Ferdinand and Lucy were our original twins. After the girls arrived, I feared that every child or animal that entered our abode would be in sets of two! Ferdinand, hasn't been doing well lately. It became apparent over the last couple of months: his coat was suffering, he was drinking and urinating quite a bit, and he lost some weight. He lost so much weight that when Tara visited this was our conversation
Tara: I see, you finally put Ferdinand on a diet.Me: Um, I think he is sick.Tara: Oh.
Furthermore, his energy levels were down, and he was complaining. My first thought was diabetes, but after some investigation, I realized that it could be hyperthyroidism or perhaps chronic renal disease. It didn't really matter what it was, I just knew he had to see the vet.
Trying to get the cat to the top of the priority list is tough. It took some time to do so, but we finally managed to take him over last week. The doctor suspected diabetes, and confirmed it with a blood test the next day. After speaking with her on the phone, we headed back to the vet to find out what the course of action would be.
As of right now, Ferdinand gets one unit of insulin, two times a day. We will head back to get his blood sugar checked in a couple of days, and then we will adjust the dosage, if need be. At some point, we will be changing his food, too. It is amazing what just one unit of insulin can do for a 13 pound (used to be 18 pound!) cat. Within the day, Ferdinand wasn't drinking as much, and the litter was staying drier! He seemed to have more energy, and we saw him around the house more.
It has been tough to remember to take care of the extra dog as well as giving Ferdinand what he needs on time. However, it makes me very grateful for having healthy children. I would much rather give my cat insulin than one of the kids.
I'll keep you updated on his health.
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