, friendly pets. I thought we made a terrific trio.
But then on November 21, 2023, I glanced out the window and saw a different cat eating off their breakfast plate. I was about to fall for a new addition to the family who would require lots of special care.
A cute but sickly new arrival
The new cat I spotted on my porch was extremely small. He was the thinnest cat I’d ever seen, with visible ribs. Because he was bright orange, I started calling him Little O. After that, I saw Little O once every evening.
I started feeding him on the side of the house, away from my other cats, who were suspicious of him. He was so friendly and affectionate that it was clear he wasn’t a feral cat. We now believe he was dropped off by people who could no longer care for him. Unfortunately, that’s a common practice in the rural Pennsylvania area where I live.
Little O soon started spending more time on the front porch and even made friends with the other cats. Within a month, he lived there permanently, never venturing out of sight. He loved to cuddle in his new cat beds and inside his warm igloo. Aside from being thin, I noticed that he had a voracious appetite and was constantly drinking water. Every time I looked for him, he was drinking again.
Even after Little O became acclimated to life at my house and started a healthy diet, he didn't gain any weight. He also remained unusually hungry and thirsty. I worried he had a health ailment. That winter, I took him to the vet for blood tests. They said they would call in a couple of days with the results.
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An overwhelming diagnosis: diabetes and potential complications
Within an hour of when we got home, the veterinarian called and said she knew why Little O was so thirsty. He had diabetes. His blood sugar was more than 600 mg/dL. Normal blood sugar for a cat is 80 mg/dL to 120 mg/dL.
The tests had revealed that his ketones were also high, which meant he was at risk of developing diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication of diabetes that can be life-threatening. And the vet said she thought Little O had already suffered some damage to his organs. My heart dropped when I heard the news. But I was also relieved to have answers.
The vet wanted Little O to come back as soon as possible, so they squeezed him in 2 days later. She said she wasn’t sure if he would make it if we waited any longer.
During that appointment, I learned that insulin is the gold standard treatment for cats with diabetes. I practiced giving Little O an injection and went home with a bottle of ProZinc insulin and a pack of syringe needles. Even after doing a practice shot, I felt overwhelmed and worried I wouldn’t do a good job with the new routine.
Little O needs insulin injections twice a day, and I give them exactly 12 hours apart. It’s important for him to eat at least a small meal or snack before having his shot. As he’s eating, I prepare the injection. First, I rub the bottle of ProZinc in my hands for 30 seconds to warm it up. Then I clean the rubber stopper on the bottle with an alcohol wipe, turn it upside down, and draw up his prescribed dose in a syringe needle.
Then I pull up a little fur around Little O’s shoulder blades to make a tent. There shouldn’t be any bone at the area where I’m injecting. I inject the needle so it pierces his skin and push down on it to administer his dose.
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After that, I dispose of the needle and give my cat some low-carb treats. The entire process takes about 30 seconds. The vet told me that Little O would barely feel his shot, and it doesn’t seem to bother him at all. He’s an excellent patient.
Months of diligent care
At the beginning, Little O took 1 unit of insulin twice a day. Vets always start cats on low doses to make sure they tolerate the medication well. After 1 week, the vet said his blood sugar had dropped to 521 mg/dL. It was still way too high, but the insulin was clearly working. We bumped him up to 2 units of insulin.
Little O continued going back to the vet weekly for 1 month. After checking his blood sugar, the vet would decide how much to adjust his dose. By May 2024, he was taking 6 units twice a day. At that point, his blood sugar had dropped to 357 mg/dL. We all felt anxious over the slow progress.
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Around the same time, Little O got really sick and was diagnosed with another chronic condition: feline immunodeficiency virus. It means he has a weak immune system and is vulnerable to frequent infections. It doesn’t affect his diabetes, but it makes his treatment more complicated. His vets always marvel over how much he has going on — and how it doesn’t affect his sweet, good-natured personality.
Finally, some good news
On June 5, 2024, Little O went to the vet for his monthly blood sugar test. It was 138 mg/dL. The entire office broke into cheers at the good news. We were overcome with joy. I was so proud of Little O. He persevered through difficult times, found himself a new home, and became an indispensable part of our family. He’s a real fighter.
Little O remained on 6 units of insulin twice a day. But by July, he suffered a hypoglycemia event, which means his blood sugar was too low. That afternoon, I noticed he was acting strangely. He kept trying to hide behind his cat bed and underneath my legs. He attempted to climb up the wall. He paced in circles while frantically sniffing the ground. And he kept nibbling on my fingers and anything else nearby, which was unusual for him. He didn’t seem right.
Fortunately, I knew that behavioral changes could signal low blood sugar, so I rubbed honey on Little O’s gums and gave him a can of wet food with gravy. He typically eats only wet food that is a pâte, with no gravy, since gravy is high in carbs. But in this case, I knew it would help bring his blood sugar up to a safe level. Hypoglycemia can be fatal for cats if not treated immediately.
I was able to get Little O to the vet right away, and they confirmed he had hypoglycemia. They instructed us to watch him closely for the next few hours to make sure he didn’t have a seizure. But they expected him to recover fully, and he did. They also dropped his daily insulin down from 6 units twice a day to 4 units twice a day to help make sure he doesn’t go too low again. I’m going to start testing his blood sugar at home every day. That will be another learning curve, but it will help me make sure he’s on the right dose of insulin.
A steep (but worthwhile) financial cost
Treating Little O’s diabetes has been expensive. First, there are the vet costs. An appointment with the tech to get his blood sugar tested is about $50. When he has an actual exam, the bill is at least $150. I sometimes feel like we live at the vet.
ProZinc insulin is also pricey. I buy a 20 mL bottle every 8 weeks. Each one costs $221.59. And his needles (a pack of 100 CarePoint Vet U-40 pet syringes) cost $17 with shipping. I buy a pack every 45 days. I also buy low-carb pâte cat food by a variety of brands, which costs more than $100 a month.
Little O is worth it, without a doubt. He’s sweet, loving, affectionate, fun, and super cute — all the things I want in a cat. I can’t imagine not having him. As for his health, he’s thriving these days. He has gained 3 lbs over the last 5 months, and he no longer looks or feels too thin. He’s best friends with my other cats, and they love to curl up together. He has a big collection of toys and is my most playful cat. We adore him. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him. It’s an honor to take care of him.
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