Diabetic Cats in Need
DCIN—US
AND CANADA
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Feature: Com- 2 V O L U M E 2 , I S S U E 1 J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2
municators.
Feature:
What’s New
2
DCIN Priority Adoption: Thomasina
Up for Adop- 3 By: Céline
tion
DCIN learned of Thomasina had to be out the next day or middle-
Meet the DCIN 4 through Facebook. She is 10YO, she would be destroyed. Fos- aged insu-
Team
diabetic, and was in a Philadelph- ter mom Marta pulled Thoma lin-
ia shelter. As a special-needs cat, and took her home. Venita dependent
Up for Adop- 5 she was only approved for a visited that afternoon with (maybe
tion rescue pull, and DCIN was not insulin and supplies and not for
an approved rescue organization demonstrated insulin dosing long!) dia- Thomasina needs
DCIN Volun- 6 at the time. Thoma was at high and BG testing. betic cat your love!
teers’ Favorite risk of being destroyed at this that needs
Websites open-admission shelter. Thoma has been changed to her own home and heart. We
Fancy Feast classic canned food do not know how Thoma is
DCIN found a shelter-approved and her appetite is good. She is with dogs, cats, or children.
foster home to house and treat being BG tested regularly, and Marta has her own cat in the
Thoma, and a shelter-approved her numbers have quickly house, but she has not intro-
rescue that would pull her and come down from the 3-500s duced Thoma to the resident
then transfer ownership to to the mid 100s. Marta says cat.
DCIN. Things changed when that Thoma now purrs like a
Thoma had a seizure on 1/7/12 motorboat. Might you have a spot for this
(on Humulin N insulin). The shel- love? If so, email Céline at Cé-
ter staff told DCIN that Thoma Thoma is a healthy, happy, line@dcin.info.
What’s New With DCIN
By: Venita
I don’t sleep well at night. I usual- are written from the heart because the DCIN cat is not
ly wake with some DCIN item in about her rescue experiences. integrating well with the resi-
my thoughts. One night in No- She has had one guest blogger, dent pets. Beth wrote an excel-
vember, I woke thinking that Jack’s Mom Sue, and plans to lent paper on Introducing Cats.
DCIN needed to show more have more. Jennifer’s COMS She is available to help DCIN
personality. I opened a blog blog is here. You can choose Case Managers evaluate wheth-
called Cat on My Sleeve. I sent to “follow the blog” and get er a proposed adoptive or
the link to DCIN case manager updates by email when there is foster home is right. Beth also
Jennifer Jasensky that morning a new post. is consulting with the caregiv-
and she ran with it. In her first ers of some adoptive/foster
COMS blog post, I Wear a Cat on DCIN has added Beth Pasek as cats to resolve existing prob-
My Sleeve, Jenn wrote about her its behavior consultant. Beth lems. We sincerely thank Beth
reasons for being in rescue and generously agreed to volun- for her help.
the changes in her, some good, teer her time because she had
some bad. observed DCIN’s failed adop-
tive and foster placements.
Jennifer’s COMS posts since then Usually, the problems arise
DCIN Newsletter is edited and written in part by Angie Colee of Colee Creative in Mountain View, CA. Colee Creative solves business marketing and communica-
tion problems with words. Contact angie@coleecreative.com or visit www.coleecreative.com for all your copywriting needs.
DCIN Uses Animal Communicators
PAGE 2
By Jennifer J. & Venita
Several DCIN
DCIN believes in whole-cat want to try an animal com- communication with recon-
volunteers have treatment for diabetes. It’s not municator?” If your reply isn’t nective healing, which is ex-
studied animal just blood glucose numbers. laughter, we will explain how plained on her website.
communications How is Fluffy feeling in general? an animal communicator
Most of that is easy—how are (AC) works and why it might
to better under- Most caregivers believe they
his coat and eyes, is he eating help.
grow closer with their dia-
stand its nature. and playing? But there are
times that Fluffy seems uncom- An AC is not a psychic. An betic cats with treatment.
