Apr
5
Caring For A Cat With Feline Diabetes
Posted by Carol Johnston at 12:12 | Filed In Cat Health Care
Good cat health means identifying diabetes and providing treatment so that your cat can live a normal life. A serious malady affecting many humans, diabetes unfortunately also strikes some pet cats. It is also vital for pet owners to be aware of how feline diabetes influences cats and how they can assist in making life better for their cats by gaining knowledge about how to care for them in an improved manner.
Your pet cats may be affect by two types of feline diabetes. Type 1 is influenced by not enough creation of insulin, while Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a cat’s system not being able to process insulin properly. Similar to people, diabetes can affect cats at any time, but more often strikes older cats.
Some drugs or diseases might impair the natural processing of insulin in the cat’s body, which is a secondary type of feline diabetes.
Cats may also exhibit symptoms that will inform both veterinarians and owners that they are becoming diabetic. Symptoms associated with feline diabetes can be similar to those experienced by humans as their diabetes progresses. A cat with diabetes may consume large amounts of liquids as well as urinate frequently. Since diabetes inhibits the body’s ability to generate glucose, a diabetic cat often loses weight.
If your cat displays vomiting, lack of appetite and systemic weakness, it may have feline diabetes. Additionally, diabetic cats may suffer from breathing problems along with bad skin and coat quality.
If a pet cat exhibits any of the symptoms described above, the pet owner should waste no time in having the cat checked for sugar levels in both the blood and the urine. Cats feeling stress might experience a momentary hike in their blood sugar levels which is why both tests could be needed. Combining the results of the two tests will produce a more accurate assessment of whether or not your cat truly has diabetes.
Similar to human diabetes, there is also no cure for feline diabetes. While there is no cure, there are several effective treatments. Controlling a cat’s diet and weight can be effective tools to manage their condition. Diabetic cats, especially those overweight, can greatly benefit from a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates.
Besides controlling the cat’s weight, this kind of diet is excellent for keeping the pet’s blood sugar at a healthy level. Oral medications may also be obtained to assist your diabetic pet in keeping its blood sugar at a healthy level.
Another thing that owners of diabetic cats should do is to regularly check the glucose and insulin levels of their pets. The pet owners who end up injecting their cats with insulin to treat diabetes, taking care to stay away from overdosing, should always be monitoring their cat’s glucose levels. If a cat is given too much insulin, it can be fatal. Feline diabetes can also be managed through the use of some dietary supplements which may prove helpful for the condition.
Care is essential for cats who have diabetes to make sure that your cat can go about a regular existence. Treating a diabetic cat will insure its longevity and allow the pet to provide its owners with joy for a long time.
By the pure concern and diligent care provided to diabetic cats, pet owners can really show the love they feel toward their precious pet companions.