What to know about feline diabetes

No pet owner wants to imagine their furry friend falling victim to illness, but companion animals are not impervious to disease. In fact, various ailments typically associated with humans can affect pets as well.

Diabetes is one condition that cat owners may want to learn about.

According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, between 0.2 and 1 percent of cats will be diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime. Though that’s a small percentage, cat owners can still make an effort to understand feline diabetes so they can spot its signs and help their cats avoid any potential risk factors for the disease.

What is feline diabetes?

Much like their human owners, cats need sugar (glucose) for energy. Glucose in the blood needs insulin, which is a hormone the pancreas produces. The CFHC notes that insulin is used to “unlock” the door to cells. Insulin attaches to cells and indicates the right time to absorb glucose, which is used as fuel and leads to lower glucose levels in the blood. Type 1 diabetes occurs when insulin production is insufficient, leading to high concentrations of glucose in the blood. Type 2 diabetes occurs when glucose levels are elevated because the body’s cells are not responding appropriately to insulin. The CFHC reports that, in the case of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, cells cannot access the nutrients they need because insulin cannot transport the sugar from the bloodstream into the cells that need it.

What are the risk factors for feline diabetes?

Some of the risk factors for diabetes in humans affect cats’ risk for the disease as well. For example, obesity and physical activity are two risk factors for feline diabetes. Being obese and living a sedentary lifestyle increases humans’ risk for diabetes as well. The link between obesity and feline diabetes is so significant that the CFHC indicates obese cats are up to four times more likely to develop diabetes than ideal weight cats.

But those are not the only two risk factors for feline diabetes. The CFHC notes that the use of glucocorticoids, a type of steroid sometimes used to treat feline asthma, could increase the risk for feline diabetes. In addition, PetMD reports that certain breeds of cats have been found to get diabetes more than others, which indicates that genetics could play a role as well.

What are some symptoms of feline diabetes?

Weight loss and increased thirst and urination are two of the more common signs of feline diabetes reported by cat owners. The weight loss occurs even when cats exhibit a strong appetite. Though the CFHC indicates this is rare, in some instances cats with feline diabetes may experience nerve damage in the hind limbs. Though this isn’t painful, it may compel cats to walk or stand with their hocks on or close the ground.

Can feline diabetes be treated?

The good news regarding feline diabetes is that the prognosis is good when the right steps are taken to manage the condition at home. A veterinarian may recommend a combination of insulin therapy and dietary changes. Insulin therapy typically involves insulin injections, but the CFHC notes that syringe sizes are typically so small that cats tolerate the injections quite well.

Feline diabetes may be something cat owners have never considered. The condition can affect any cat, and learning its ins and outs can ensure cat owners know how to respond if cats begin to exhibit symptoms of the disease.