Just what I needed...

So about 9 years ago, I picked up a strapping orange tabby cat from a friend's porch in Pullman. After keeping him for several days, we concluded that he was a victim of stupid students moving home for the summer and abandoning him. (Sadly, this is a common occurence and the source of many stray/feral cats on WSU campus.) He's been living with my parents since that summer.

Lately, he's been losing weight and drinking a ton of water, so I kidnapped him last weekend to do some bloodwork and check him over. Among various lesser problems, the poor old man is ragingly diabetic (blood glucose 703--normal is 90-150). Since my mom cannot stand giving shots, and he's so far advanced that oral medication isn't likely to cut it, I now have a fifth cat in my house--and this one (at least until he's regulated) pees every 45 minutes or so and drinks about half a gallon of water a day. So I set out 2 new litter boxes, and I get to clean them twice a day, joy.

Last night and today he's been really lethargic, not eating well, not responding well to insulin injections, though did get his glucose down to about 450 earlier this afternoon. And now his temperature is 105.4F, so the already abused critter gets to have antibiotics squirted in his mouth twice daily.

So wish me luck and would someone please explain to me why I can't have normal, generally healthy pets?