Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine or hormonal disease known in humans but can also affect cats, and more particularly seniors suffering from overweight. It is a common condition that can be difficult to understand. Therapeutic treatment is also complex and requires regular monitoring of the animal by the veterinarian.
Here are some explanations to clarify this pathology, know how to recognize the first signs,understand the implementation of treatment and understand the long-term prognosis.
Summary
1- What is Diabetes in Our Companion Cats?
2- How Does Insulin Work in My Cat's Body?
3- How Does Sweet Diabetes Appear in My Cat?
4-
What Are the Different Aspects of Diabetes in Cats?
5-
How Do I Differentiate Between a Hyperglycemic Episode and a
Hypoglycemic Episode in My Cat?
6-
Which Cats Are Most at Risk of Developing Diabetes?
7- How is Diabetes Diagnosed in Cats?
8-
What is the Life Expectancy of a Diabetic Animal?
9- How Do You Treat a Diabetic Cat?
What is Diabetes in Our Companion Cats?
When we talk about diabetes, we usually mean diabetes mellitus, which is a disease related to the regulation of blood sugar levels.
However, there are several types of diabetes: historically, doctors distinguished between diabetes insipidus (which doesn't have a sweet taste) and diabetes mellitus by tasting the patients' urine. Then medicine also differentiated a "renal" diabetes, which also refers to the presence of sugar in the urine but is caused by a kidney disease, whereas "sweet" diabetes is a disease related to a relative or absolute deficiency of a hormone called insulin.
In cats, it's an "endocrine" disease, meaning it results from the malfunction of hormone-producing glands. In this case, the hormone in question is insulin, produced by the pancreas. From the most common diseases in cats, this one is characterized by an abnormal elevation of glucose levels in the blood.
How Does Insulin Work in My Cat's Body?
During digestion, your cat's body converts the carbohydrates it has consumed into simple sugars, such as glucose. Then glucose is used by cells, which absorb it as "fuel" with the help of insulin. Insulin also prevents the liver from releasing too much of the absorbed glucose into the bloodstream.
How Does Sweet Diabetes Appear in My Cat?
When insulin is lacking or decreases, the concentration of glucose in the blood increases, and diabetes (sweet) can develop. This disease always presents with an increase in blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia), increased drinking (polydipsia), increased urination (polyuria), and an increase in food intake (polyphagia). In short, your pet drinks more, eats more, and urinates more. Their urine can even be "sticky" because it's very sugary (glucosuria).
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What Are the Different Aspects of Diabetes in Cats?
Other symptoms may appear depending on the type of diabetes. We distinguish:
- Juvenile diabetes or type I diabetes: This form affects young cats. It involves a significant deficiency in insulin secretion by the pancreas, which appears very early. This is quite rare in dogs.
- Fat diabetes or type II diabetes: This form is the most common and results from a defect in insulin action, even though its levels in the blood are normal or increased. Affected animals can become obese. It usually appears after the age of 6.
- Lean diabetes or type III diabetes: This form is the progression of type II diabetes. The cells responsible for insulin secretion become exhausted from trying to produce more insulin, but it doesn't work. Insulin levels in the blood eventually decrease. Over time, eye lesions (cataracts), urinary infections, vomiting, and a typical plantigrade posture (walking on the hocks) in diabetic cats are observed. The animal eventually goes into a coma, becomes emaciated and dehydrated. These last two forms can also result from certain pancreatic diseases (inflammation, fibrosis, tumors, toxins, etc.).
How Do I Differentiate Between a Hyperglycemic Episode and a Hypoglycemic Episode in My Cat?
Hyperglycemia (blood glucose levels above normal) can manifest with the following symptoms:
- Fatigue and drowsiness
- Intense thirst
- Weight loss despite a preserved appetite
- Frequent urination
The appearance of these signs requires immediate hospitalization.
Hypoglycemic crises occur when your cat's condition deteriorates suddenly, presenting with:
- Unusual fatigue
- Tremors
- Loss of balance or falls
- Vision problems
- Disorientation
- Seizures
During a hypoglycemic crisis, it's important to react promptly with the prescribed treatment or call your veterinarian for emergency hospitalization.
Related: How To Care For Your Cat And Dog Naturally?
Which Cats Are Most at Risk of Developing Diabetes?
Obese individuals are more at risk than others. All cats can develop diabetes, but Burmese cats seem to be more frequently affected.
How is Diabetes Diagnosed in Cats?
Your veterinarian can confirm the presence of diabetes mellitus by conducting blood and urine tests (using urine test strips).
When the blood glucose level is above 1.8 g/l, it's considered hyperglycemia. However, hyperglycemia alone does not confirm a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. The observation of symptoms and, in some cases, an abdominal ultrasound may be needed to complete the diagnosis.
What is the Life Expectancy of a Diabetic Animal?
If the treatment is rigorously followed, the life expectancy of a diabetic animal can be the same as that of a non-diabetic animal. This disease requires a significant commitment from the owner.
How Do You Treat a Diabetic Cat?
Diabetic cats need lifelong care, both through dietary management and the administration of specific veterinary insulin. The goal of treatment is to improve your cat's quality of life by minimizing the impact of the disease. Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be stabilized. Several types of insulin are available: "rapid," "long-acting," "semi-long-acting."
The chosen insulin is injected with an insulin syringe once or twice a day, ideally 12 hours apart.
The veterinarian determines the effective average dose that reduces hyperglycemia without risking hypoglycemia. This is done by creating a "glycemic curve": the blood glucose level is measured every hour by taking a small drop of blood from the ear.
VETPEN injector pens make it easier to administer insulin at home.
Monitoring is also facilitated by using a glucometer to measure blood glucose levels at home.
Warning:
Do Not Modify the Treatment Based on Measurement Results Without
Consulting Your Veterinarian!
Stress disappears when measurements are taken in a familiar environment, by trusted individuals.
Lastly, effective treatment cannot occur without appropriate nutrition. Diet is crucial. Specific foods make it easy to meet the needs of your diabetic cat while minimizing fluctuations in blood glucose levels after meals. Treats should obviously be avoided!
Obese cats should lose weight, but not too quickly. Regular, low-intensity exercise is recommended, such as playtime. When well cared for and closely monitored, your cat can live almost normally even if it has diabetes...