Diabetic cat not eating

Our cats, aged 8 went into a cattery last week. One of them is diabetic, diagnosed in March, and had been on caninsulin twice a day since then. She was doing fine. On picking them up from the cattery on Thursday afternoon diabetic cat would not eat. I put it down to stress and didnt inject. We believe she had received all injections at the cattery, but do not know how well she was eating, or how long she had been off her food. On Friday morning she still wouldnt eat so missed her 2nd injection and we called the vets and got an early appointment. There were two piles of vomit, mostly liquid, from overnight although we can't be 100% certain both were hers. Normal vet wasnt in and we had a very young new vet, on his third day at this job, although of course fully qualified. Temp was 39.9°. Vet wanted to do expensive inhouse tests, £1,200 to start with further costs for treatment dependent on outcome, around £5,000 if it was ketoacidosis. Turnaround time for testing a couple of hours. We asked for tests that get sent away and cost less but take a few days to come back. He was reluctant, felt she needed a quicker result. We suggested taking her home to see if she began to eat over the weekend and he was reluctant there too. He felt with the not eating, the high temperature and the diabetes she needed immediate testing and treatment. Alternative was to put her to sleep and that's what ended up happening. We felt under pressure and upset and were not thinking straight. The costs of immediate testing and treatment were too high for us, but I feel terrible we didnt even have her home for 24 hours before taking this decision. The stress of the cattery must surely have had an impact. I wish we could have seen the normal, experienced vet who has a much calmer manner. My question is, would a more experienced vet have suggested anything different, i.e. take her home for another day and try and get her to eat, or would they have had the same concerns as the very junior vet based on these circumstances? I'm not trying to apportion blame, just find a way to come to terms with what happened. Coat was fine, nose wet, affectionate and moving, but slightly lethargic. She was drinking water, but not eating at all, even when we tried to hand feed favourite foods.

I should have also said that our other cat got a little lethargic and sick yesterday, so a day or two behind the diabetic cat, but is eating ok. So maybe they both picked up a bug at the cattery but it was worse in diabetic cat.

Hello - I'm so sorry to hear that your cat went into diabetic ketoacidosis.  As a vet with over ten years experience in practise, including special training in emergency medicine, and with nearly 20 years experience as a diabetic myself, I fully agree that a diabetic cat, not eating and lethargic, needs to have diabetic ketoacidosis either ruled out or treated immediately.  Ketoacidosis is one of few medical emergencies; it involves severe sickness and a fast decline.  Indeed, the decline and suffering that can occur over 24 hours with full blown untreated diabetic ketoacidosis is likely to be such that it is a reasonable and fair alternative to have them put to sleep if treatment isn't an option. If treatment is an option. Intensive nursing is required and even then, if it was in an advanced state, your cat may not have survived even with hospitalisation.  I hear that you are not looking to apportion blame - having read through your post, I wonder whether it may be of help to comsider the 4 stages of greif.  Before acceptance comes a 'bargaining' phase, where people think along the lines that 'this should not happened - if only this had been done differenly.  What should have been done differently... what if that information is unreliable.....' etc.  It is a natural part of the greiving process.  With this in mind, I will try to point to some links that may be useful.

It's also worth looking up a charity called The Ralph Site, which may have some very useful information.

The most appropriate article on the blog section of this site - which has a search function to make it easier to find things - is called Do cats and dogs get ketoacidosis.

It's worth explaining, that when my blood sugars are very high, I feel sick and do not want to eat or drink.  It is no reflection on you that you could not encourage your cat to eat at this point.  Wishing you all the best going forward and I hope that the two sources are of use.  With my heartfelt condolences.

Liz, thanks so much for your kind response. It's very helpful and has made me feel a little better. Best wishes