Working With Your Vet To Keep Your Diabetic Cat Happy And Healthy
Cats may often be strange, enigmatic creatures, but they have a lot more in common with humans than you might think, especially when it comes to their health. Cats are vulnerable to many of the same diseases and conditions as human beings, and diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases to affect both species.
If you have recently purchased or adopted a diabetic cat, or your cat has recently been diagnosed with the condition, learning how to modify your cat's diet and lifestyle to control their diabetes can be a daunting task. Working closely with an accredited, reputable vet, preferably one specialising in cat health, can take a lot of the strain out of the process. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind when caring for a diabetic cat, along with ways your vet can help out:
How heavy should my diabetic cat be?
Like humans, cats can suffer from both type 1 diabetes, which is genetically inherited, and type 2 diabetes, which is usually caused by excess sugar intake over a long period. Maintaining a healthy weight is a vital step in managing both conditions, and one of your first steps should be seeking advice from your vet on whether your cat needs to gain or lose any weight. Vets can accurately weigh diabetic cats, and can also determine their body fat percentage to check for signs of malnutrition or obesity.
Many cats with type 1 diabetes are significantly underweight when they are first diagnosed with the disease, and will need to put on weight to improve their health. By the same token, most cats that have developed type 2 diabetes because of a poor diet will be overweight, but this is not always the case — a cat with type 2 diabetes can actually be underweight if its condition has been left unmanaged for too long, as the condition prevents the cat from digesting food properly.
What should my diabetic cat be eating?
Even if your diabetic cat is at a healthy weight, its diet will probably need to change significantly. Cats are naturally obligate carnivores, and their diets should include high amounts of protein and low amounts of carbohydrates. This balance becomes even more important if your cat is diabetic, as any carbs the cat eats will break down into sugars, potentially worsening their condition.
Wet cat foods from cans or pouches tend to be high in protein and low in carbs, but dry cat food or kibble often contain significant amounts of starchy carbs. As such, your vet may recommend that you switch your cat to an all-wet food diet, which can significantly improve the health of many cats with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
However, if your cat's diabetes is difficult to control and/or your cat is dangerously overweight, more drastic measures may be necessary. Vets can provide diabetic cat owners with specialised all-protein foods designed specifically for diabetic cats, which will help them lose weight and increase the effectiveness of insulin shots. These foods can be expensive, but fortunately, they are generally only a temporary measure until your cat reaches a healthier weight.
How should I administer my cat's insulin?
Most (but not all) cats with diabetes need daily insulin shots to stay healthy, and learning how to administer them properly from your vet is vital. Your vet will show you what type(s) of insulin your cat needs, how to measure their doses, and how to give your cat injections with a minimum of pain and fuss. Most importantly, they will tell you when to give your cat insulin shots — most diabetic cats will need insulin straight after eating, but this is not a guarantee, especially if your cat also suffers from other chronic illnesses.
Get in touch with your vet soon to learn more about how to care for your diabetic cat or other pets.