Diabetes in Cats: Frequently asked questions

Cat lying on the ground

Most cat parents overlook the concern of diabetes in cats and they end up spending lots of time and money to get the health concern under control.

As a cat parent, it is inevitable for you to arm yourself with some information regarding cat diabetes, like diabetes symptoms and some prevention tips.

Cat diabetics is easily preventable diabetes, provided you invest some time, effort and foresee some scenarios.  Maintaining an active working relationship with your veterinarian can be handy to take timely actions.

Here is a list of frequently asked questions about cat diabetics.

What are the reasons for cat diabetics?

The exact reason for diabetes in cats is still unknown, however, some cats, by breed are more vulnerable to diabetes when compared to the other. For instance, Burmese cats are 3.7 times more vulnerable to diabetes when compared to other breeds. This condition is increasingly more in older cats.

What are the earliest symptoms of diabetics in cats?

Some of the earliest symptoms of cat diabetes are frequent thirst, urination, and increased appetite. Therefore, to identify whether your cat is diabetic, look for the following signs:

  • Cat trying to drink water from unusual sources like kitchen sinks and bathtub
  • An unusually excessive quantity of urine in the litter box
  • Cat demanding more food than usual

What are the latter symptoms of diabetics in cats?

  • The reluctance of your cat to engage in any kind of physical activity like to jump and walk.
  • Hind legs of your cat touching the ground when she walks.
  • Lack of appetite and vomiting are considered to be serious signs of diabetes in cats, which indicates that your feline is seriously affected by the health concern.
  • Preventing diabetes in cats

How do you treat a cat with diabetics?

Feeding your cat an appropriate diet is the first thing that you need to consider for alleviating the concern of cat diabetes.

Prepare a diet which is low in carbohydrate. Almost all dry cat food is rich in carbohydrate and low in protein, therefore, it is ideal to stay away from dry cat food.

Canned cat food or homemade food for your feline companion can be your one-stop solution.

If the concern seems out of hand, your cat will need an insulin injection that can be prescribed and administered by your veterinarian.

Veterinarians can train to administer insulin at your home. Once you start treating your cat for diabetes, schedule a regular checkup to track the blood sugar level and her response to the treatment.

Regular exercise is another ideal means to keep the concern of cat diabetes at bay. Provide her with plenty of playtime, stage a play area in your house or backyard by installing cat scratch poles or cat trees.

How can a veterinarian help to control cat diabetes?

A veterinarian can help you to decide on a diet plan that your cat’s system is designed to handle and also the type of steroids that you can use with respect to her health condition.

Using steroids in a cat vulnerable to diabetes is something that you need to consider twice as it can easily worsen the health condition of your cat.

Is diabetes painful for cats?

Diabetic cats are vulnerable to neuropathic pain. It is a condition that affects the body’s nerves. This can pain can affect the hind legs and even the spinal cord.