Diabetes In Cats: Why You 
Should Ensure Your Cat Is
Checked Regularly

By Teri Champigny

When a cat has diabetes this means that he has an unusually high concentration of sugar that runs through his blood and urine.  Diabetes is essentially a loss of the control of how much sugar is in the blood.  This disease can be just as dangerous for cats as it is for humans.

Your cat may have one of the two types of diabetes that exist.  The first type is called insulin-dependent diabetes.  This is when the pancreas has failed to produce enough insulin to regulate the body's blood sugar levels.  The second form of diabetes happens when the body is not responding properly to the insulin that is produced by the pancreas.

Many cats that have diabetes may be eating a lot of food but still appear to be losing weight.  These cats will also drink an enormous amount of fluids and of course they will urinate in huge volumes.  And if you look closely enough at your cat's urine, it will appear to be sticky (just like sugar water). This is the result of having a large amount of sugar in the system.

If you notice these symptoms then you must contact your veterinarian immediately! This disease should not be taken lightly and you should consider it life-threatening to your pet.  In fact, if your cat's diabetes goes unchecked for a period of time, he can become deathly ill and even end up comatose.  One immediate signs of diabetes is depression and depending on how close you are to your cat, you should easily pick up on his energy and vitality levels to determine if there may be a problem.

Testing Positive For Diabetes

Should your cat become officially diagnosed with diabetes, it is likely that your veterinarian is going to put him on some dietary changes, such as a high fiber diet and/or a weight loss diet.  Medications are not ruled out either, but that choice is at the sole discretion of your veterinarian.  Most medications are safe when it comes to diabetes and are used to control your cat's blood sugar levels.

The most common practice of a cat that has been diagnosed with diabetes are the daily insulin shots that you will have to administer. If you have a fear of needles, don't worry, your veterinarian will train you properly on how to give your cat the shots.  You will be instructed to keep a daily diary of all changes in diet and medications and how your cat is reacting to them.  This will ensure that you and your veterinarian can take the best care possible of your cat so that you both may still enjoy many years of a lovable bond together.