Diabetic Cat

[Flower3333]

I took our cat Oscar to the vets yesterday for blood tests as he's been very thirsty and has lost weight rapidly. Everything on the blood tests was ok apart from his blood sugar which was 21. We're going back to the vets tomorrow to recheck his blood sugar levels to make sure the high reading wasn't just due to stress.

However I was just wondering if anyone on the forum has got any experience of dealing with a diabetic cat.

 

[mikeyB]

http://www.feline-friends.org.uk/feline-diabetes.htm

You'll find this article very helpful. If it is diabetes, which sounds likely, if you don't have pet insurance you'll be into paying for a glucometer, testing strips and frequent vet visits. I don't like cats, personally, but I had a friend who had a diabetic cat.

 

[Mini-Vicki]

Hiya,
Sorry to hear about your cat! Diabetes in cats is fairly common, and tends to be more like type 2 (dogs are more like type 1!) it often affects overweight cats, so your vet will probably discuss diet with you when you go back. Vet visits will be fairly frequent to begin with, and they may want him in to do a glucose curve when they start him on insulin.
Diabetes in cats can be managed fairly well, and I've known a few cats who have gone into a 'diabetes remission' when managed well, but this isn't hugely common. A prescription diet may be needed, some people test with a glucometer at home, but many don't as feline diabetes is managed differently to human.
Have a look at this excellent website:
http://icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/diabetes-mellitus

 

[Shivles]

Please look into a raw meat only diet for your cat! Cats are carnivores and are not designed to eat the grains in commercial cat foods 🙂

I had a cat who ate only whole chicks and mice, it's not difficult to do at all just make sure you have freezer space

 

[Owen]

Hiya,
Sorry to hear about your cat! Diabetes in cats is fairly common, and tends to be more like type 2 (dogs are more like type 1!) it often affects overweight cats, so your vet will probably discuss diet with you when you go back. Vet visits will be fairly frequent to begin with, and they may want him in to do a glucose curve when they start him on insulin.
Diabetes in cats can be managed fairly well, and I've known a few cats who have gone into a 'diabetes remission' when managed well, but this isn't hugely common. A prescription diet may be needed, some people test with a glucometer at home, but many don't as feline diabetes is managed differently to human.
Have a look at this excellent website:
http://icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/diabetes-mellitus

Perhaps a Cafne Course

 

[DeusXM]

http://www.feline-friends.org.uk/feline-diabetes.htm

You'll find this article very helpful. If it is diabetes, which sounds likely, if you don't have pet insurance you'll be into paying for a glucometer, testing strips and frequent vet visits. I don't like cats, personally, but I had a friend who had a diabetic cat.

If that's the case I'd take advantage of this period where your cat isn't officially diagnosed to get some insurance, sharpish.

 

[Mini-Vicki]

Raw food diets can be great, but research them properly and chat your vets about them, as they have to be nutritionally balanced, and in an older cat, protein balance is particularly important 🙂
As for insurance, they may not insure for diabetes if an almost-diagnosis has been made, so chat to your insurance company 🙂

 

[grovesy]

The insurance company would not pay up !

 

[Mini-Vicki]

Plus there is a two-week exclusion normally on new polices

 

[Irene Matthews]

Awee hope your cat is ok i luv cats ive got a white one let us know how your cat gets on at the vets send paws kisses.


Dolphin500.

 

[Richard J Jones]

Hope all is well with Oscar.

I adopted a diabetic cat a few months back.

Her regime is:

1 pouch of Felix and 10g of Royal Canin Diabetic dry food at 8am, with 1.5 ml insulin (injected into scruff of the neck)

Same again at 8pm

No dramas 🙂

 

[graj0]

I hope you get Oscar sorted and that his future care is as easy as possible. No personal experience although my mate's dog, diabetic for most of it's life, lived to be a ripe old age.