Thank you, Deb, for your information. You were very helpful and almost all of what you told me was validated by my veterinarian. I am happy to report that my cat, Cookie, is doing much, much better. She is now on twice-daily insulin injections and this marks the second week exactly that I have been giving her the shots. She is on Hill's m/d diet which is nicknamed "Catkins Diet" as it is for diabetic cats in that is high protein/high fiber/low carb cat food. She likes it moderately well and eats both the canned and dry m/d. She is eating well, though, as I give her boiled chicken breast occasionally. She is doing fine.

The insulin shots were very easy to master and I am having no problems whatsoever with that. The needles are ultra-fine and only about an inch in length. They are about the width of a human hair and you use a new needle each time you give an injection. I truly believe that Cookie does not even feel the injection as she does not flinch nor cry out nor give any negative reaction to the shot. I feed her right after her shot and she likes that.

I write down on a special calendar the time of day (both at 7:30 a.m. and p.m.), the amount of insulin (just 2 units each injection), and how well she ate after each shot. It is a Cookie Diabetes Journal. I also note any other unusual behavior of which there have not been many. Just to record anything that might pertain to her medical situation later on.

She goes back to the vet for re-evaluation and re-testing of her blood and urine in one more week. I will keep you posted.

To answer a couple of your questions: Cookie is not considered elderly. She is 8 years old. Yes, she was/is over-weight and the vet has been on me about this for some time. She weighed 14# about three months ago and then dropped to 11# over the course of about two/three months which is what mainly alerted me to the fact that she was ill and something was very wrong. I do feel a certain amount of guilt about not putting her on a lite diet a few years ago. But, we are getting back on track now; better late than never.

I will continue to follow the instructions and advice of my veterinarian and there is no reason to believe that Cookie will not have a long and healthy life if we can just get this diabetes under our control.

I thank you for your support, encouragement and advice. I appreciate it very much. Julie
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Pepper (one, fine, little dood)

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