Many of us are Many DCIN volunteers be-
fortable in his own skin. AC communicates with Fluffy
believers! telepathically using images lieve that too, and often offer
Say Fluffy and Sparky aren’t and feelings. It’s up to you for DCIN to pay for an AC
hitting it off. Things were great and the AC to interpret session to help Fluffy feel
at first, but then something those messages. The messag-
better—physically and emo-
didn’t click. Or Fluffy was doing es may be emotional, they
great, but suddenly his blood may be physical. DCIN has tionally.
glucose is up and the vet can’t successfully used ACs, includ-
find a reason. Now what? This ing Dawn Allen and Claudia
is when DCIN asks “do you Mongin. Claudia pairs her
Your Money, My Plans
by Ennis93, Grumpy DCIN fundraising spokescat
January and February are big hole in your pocket that you My Fall Fundraising Cook-
DCIN dental months. Elmo, could donate for these causes? book CD sales fell far below
Mikey, Musette, and probably Donations are tax deductible. my expectations. Auntie Mel
“Check out the
more DCIN cats will get dental burned 150 copies, but I sold
events page on procedures. In the past two months, DCIN only 72. If you want a copy
has helped some very sick cats (or three), go to the blog
Facebook to see how DCIN needs money to fly cats that had to visit emergency page I linked to order them.
you can help!” to new homes. The cats that hospitals. The chip-ins and The cookbook CDs will
DCIN’s awesome transport checks raised what was need- make excellent birthday gifts
- Ennis team (Aunties Phoebe and ed for Garland and Tawny, but during the year. You also can
Claudia) have flown to homes in it didn’t raise enough for Papa buy licenses or a copy of the
January are Oliver, Connor, Don’s new Linus. PDF file for $10.
Richard, Frankie. The anony-
mous Sweet Kitty still needs to DCIN is helping Patricia and
be flown to a new home. Robert, longtime friends of
diabetic cats. Robert has a
The events page on DCIN’s blood cancer, and DCIN is
Facebook site links to the blog helping so that their daughter
pages where there are chip-ins can take care of the 40+ cats
to help individual cats. in their sanctuary and bring
Ennis, our favorite grumpy
her parents meals. Please help
Is there some money burning a with the chip-in if you can. spokescat.
DIABETIC CATS IN NEED
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3
Priority Adoption: Oreo
By Céline
Oreo is a very handsome 7 year them to sign Oreo over to the trust another family to take
old black and white kitty who has vet’s clinic. That was when his care of him and love him.
been through a lot. Oreo's origi- healing began. Who doesn't love sweet
nal family did not treat his diabe- Oreos? For more infor-
tes even though they were aware Today Oreo is being treated mation about fostering or
of his illness and this caused him with ProZinc insulin twice a day adopting Oreo please email
to lose a lot of weight and feel and is gaining some weight back. his case manager
extremely ill. He is getting along relatively well at Céline@dcin.info.
with the other kitties who live at
At the end of December Oreo the vet's office. A few hisses but Oreo is safe for now,
was taken to a clinic in Kenil- then everyone goes on their but really needs a
worth, NJ to be euthanized, but merry way. Oreo needs a home. furever home!
the vet and caring staff asked He needs to know that he can
Up for Adoption: Mikey
By Jennifer J.
Mikey is safe in DCIN foster care are new to feline diabetes, but his own home. Please consider sharing your home and heart
with Jennifer and Marc in not new to rescue and certainly with Mikey.
Westchester County, NY. Both not new to special needs. We
know that they will take He is doing great in foster care, but his blood sugar is still
great care of Mikey while not as low as his foster parents would like and we think
Mikey is fostering him, but we hope that's because the vet said he needs a dental. It's scheduled
such a we can find him a fantastic for February 1st. If you'd like to help DCIN pay for this little
hand- forever home soon. man's dental so he can start to feel better, the chip in is on
some his blog page here.
boy! Mikey is one of quite a few
cats there and would like
Up For Adoption: Sandy
By Carl
During the first week of De- but her family let us know that gun giving Lantus insulin
cember, DCIN was emailed a Sandy is no longer getting the twice a day, and are willing
photo of Sandy, a recently diag- amount of attention she did to continue doing so, but
nosed 3 year old female diabet- before the baby. are still wishing to find a
ic kitty. Her owners did not new permanent home for
After DCIN contact, her own- Sandy may go to a foster
feel they would be able to her as quickly as possible.
treat Sandy, and were hoping ers put her on a low carb diet Sandy is located in Lake Kat- home soon!
to find her a new home. Sandy of Fancy Feast classic canned rine, NY, and according to
is an ONLY and her family food. A follow up vet exam her “beans”, “is a very affectionate sweet cat who loves to
doesn't know how she might showed improvement, but be petted”. Please help us find this sweet girl a new loving
do with other pets. Sandy is Sandy was still diabetic. Since home soon?
not happy with the new baby, then, Sandy’s owners have be-
PAGE 4
Meet the People of DCIN: Céline
By Angie
My passion for animals started cannot save them all, but we can ing whether she would live, I
at an early age. My parents try! knew I had to educate myself. I
taught me how to respect ani- found an amazing forum which
mals, and a house was never a I lead a quiet life with my husband gave me the support and educa-
home without a cat or dog in it. and my 2 furbabies, Zany and tion I needed. Within weeks,
My passion lead to more activ- Moon. Both kitties are a huge Moon was off insulin and had
ism through protests and educa- part of my family. We are also returned to being her lovable
tion. In 2004 I became vegan in very happy to announce that in self .
