The Tale of Two Kitties, Pinot & Noir—and a Comeback for the Ages

How Noir Beat Diabetes (with Help from Pinot, Bob, Jerilyn, and a Bag of Purina)

Back in 2015, Hermit Woods Winery released its first Hermit Hard Apple Cider, “Firewood & Kittens for Sale,” complete with a delightfully mischievous label by artist Deb Lucke. The name was cheeky—yes, there were kittens (up for adoption, not actual sale), and yes, we had cider. To our surprise, no one bought firewood.

The cider launch included a partnership with the New Hampshire Humane Society and resulted in the adoption of over a dozen kittens by Hermit Wood’s Cider Enthusiasts. In addition, Hermit Woods Winery decided to adopt two scrappy black brothers whom we promptly named Pinot and Noir. They became the unofficial winery cats.

After a year of half-hearted mingling with customers and lonely nights at the winery, Pinot and Noir were adopted by Hermit Woods co-founder Bob Manley and his wife, Jerilyn. The cats came home but still commuted to the winery—until it became clear neither they nor Bob loved that arrangement.

Pinot was a dainty nibbler with energy to spare. Noir, not so much. He vacuumed up every meal and grew to a formidable 25 pounds. Pinot bounced around like a kitten; Noir… lounged. A lot.

Then, in late 2024, Noir’s iron stomach gave out. He stopped eating. Something was wrong.

The vet delivered the blow: Diabetes. The prescription? Twice-daily insulin injections and—surprisingly—no dietary changes. According to this vet, “All cat food is basically the same.”

Spoiler: It is not.

Giving a cat a shot is no picnic. It disrupted Bob and Jerilyn’s lives, left Noir as stressed as a cat in a dog park, and after weeks of needles and vet visits, his blood sugar didn’t budge. Worse, he developed neuropathy in his hind legs and could barely walk.

Desperate and doubting their care, Bob and Jerilyn switched vets. This time, it was different.

The new doc at Meredith Animal Hospital asked all the right questions, including one no one had bothered with before: “What exactly are you feeding him?”

They hauled in every can, bag, and treat. The vet read the labels like a crime scene investigator. Verdict: too many carbs, no wonder the insulin wasn’t working. He switched Noir to a prescription diet—Purina Pro Plan DM—and Pinot to Purina Cat Chow Complete. He also changed Noir’s insulin and added a supplement for nerve support.

Bob and Jerilyn were skeptical—Noir was a fussy eater—but at the vet’s office, Noir gobbled the new food like he’d been waiting for it his whole life.

At home, they bought a digital scale, measured 60g a day, enforced strict food boundaries, and kept up the shots. Within weeks, Noir’s glucose stabilized, his legs regained strength, and he dropped the extra weight. Soon, they phased out the insulin entirely.

Today, Noir is a leaner, livelier version of his old self. Pinot’s still a happy camper. The household is back to normal—and the food bill is lower too. Go figure.

Thanks to one smart vet and the right diet, Noir dodged disaster. No hard feelings toward the first vet (okay, maybe some), but a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Almstrom and Dr. Kappes at Meredith Animal Hospital. And to Purina, for making food that literally saved a life.