Diabetes in Cats
It is estimated that approximately 1 in 500 cats develops diabetes. So you're not alone if you have a diabetic cat.
What is Diabetes Mellitus?
Animals affected by Diabetes Mellitus are unable to use glucose in their diets as an energy reserve for their cells.
In normal animals this process is controlled by the hormone, Insulin. Diabetic animals either cannot produce insulin or their bodies cells are not responding to it.
Glucose Metabolism in Non-diabetic Cats
Food is broken down into components that can be used by the body. Conversion of carbohydrates (starches) produces sugars, including glucose. Once absorbed from the intestines, glucose goes into the blood and provides energy to the cells of the body.
The intake of glucose into most cells is dependent upon the presence of the hormone insulin. Insulin is produced by specific cells in the pancreas, a gland situated near the intestines.
What Cats Are Suspectible to Diabetes?
Cats of all ages, sexes and breeds are susceptible to cat diabetes mellitus.
Older cats are more prone to develop cat diabetes. Most commonly affected are castrated male cats.
Burmese cats have been reported to have a higher incidence of diabetes mellitus.
Symptoms of Diabetes
If any of the following apply to your cat, consult your veterinary surgeon:
- Drinks a lot of water.
- Urinates frequently.
- Is always hungry.
- Has lost weight despite eating more.
Diagnosis of Diabetes
Although the symptoms described above are very suggestive of diabetes mellitus, they are also seen in other diseases. For this reason we would recommend firstly a thorough examination by your vet. Then if we are still worried we will recommend the following tests:
Urine Sampling
Your veterinary surgeon may first examine a urine sample to determine if there is glucose in the urine and/or a urinary tract infection.
Blood Sampling
To confirm the diagnosis, your veterinary surgeon will take a blood sample and determine the glucose (sugar) level in your cat's blood. If the blood glucose concentration is consistently higher than normal, it may indicate that your cat has diabetes.
Because some other conditions can make the treatment of diabetes much trickier we may well recommend some further blood tests.
Treatment of Diabetes
With exercise, correct nutrition and insulin therapy you can successfully manage the health of your diabetic cat. It is vital that therapy is implemented as untreated animals can go on to suffer so nasty consequences:
- Chronic weight loss and emaciation
- Blindness caused by diabetic cataracts
- Ketoacidosis - a very serious and lifethreatening complication
- Secondary infections of the urinary tract
- Hindlimb weakness impairing mobility.
Can Diabetes be Cured?
Unlike dogs, some cats can go into remission, an example of this is where obesity has caused the problem. If the cat loses weight then the insulin may well become effective again hence the symptoms of the disease go away.
However this is not always the case and as with dogs many cats require lifelong treatment with an insulin preparation such as Caninsulin.
Aim of Treatment
Restoring/maintaining your diabetic cat's quality of life is the aim of treatment.
How are Diabetic Cats Treated?
Successful diabetes management is dependent upon a regular routine.
- Regular insulin injections - frequently twice daily
- Correct feeding - special diets are often required
- Regular exercise
- Intact female cats should be spayed
- We also regularly assess and monitor the effectiveness of treatment with health assessments and blood testing.
You're Not Alone
Managing Diabetes Mellitus is very much a partnership between pet owner and practice. It is not unusual for owners of newly diabetic animals to feel overwhelmed or alone.
It is important therefore to know that you are not on your own.
- Remember 1:500 pets have this condition.
- Parkvets have dedicated trained nursing staff to help coach you through all stages of the disease from giving injections to learning more about the disease. You can see the nurses as often as you need.
- We have lots of clients with diabetic animals who are leading normal lives.
Helping your cat regain its quality of life through the effective treatment of diabetes, although challenging initially, is very rewarding.
Related External Links
Pet Diabetes - An excellent website from insulin producers, Intervet
Pets with Diabetes - An online support group resource
Article produced with the kind help of Intervet.
