Diabetes mellitus, the clinical name for "sugar diabetes," is a condition that affects the concentration of glucose, a type of sugar, in a cat's blood. Diabetes in cats is rarely the result of a shortage of insulin (Type I Diabetes). More commonly, diabetes results when a cat's body has trouble using the insulin it has made properly (Type II Diabetes).
Insulin affects how your cat's body uses food to provide energy to cells within the body’s tissues. When your cat eats, food is broken down into very small components. One such component, carbohydrate, is converted into several types of simple sugars, including glucose, that provide energy to the body. Glucose is absorbed from the intestines into the blood where it travels to cells throughout the body. Inside cells, insulin helps turn glucose into energy. If there's too little insulin available, glucose can't enter cells and instead will build up to a high concentration in the bloodstream. As a result of the body’s cells and tissues being starved from this energy source, a diabetic cat will lose weight and seem perpetually hungry.
Most cats develop Type II Diabetes, in which their cells no longer respond normally to the amounts of insulin produced by the pancreas. While cats initially require daily or twice daily insulin injections, the treatment goal is to correct the factors or conditions contributing to insulin resistance. If these factors, primarily obesity, can be adequately controlled, a percentage of cats will experience temporary remission or permanent resolution of their diabetes. Many cats with Type II Diabetes will experience marked improvement in their insulin sensitivity when changed to a species-appropriate high protein, low carbohydrate diet. However, not all cats with diabetes are suited to this type of diet. Your veterinarian will conduct a thorough evaluation and recommend the most appropriate diet and treatment for your cat's diabetes.
Diabetes Risk Factors for Cats
If you think your cat may be at risk, please call our hospital to make an appointment for your cat to be examined and evaluated for diabetes mellitus.
Signs of Feline Diabetes
Knowing the signs of diabetes is the first step in protecting your cat's health. If any of these statements describes your pet, speak with your veterinarian about the possibility of diabetes:
Diagnosis and Detection
When evaluating your cat for diabetes, your veterinarian may ask about these signs and will check your cat's general health to rule out the possibility of other conditions or infections. Diabetes mellitus is only one of many conditions that can cause changes in behavior as well as the above signs. Examination by a veterinarian at least once or twice a year will aid in the early detection and diagnosis of health conditions like diabetes mellitus. At minimum, your veterinarian will test your cat's urine for the presence of glucose, ketones, and/or bacterial infection, as well as measure your cat's blood glucose concentration. A diagnosis of diabetes only becomes definite when glucose is inappropriately found in the urine and at a persistently high concentration in the blood.
After the Diagnosis
It can initially be overwhelming when your cat is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is a condition that you can manage successfully and your VCA veterinarian is here to guide you. Once the diagnosis has been made, ask your veterinarian to schedule a consultation during which you can discuss your questions or concerns. During this appointment, you may want to address the following topics:
We’re here to help! Visit VCApetdiabetes.com to watch a video on how to give an insulin injection, monitor blood glucose with our eDiary, find expert advice and get support from our interactive community to help manage your cat’s diabetes.
For more information on the types of feline diabetes, please read:
For additional information on testing, monitoring and administering insulin shots, please read:
To learn more about diabetes in dogs and cats, check our Pet Health Library.
