Symptoms of Feline Diabetes

Diabetes most commonly develops in older cats and there is a greater risk in an overweight cat. You should notice some common symptoms of diabetes in your cat.

Feline diabetes symptoms can vary from cat to cat and they will not all be seen in all cats with diabetes. Many of the symptoms of diabetes in cats (also known as feline diabetes mellitus) could equally be caused by some other health problem.

A feature of diabetes is an imbalance in blood sugar levels. In a normal human or animal, blood glucose is controlled by the production of insulin in the pancreas. In a diabetic human or animal, either the pancreas is not producing enough insulin to control sugar levels, or the cells have become insulin-resistant so a normal amount of insulin is not sufficient.

Diabetes most commonly develops in older cats. As with humans, there is a greater risk if the cat is overweight. Neutered male cats have a higher than average tendency to develop diabetes.

Here are some common symptoms of diabetes that you may notice in your cat:

• increased thirst
• increased urination
• weight loss
• loss of appetite
• dull coat
• walking on hocks instead of paws
• cataracts forming in the eyes

Increased thirst may be what you notice first. Most cats that are fed on canned foods do not drink much from their water bowl because of the high water content of their food. So you are likely to become aware if the level of water in your cat's bowl is dropping much faster than usual.

Keep in mind that some of these symptoms may have other causes. For example there are many conditions that may cause loss of appetite, including viruses. But if your cat is displaying several of these symptoms you should have him or her checked by a veterinarian.

Cats can have temporary imbalances in blood glucose levels due to stress or other illnesses, so a veterinarian will run several tests on the cat's blood and urine before diagnosing diabetes, and will probably check your cat for other problems too.

If diabetes is discovered early, your cat has a good chance of living a normal healthy life. However, he will need regular checks at the veterinarian's office, and twice daily shots of insulin that you can give him at home. The veterinarian will show you how to do this. You will need to establish a regular routine of giving the cat an insulin shot morning and evening after he has eaten. In some cases the amount of insulin can be reduced once the diabetes is under control.

Your veterinarian may also recommend special diabetic pet food and if so, you will need to keep your cat in the house so that you can control his diet. There is no point you buying special food for your cat if he is sneaking food or treats from a neighbor every day!

If diabetes goes untreated it will eventually be fatal. The cat becomes inactive, falls into a coma and dies. So the most important point is to act on any feline diabetes symptoms immediately by having tests run on your cat.