Why Home Glucose Testing is Essential for Diabetic Kitties
When Adonis was diagnosed with diabetes, I had no idea what I was doing. The vet handed me a bottle of insulin, gave me a vague “test if you can” suggestion, and sent me home.
Test when? How often? Before or after insulin? The instructions were so unclear that I was left completely lost. It wasn’t until I found the Feline Diabetes Support Group on fb that I realized how dangerous this advice was.
Let me make this crystal clear: If you are giving insulin, you must be testing. This is NOT negotiable. You do NOT need your vet’s permission. Your kitty’s life depends on it.
1. If You Give Insulin Without Testing, You’re Playing with Fire
Diabetes isn’t a simple routine where you just inject insulin and move on. Glucose levels change constantly. Giving insulin without testing is like driving blindfolded—you have NO idea what’s happening in your kitty’s body.
Why is testing before insulin non-negotiable?
✅ Your kitty’s blood sugar could already be too low, and insulin could cause a dangerous hypo.
✅ Your kitty could be going into remission, meaning insulin might not be needed anymore.
✅ You need to know if the current insulin dose is actually working.
Vets don’t always understand this. Mine sure didn’t. I was told testing wasn’t necessary, and if I really wanted to, I could test only two hours after insulin. No structured plan, no real guidance—just vague advice that was completely useless.
Now, I have a vet I trust—one who actually understands feline diabetes—but it took time to find one. Until you do? YOU are your cat’s best advocate. Don’t wait for permission. Test before every single shot.
You also need to test mid-cycle. As you get more comfortable with testing, you’ll learn the best times to check based on your kitty’s onset (when insulin starts working) and nadir (lowest glucose point). More on glucose curves in a future post, but for now? Just test between cycles to make sure your kitty isn’t dropping dangerously low.
Depending on the preshot number, you may need to monitor more frequently early in the cycle—or check later if the number was higher. Every test gives you insight into your kitty’s safety.
2. Vet Clinics are the Worst Place to Get Reliable Blood Sugar Readings
Vets often suggest bringing your cat in for curves instead of home testing. This probably happens because they are afraid to overwhelm the cat pawrents. But here’s the problem:
🚨 Stress raises blood sugar. Just the car ride, strange smells, and handling can spike their numbers, making test results unreliable.
🚨 One-time tests don’t show the full picture. A single reading at the vet means nothing if you don’t see how glucose fluctuates throughout the day.
🚨 It’s expensive and unnecessary. Why pay for a vet curve when you can test at home, where your kitty is comfortable?
Home testing gives you accurate, daily data—something a one-time vet likely never will. Unless your kitty has the best time at the vet?
3. Hypoglycemia is the Real Danger—Not High Numbers
Many vets focus too much on high blood sugar, but the real emergency is low blood sugar. Hypoglycemia can put your kitty’s life at risk within minutes.
🚨 Main signs of a hypo (low blood sugar):
⚠️ Weakness, wobbling, or confusion
⚠️ Seizures or unconsciousness
⚠️ Sudden aggression or hiding
The ONLY way to catch a hypo before it becomes deadly is by testing. If your kitty ever tests low, confirm with a second test. If it’s still low, act immediately—this is an emergency.
What to Do if Your Kitty is Hypo
🚨 If Your Kitty is Hypo Right Now & You’re Unprepared: GO TO THE ER.
If you haven’t read about handling a hypo and are not part of the Feline Diabetes Support Group (FDSG), you don’t have time to wait—get to the ER immediately. Hypoglycemia can be fatal, and without proper guidance, it’s not worth the risk.
If you are part of the FDSG:
👉 Post in the Feline Diabetes Support Group (FDSG).
👉 Tag an admin (by writing “admin” in your post).
👉 Include key details—how many hours before insulin, any symptoms, and any testing history.
👉 Stay alert—an experienced admin will hand-hold you through the hypo and guide you step by step to get your kitty back into safe numbers.
Be Prepared: Have a Hypo Kit Ready
🥫 High-carb food (above 17% carbs; most gravy foods work great) 📊 Use a carb calculator to check food carb content
🐾 Adonis’ emergency go-to: Royal Canin Hair & Skin Wet Food (27% carbs omg – funny how we used to feed this daily… live and learn, omg)
🛑 Syrup (honey, ahorn syrup, maple syrup—any fast sugar source). We only feed this when he is not hungry and he is still low-ish…
And if you follow us on socials, you already know about Adonis’ obsession with Oatly Barista—not a must-have, but he’s only allowed to drink it when he’s low. Hey, whatever keeps him happy and safe! 😹
📹 What We Do: Here’s a Video on Hypo Protocol :)
4. Testing is the Key to Regulation & Remission
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. The more you test, the better your kitty’s care will be.
📊 See how well insulin is working throughout the day
📉 Catch low numbers before they become dangerous
🚀 Track progress toward remission
When should you test?
✔ Always before insulin (ALWAYS)
✔ At least once mid-cycle (4-6 hours after the shot)
✔ Anytime your kitty seems “off”
It’s that simple. More tests = more knowledge = better care.
5. It Gets Easier—Your Kitty Will Adjust!
Testing felt impossible at first. I was stressed, Adonis was stressed, and I thought we’d never get the hang of it. But guess what?
🎵 Now he comes running when it’s time to test!
🐾 His ears learned to bleed, and he barely notices the poke.
🧡 It became part of our daily routine—just like feeding.
✨ Tips to Make Testing Easier:
🐾 Warm the ears before testing with a rice sock
🐾 Use Vaseline to help the blood bead up
🐾 Give a treat—even if the test fails
🐾 Stay calm—your kitty picks up on your stress
Stick with it, and I promise it will become second nature.
Final Thoughts: Testing = Love
I know this can feel overwhelming, but home testing is the greatest gift you can give your sugar kitty. It keeps them safe, helps you understand their needs, and ensures they can live a happy, healthy life—whether they reach remission or not.
If you’re struggling with testing, you are NOT alone. Every single diabetic kitty parent has been there. It gets easier, and your kitty will thank you for it. For real-time help and expert advice, join the Feline Diabetes Support Group on Facebook. When requesting to join, make sure you answer the diabetes-related questions to get admitted.
👉 Once inside, you can ask questions, tag admins, and get step-by-step support. This group saved Adonis’ life, and it can save yours too.
🐾 I also created this AI Assistant—Sugar Kitty AI Mentor—based on the knowledge I gained from this group (with their permission). It’s here to help you with all things glucose testing, 24/7.
You’ve got this. ❤️
Next Up: Blog 2 – How to Get Started with Home Testing!
In the next post, I’ll break down exactly how to set up your home testing routine, pick the right meter, and make testing stress-free for both you and your kitty. Stay tuned! 😻