I was in the middle of responding to an email from a client when the demanding yowl from downstairs broke my concentration. “Lex?” Again, another loud, urgent yowl. I ran downstairs to find Lexington standing in the middle of my bedroom looking disoriented. He looked up at me and cried. I picked him up and he continued to cry as he looked aimlessly around the room. I put him down so I could pick up the phone to dial my vet. His back legs splayed outward and he stumbled. We rushed to the vet’s office. I suspected a blood sugar “crash” and was right.

Lexington’s blood sugar dropped to a very low level of 26 (normal range for a diabetic cat is between 100-200; non-diabetic, 80-100). He stayed at the vet for the rest of the day. When I picked him up at 5:00 his blood sugar was 70 and he was alert, chirping, and happy to see me. Two weeks prior Lex’s blood sugar level was 408. My vet shook his head at the drastic drop and thought that Lex could very well be in remission. There were new marching orders—no more insulin injections, and a follow-up blood sugar check in two days.

This morning I took Lexington to the vet for his follow-up blood sugar check.  A few minutes after he was taken back to the exam room, Johnna came out with Lex in his carrier in one hand, a thumbs-up on the other, and a big smile. “His blood sugar level is 115–he’s in remission,” she announced. “Yay! Oh my gosh! Hallelujah!” I said, jumping up and down and clapping. I was over-the-moon with joy; no more insulin, no more needles, no more worry. Lexington was healthy again. I was one very happy cat lady—and maybe just a little crazy. I finally stopped the pogo stick routine.

There is a chance that the diabetes could return, but as Johnna said, “Keep doing what you are doing,” which is the grain-free, low carbohydrate meat-based protein diet, minimal grain-free kibble, and the easy part, providing lots of love.