Diabetes in Cats – Feline Diabetes Symptoms, Diet, & Treatment

Diabetes mellitus, sugar diabetes is a complex and common disease. The feline diabetes is affecting the cats in an alarming rate. The feline diabetes mellitus is incapable to produce insulin towards balancing blood sugar or glucose levels. If it is not treated timely, it leads to weight loss, loss of appetite, vomiting, dehydration, severe depression, and functional complications, and it leads to coma and death. The disease affects one in four hundred cats. Symptoms are similar to humans. The disease occurrence rate of cats is less than dogs.

The symptoms of feline diabetes are –

1. Excessive thirst is the first feline diabetes symptom

2. Intensified appetite or least appetite

3. Increased urination

4. Commencement of the disease within a few weeks

5. Weaker back legs

6. Peripheral neuropathy

7. Glucose in the urine, showing by keto or glucose strips, ketones in the urine showing an emergency by strip

8. Apparent fragility

9. Thickening skin

10. Acute symptoms of lethargy

11. Limpness

12. Acetone-smelling breath

The diets of feline diabetes are given below –

The diet of feline diabetes can be based on two assumptions. It is a high protein along with low carbohydrate diet, or it can be a diet of high carbohydrate, low fat with high fiber.

These both diets are designed to lower weight, and to control blood sugar levels. The responsiveness of each cat is to be different based on application of diet plan.

Protein and fats replace the low-carb diet. If the cats suffer from kidney, liver or bowel diseases, the higher-protein diet would not be suitable. Considering the health condition of cats, you choose the diet. The canned foods for cat, Purina DM can be in this category.

It can be high-carb, high-fiber. The added soluble fiber, psyllium reduces the intensification of conversion rates for starch to glucose, and it helps the glucose levels control. Not for gaining weight, it is for the losing weight. The foods in these categories are Hill’s W/D, Hills R/D and Purina OM. Determine the best diet. You monitor the signs of high blood sugar, excessive thirst or urination, and check ketones with strips.

The treatment of feline diabetes are given below

Eighty to ninety five Feline diabetes affected cats are similar to type 2 diabetes. Symptoms are diagnosed. Studies reveal these cats are severely insulin dependent. The prompt effective treatment can perhaps cure cats of type 2 diabetes.

However, it increases the weakness of the legs, malnutrition, ketoacidosis, dehydration and death of the cats. The treatment contains insulin injections once or twice daily, diet and oral medication. Initially, the veterinarian is to check and recheck the symptoms, signs and prepare the treatment schedule. The veterinarian is to select the dose of insulin. Excessive insulin can cause the death of cats.

To sum up, the basic remedies in this instance can be –

1. Insulin therapy

2. Oral medication in place of insulin

3. Test of blood and urine tests

4. Physical examinations

5. Behavioral signals establishing insulin therapy