the memory of a cat named May of this year we will be adding
Kensington. I wanted to honor our first non-furry baby to our I heard about DCIN a few
Kensington's memory and what family as I am expecting my very months after Moon was diag-
better way then to end my own own “kitten”! nosed with FD. Although I did
Say hello to Céline! hand in the suffering of animals not need to use their services, I
through consuming them? In February 2010, my 10 year old was amazed that such an organi-
Moon became very ill with pan- zation existed that was trying to
In 2005 I went down to help creatitis and FD and ended up in help others. I knew that I wanted
rescue animals after the devas- DKA. I did not see the signs be- to support DCIN and help them
tation of Hurricane Katrina. cause I did not know what to grow so that others could benefit
This was a life changing event, look for. After a week in the Ani- from this amazing organization.
where I first learned that we mal Emergency Room, not know-
Q&A with Céline
When did you start as a money is so tight in our family, the kitties we help, what
case manager, and what I was hoping to give back with would it be?
made you decide to get my time.
involved? If your kitty was just diagnosed
What are your feelings with FD, find support because
What’s new Why I volunteer for DCIN is about working with DCIN?
there is a lot out there. The
not something I can easily put
with Céline? into words. It is just in my Being a Case Manager with support that I received from
heart. I started as a case man- DCIN is so rewarding, but it the forum I belonged to was
-My husband and I ager in October 2011. I asked comes with heartbreaking pain amazing. FD should not be a
Venita in May if there was any as well. Dumbledore was the death sentence for cats.
will be adding our way I could help out DCIN, first kitty I could not save and I
first non-furry but because I live in Canada shed so many tears, but I have As a case manager, I see so
baby to our family we thought there might be too a lot of support through the
many kitties who were never
this May. I am many hurdles to cross. other DCIN Case Managers.
given a chance, who fly to the
expecting my very When I saw the call for case We offer each other guidance, Rainbow Bridge silently in the
own “kitten”! managers I applied and we our thoughts, an ear to listen, middle of the night because the
were able to put all of the and our shoulders to cry on are considered unadoptable.
puzzle pieces together. I really when needed. I do not try to Education is key, so please
wanted to be more involved in save and help animals because
read up about feline diabetes
helping out other FD kitties. I can. I do it because I should. I
When Moon was sick with FD do it because it is in my heart. and learn how it can be pre-
I was devastated and heartbro- vented through feeding a feline
ken. I am grateful for all of the If there was one thing you an appropriate diet of wet
support I received. I wanted to could tell people who are food only.
pay that back, but because in the dark about FD and
DIABETIC CATS IN NEED
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 PAGE 5
Priority Adoption: Charlie
By Angie
Charlie is a friendly 12 year-old shown are those of increased twice daily medications.
domestic short hair kitty with drinking and urination.
diabetes. He is indoor only, neu- He is currently in being
tered and declawed. He was He is current on his vaccinations boarded in the clinic. But Charlie needs a new
diagnosed as diabetic in August of and is FIV/FeLV neg. He is at a he can't board at the clinic home!
2010 at a regular exam. When normal healthy weight, and is a very forever, and he deserves
he was diagnosed, his previous good eater. He eats Purina DM to have a full home to roam in instead of a kennel.
owners brought him into the Diabetic diet dry food, with canned
clinic for euthanasia. He has for a treat once a day. He has a When he's adopted, his foster mom wants to send a
been very well regulated since great personality with a loud purr month's worth of food and medications, as well as all of his
then and hasn't had any incidenc- and gets along well with the other toys along with Charlie. Please feel free to visit this won-
es of DKA or hypoglycemia. The cats. He is on currently on PZI-40 derful cat and fall in love with him. More information can
only symptoms he has sometimes insulin twice daily, and some other be found on his blog page.
Update: Sam’s Amputation
By Angie
Sam is a friendly 9 year old who was Both of Sam's legs were injured, tion, possible additional surgeries, and a very long re-
surrendered to a High Kill Shelter most likely at the same time. The covery time.
by his owners who "no longer had injuries are months old. The break
time to care for his diabetes" in the left one healed on its own, so Jennifer J wrote a COMS post about the inhumanity to
it is not an issue right now because Sam. We have had generous contributors donate to
He is a neutered DSH gray and it's not yet arthritic. However, as he help with Sam’s surgery and treatment. We hope
white kitty who is 15 pounds of ages, arthritis probably will develop. more will share in this act of kindness for Sam.
pure love, diagnosed in June 2011.
