[RunTheWorldOnMac]

My cat has been diagnosed with diabetes. The vet thinks he can be treated wth an oral medication and diet. No insulin shots thank god.

The food they want him on is Hill's M/D (makes of Science Diet) or Purina Diabetic Formula. They are only available at vets. Anyone know if they can get it elesewhere, perhaps the Pacific Rim Mall?

I may look Stateside. He eats 2 cans a day at 1.70 a can before tax. The pills are cheap, the food is the kicker.

He needs a high protein, low carrb diet.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Google BARF -- Bones and Raw Food Diet - and make it yourself. We did this when our cat was sick, she loved it. The vet gave us for free a bag of mineral powder that we used instead of literal bones, for the calcium and mineral content.

I'm no vet, but surely part of the problem of diabetes in pets can be traced to the use of carbohydrate-rich, nutritionally non-existant, and CHEAP fillers in food, such as wheat and corn.

Cats are obligate carnivores, they cannot digest most plant materials.

 

[RunTheWorldOnMac]

... Thanks, I actually thought BARF was just for dogs. A friend of mine is a big cat perosn and has one with diabetes. I found a place that sells the cans for 1.25 when you buy a case. 1.40 regular. The vet I went to sells them for 1.70 for 1 or 100.

You are right about the carbs, the cans are a high protein, low carb diet.

 

[groovetube]

I'm currently going through hell with a siamese cat. Insulin injections, taking readings from little pin pricks on her ear. Just started last week.

 

[CanadaRAM]

The vet has their handling cost on the cans... no different than soda pop is $1.50 a can from a vending machine and $0.75 each at the warehouse club when you buy flats of 24.

I don't know how the organ meats and stuff that we fed our cat costed out -- but she had a thyroid tumor, couldn't eat enough to maintain weight, and was losing interest in food. When we went BARF, she would come running to watch us prepare it, and ate it readily. It gave her 6 good months extra with us, in much better health, compared to starving to death as she was on the commercial food.

 

[Wolfshead]

I'd certainly consider options other than Science Diet. Have you checked into Wellness?

 

[RunTheWorldOnMac]

When I went to the pet food store to see what they had, the guy showed me a comparitive chart. Nothing compared to either diabetic formulas. I will take a closer look at Wellness.

I am basically looking for a high protein, low-carb diet. Sort of a Dr. Atkins for kitties...

 

[RunTheWorldOnMac]

Yes, Wellness does carry a formula for diabetic cats. Unfortunetley, it is more expensive then the food I am buying now. $1.79 per can, he eats 1.5-2 cans a day.