Pet InfoRx^®
Cat Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus occurs in cats when their body no longer produces or stops responding to a hormone called insulin. Insulin is needed to break down glucose (blood sugar). The result is glucose levels that are too high. This can cause serious illness for your cat.

Cats with diabetes are often hungrier, thirstier, and urinate more. And many lose weight despite their increased appetite. Some cats may also experience a lack of energy, vomiting, and even an odd stance in their back legs (known as a plantigrade stance due to nerve damage). Some of the first signs many cat owners see are their cat drinking more and filling the litter box with more urine.

Follow your veterinarian’s instructions on administering medication (if prescribed) and, equally importantly, diet. Some cats will be prescribed injectable insulin, while others may be able to be maintained on an oral medication or prescription diet alone.

It can often take a few weeks, sometimes longer, to find the exact amount of insulin needed for your specific cat’s needs. You will need to closely monitor your cat’s appetite and how much they’re eating since you should only give insulin if your cat has eaten (to avoid driving their blood sugar too low). You’ll also need to keep a close eye on how much they’re drinking and going to the bathroom.

Your veterinarian may ask you to do some glucose level monitoring at home. Based on your cat’s specific condition, this can include using a special litter, placing special strips in the litter, or even using a glucometer at home to obtain a blood sample reading. Some veterinarians are able to place a temporary sensor for 7–10 days in your cat’s skin that can obtain a real-time glucose reading using a smartphone.

Most diabetic cats will need to return to the veterinarian for a follow-up blood test at least once after starting insulin or prescription diet therapy.

Keep Your Cat Comfortable

The best thing you can do is to use the medication and diet your veterinarian prescribed and keep a close eye on your cat’s eating, drinking, and litter box usage. Because they are more thirsty, make sure they have plenty of access to fresh, cold water at all times. Limiting their intake of water may cause severe dehydration in a diabetic cat.

You should also plan to scoop their litter box at least daily and consider adding another box to make sure that they always have a clean, dry place to go. Cats can be finicky and like a clean place to go, so since they're likely to be going more often, a second litter box is a really good idea – and not just when they're sick. They always like having litter box choices.

At any point, if your cat acts weak, with no energy, or wobbly (almost as if they are drunk), rub some Karo or corn syrup on their gums and get them to a veterinarian right away. This is a sign that their blood sugar has gone too low. If you have a diabetic pet, it's a good idea to have Karo or corn syrup in your cupboard, just in case.

If your cat is acting normal but is overly hungry, drinking and/or urinating too much after 2 weeks, let your veterinarian know – as they may need to adjust your cat’s insulin dosage or overall therapy.