He is extremely talkative and gets The right leg was a jumbled mess Sam is now home with foster mom Amber. He has a
along with other cats. To fully un- that would have been a complex very healthy appetite and is recovering at home in his
derstand Sam’s case, you should surgery requiring lots of hardware, kitty bed. He is a little stressed but already seems like
watch this heartbreaking video (not bone cutting and fusing. With Sam a different kitty. We all wish Sam a very smooth re-
for sensitive stomachs) Amber took being diabetic and on the heavy side, covery as he learns to walk on three legs. For more
of Sam walking. there was too much risk for infec- information or to check on Sam’s progress, click here.
Up For Adoption: Jaspar
By Jennifer J.
in Raleigh. The wonderful folks Jaspar is currently on Lantus, 1/2 Unit twice per day. He's
at Wake County are amazing and eating well, receiving fluids as he is dehydrated. Foster has
wanted this little man saved and been unable to test his blood sugar because of the dehydra-
we thank them for everything tion, it's hard to get blood for the meter. He is taking a
they did to help. A foster for compounded multivitamin with iron as he's currently ane-
Wake County who also fostered mic. As you can see from the photo, his previous home
Sweet Potato is fostering Jasper didn't take good care of him.
for us but only for a very short
time. Jasper continues to improve. His fur is still matted, and he
Jaspar the handsome boy is may head to a groomer soon. He is very friendly and out-
He needs a home by February going. The vet and clinic staff loved him when they met
ready for his own home!
6th or earlier. There is no way him. He is curious and wants to meet others. He is very
he can stay longer at this foster sweet and gentle says his foster mom.
and we thank her for opening up
DCIN received notice about Jas- her home now when she is trying As handsome as he is now, can you imagine when we get
per, a handsome young man at to limit intakes. more still photos? He's going to be a heart breaker! Contact
the Wake County Animal Shelter Jennifer@dcin.info for more information on Jaspar.
Diabetic Cats in Need
US and Canada
DCIN’s mission is to help diabetic cats and their people
cope with and treat this manageable condition. We sup-
port diabetic cats in their original and adoptive homes,
rehome unwanted diabetic cats, and help to educate care-
givers on the appropriate treatment of diabetic cats.
DCIN is a project of a 501(c)(3) organization.
Ennis, the grumpy DCIN Spokescat
DCIN is an Internet-based rescue and assistance group for
diabetic cats. Rather than physical shelters, we have a
powerful, caring community that is knowledgeable in
DCIN—US AND CANADA treatment methods and has access to a large number of
diabetic cat caregivers. We welcome the opportunity to
help a diabetic cat live a long, healthy, and happy life.
HELPING DIABETIC CATS AND
THEIR PEOPLE SINCE 2009.
~Venita Wood
Phone: Please email for phone number
Manager, DCIN
We’re on the web!
E-mail: Venita@DCIN.info
http://dcin.info
DCIN Volunteers Share Favorite Fun Websites
By Angie
We all need a little down time when park district. I have a reverent love of on Facebook over at Failbooking. And for
the stress of rescue gets to be too nature, but insects are something I was the most impossible computer game ever,
much. And sometimes, we simply afraid of as a child. I now arm myself try QWOP!—Angie
need a fun way to avoid the stresses with knowledge to break the cycle of
of work for a little while. DCIN fear so that I don't pass it on to my chil- Geocaching gets me off my butt and out
thought it would be fun to share the dren. This site is fun, informative, silly, from behind the addictive computer
websites that make us spend hours and full of great pictures for identifying screen! I've lived here, Cleveland, all my life
laughing and having fun. Don’t blame every "bug" you may come across.— and this particular website with an offline
us if you get hooked! Claudia component has taken me on local adven-
tures to places I've never been.—Beth
I am not a fun person and I do not do Who doesn’t want to know what Maru’s
fun things, but List of the Day is one up to in that box?—Jennifer J. I like to check in on Roger to see what he’s
of Ennis’s favorites.—Venita up to!—Céline
Easy to kill hours here! Lots of laughing
Before I became a stay-at-home mom out loud!—Carl Happy surfing, everyone!
and DCIN's transport coordinator, I
worked as a Naturalist for a local Check out all the crazy things people do DCIN Staff
For more information, and to see all
the DCIN adoptable cats, click here.
DCIN Newsletter is edited and written in part by Angie Colee of Colee Creative in Mountain View, CA. Colee Creative solves business marketing and communica-
tion problems with words. Contact angie@coleecreative.com or visit www.coleecreative.com for all your copywriting needs.