Eli Has Diabetes

Yesterday I learned that my cat Eli has diabetes. We have started him on insulin injections, and a couple of medications for his liver, and a new diet, and he seems alright so far. The worse thing is he doesn't like having the pills shoved down his throat.

He had more-or-less stopped eating about five days ago, and now that I think about it he had been drinking more water than normal for about a month. Stupidly, I thought it was perhaps evaporation. He's 8.5 years old, and has always been a huge cat, but he's been overweight for a few years now too. At the moment he weights 19.8 lbs, but has been as high as 23.6 lbs, and I've worried about exactly this scenario. He's been eating dry diet food for a couple of years now, but had only lost a little weight during that time.

I blame myself and I feel guilty. Too many little kitty treats and snacks here and there. Now he's paying the price. He's a great cat and a great buddy and I feel like I've let him down. I know it's possible he'll live a long, health live from here on out, but it's also possible the disease will take its course and he'll go blind and worse.

Giving the injections isn't as difficult as I thought it would be, though I drew a little blood this morning. The vet conveniently shaved off four spots on his shoulders and hindquarters as injection sites. He looks a little ridiculous, but I don't think he knows that....