How can you tell that your cat may be diabetic? Certain signs can alert …

If your pet drinks and eats a lot more than usual and urinates a lot, he may have diabetes, especially if he is overweight. These symptoms can be accompanied by fairly rapid weight loss. A visit to your veterinarian is essential because it is better not to let such a situation worsen.

What are the risks?

If you don’t quickly identify the symptoms, or if you don’t show your cat quickly to your vet, your pet may become dehydrated, vomit, or even go into a coma. He can also develop urinary or kidney disease.

What are the exams to do?

Only a veterinarian can make a diagnosis, based on a blood test and urinalysis. The aim is to detect whether or not there is hyperglycemia, i.e. too high a concentration of sugar in the blood. The urinalysis will determine if your cat has sulfur in the urine. An abdominal ultrasound can determine if the pancreas is also affected.

What are the treatments?

In some cases, if the diabetes is mild, a change in diet may be enough to regulate your pet’s blood sugar levels. Croquettes are specifically designed for this; they are only available from a veterinarian. They are not found in supermarkets.

An overweight cat will have to lose weight gradually and a skinny cat will have to gain weight, under veterinary control and at its own pace.

Insulin administration in the morning and evening in the form of an injection pen will often be necessary. It is certainly binding, but essential. Hospitalization of the cat in a veterinary clinic will allow the best dosage of insulin therapy at the start of treatment. Thereafter, your cat will have to be brought in every six months for a consultation so that the veterinarian can check if his insulin treatment is still effective or if it needs to be adapted.

Early detection and treatment of diabetes in cats can sometimes prevent insulin intake.