Diabetes is a common cat disease and is due to the cat’s inability to produce enough insulin to balance blood sugar or glucose. Many times the cat's symptoms go unnoticed by the pet owners because cats tend to hide their sickness from their owners. If the diabetes condition goes untreated by a veterinarian this cat disease can lead to weight loss, vomiting dehydration, behavior concerns, the cat's inability to do everyday activities, coma, and even death.
My rescued cat Nikki was healthy even though she ate like she had a hollow paw. (In my experience rescue cats do eat more and I think this is because they were on the streets and did not know where to go for their next meal) So this cat always had a problem with her weight but was healthy otherwise. However, that changed when she was she grew older and at age 14 she showed outward symptoms that were an indication that something was wrong.
Nikki developed an enormous appetite, she would eat all of her food and then try to eat the dog's food. She was constantly meowing at the food container or trying to catch a fish at our aquarium.
Along with extreme hunger, she urinated more plus constantly drank from the water bowl. These were all symptoms that something was wrong, So I made an appointment with a veterinarian checkup, and my cat Nikki was diagnosed with Diabetes.
I was told that Insulin is a hormone that stems from the pancreas. Insulin regulates the cat’s flow of glucose from the bloodstream to the body cells. When there is not enough insulin the cat’s body will start to break down the fat and the cat will lose weight. If the cat develops high levels of sugar in the bloodstream the cat will show signs of increased thirst and the cat’s urine flow will increase.
Cat Diabetes is a common health condition; age, stress, poor diet, and being overweight will put your cat at high risk. Also, an FIV cat can get diabetes because the virus is slow in developing but when it does take hold of the cat then it will weaken the cat's immune system which makes the cat susceptible to other health concerns, including diabetes.
Recommendations:
Watch your cat for diabetes symptoms; increased appetite, frequent urination, excessive intake of water, weight loss, or increased weight. If your cat has any of these symptoms then contact your veterinarian. The veterinarian will check for sugar levels in the bloodstream and urine.
Feed the cat canned food that has limited ingredients, one protein, no corn, soy wheat, rice, or other grain fillers. A high-protein food like Natural Balance's limited ingredients duck would be a good choice. Feed your cat the allowed amount and no more, no treats, to keep them at a healthy weight.
(Duck is a good protein for cats because it is less likely to cause them to be allergic to their food) Learn more about foods that cats are allergic to here
Tips
Cat diabetes can affect any cat breed as well as any age. Studies show that diabetes is more common in mature overweight to obese cats with little or no exercise.
Prevent cat diabetes by keeping your cat at a healthy weight. If your cat is obese then their risk of developing diabetes is greater.
Warnings:
If your cat has diabetes and is left untreated the disease will progress and shorten the cat’s lifespan.
