ALLEY CAT RESCUE
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission
      • Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Financial Information
      • Email Sign-up
    • ACR in the Press
    • ACR Publications >
      • Newsletters
      • Blog
      • Press Releases
      • National Surveys
    • Adoptions >
      • Adoption Application
      • Cats available for adoption
      • New Cat Checklist
      • Introducing A New Cat
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Action Alerts
    • Spay Neuter Pledge
    • No Declaw Pledge
    • Campaigns >
      • TNR Support Letter
      • The Feral Fix
      • Working Cats Program >
        • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
      • End Deadly Eradication Methods
      • "Fix the Family"
  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Loan Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Common Complaints
    • Providing Shelter
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Stages of Kitten Development
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Socializing Feral Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats >
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats
    • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
    • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health & Supplies
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
    • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
      • Testing for FeLV/FIV
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Cat Supplies
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues >
      • Litter Box Problems
      • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
      • Aggressive Cats >
        • Cat on Cat Aggression
      • Meowing and Yowling
      • Urine Marking
      • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
  • Donate
  • Store

Feline Diabetes (diabetes mellitus)

Problem: 
Similar to diabetes in humans, feline diabetes is a condition where the body cannot properly produce or respond to insulin resulting in elevated level of the sugar glucose. Glucose cannot enter the cells so the level of glucose in the blood can become abnormally high, which is known as hyperglycemia. Diabetic cats can also suffer from the inverse, hypoglycemia, when their blood sugar gets very low. Hypoglycemia can be very serious, a cat can lose consciousness or even die. Hypoglycemia can be a consequence of too much insulin so owners should look for symptoms such as lethargy, weakness, wobbling when walking, restlessness and convulsions when treating their cat.

Types:
  • Cats with Type I feline diabetes have high glucose concentrations because of decreased insulin production.
  • Cats with Type II diabetes have high glucose levels because their cells do not properly respond to insulin.

Feline diabetes is a common endocrine disorder in cats, affecting approximately 1 in 200 cats (Bloom & Rand, 2014). Feline diabetes is also more likely to affect males. Thankfully for cat owners, veterinarians’ understanding of feline diabetes has increased dramatically in the past 10 years and more options are available for treatment.

Symptoms:
  • Increased thirst
  • Hanging over the side of water dishes
  • Increased urination
  • Obesity- it is estimated that 35% of adult cats are either overweight or obese (Lund, Armstrong, Kirk & Klausner, 2005)
  • Weight loss despite an increased appetite
  • Ravenous appetite

Diagnosis:
Feline diabetes is diagnosed by testing the cat’s blood and urine. 

Treatments:  
  • Insulin therapy. This is the most common treatment for feline diabetes, usually through injections. Owners can be taught how to give their pets the insulin shots themselves. Injections are relatively easy to give.
  • Oral medication is a potential form of treatment but it can have negative side effects and is less effective than shots. 
  • A diet low in carbohydrates and fiber. This can improve a cat’s control of their blood glucose levels. Wet food is often lower in carbs and is the recommended food source. Diet should be used alongside other treatment plans unless there is a medical reason not to.
  • Acarbose. This is a medication that can be used with insulin or oral medication for cats who cannot eat a low carbohydrate diet.
  • Frequent visits to the vet for blood monitoring, urine tests and physical exams

Cost: $29-$30 per month.

Goal: Feline diabetes is rarely cured so for many pet owners the goal is diabetic remission. This is when a cat “maintains a normal glucose level for more than four weeks without insulin injections or oral glucose regulating medications” (Buzhardt, 2017). Once a cat is in remission they are likely to stay there if they maintain a good body condition score and eat a low carbohydrate diet.

Resources
Bloom, C.A. & Rand, J. (2014). Feline Diabetes Mellitus. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 16, 205-215.
Buzhardt, L. (March 23, 2017). Diabetic Remission in Cats. Retrieved from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/diabetic-remission-in-cats 
Hypoglycemia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.petdiabetes.com/pdorg/hypoglycemia.htm 
Feline Diabetes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/brochure_diabetes.cfm 
Lund, E.M., Armstrong, P.J., Kirk, C.A. & Klausner, J.S. (2005). Prevalence and Risk Factors for Obesity in Adult Cats from Private US Veterinary Practices. The International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine, 3(2), 88-96.
Rand, J.S. (2013). Feline Diabetes. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 43(2).
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission
      • Our Team
      • Board of Directors
      • Financial Information
      • Email Sign-up
    • ACR in the Press
    • ACR Publications >
      • Newsletters
      • Blog
      • Press Releases
      • National Surveys
    • Adoptions >
      • Adoption Application
      • Cats available for adoption
      • New Cat Checklist
      • Introducing A New Cat
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Contact Us
    • Partners
  • Action Alerts
    • Spay Neuter Pledge
    • No Declaw Pledge
    • Campaigns >
      • TNR Support Letter
      • The Feral Fix
      • Working Cats Program >
        • Shelters with Working Cat Programs
      • End Deadly Eradication Methods
      • "Fix the Family"
  • Spay/Neuter
    • Early Age Spay/Neuter
    • Misconceptions About Spay/Neuter
    • State Low Cost Spay/Neuter
  • How to Help Community Cats
    • Find a Stray Cat?
    • What is a Feral Cat? >
      • Feral vs. Stray Cats
      • Benefits of Feral Cats
    • TNR-- What does this mean? >
      • TNR Statistics
      • TNR Step-by-Step
      • Targeted Trapping
      • TNR Tips
      • Hard to Catch Cats
      • TNR Equipment Loan Resources
      • Where to Buy TNR Equipment
      • TNR/Community Cat Care Financial Resources
      • Helping Shelters Implement TNR Programs
      • Common Complaints
    • Providing Shelter
    • CAT Action Teams: TNR Groups by State
    • Health Care
    • Cat Overpopulation
    • Relocation
    • Feral Kittens >
      • What to do if you find kittens
      • Stages of Kitten Development
      • Orphaned Kittens
      • Socializing Feral Kittens
      • Fostering Kittens
    • How Rescuers Can Effectively Adopt Out Cats >
      • Adopting Adult Feral Cats
    • Winter Tips for Protecting Cats
    • Summer Tips for Cats
    • Feral Cats and the Law
    • Cats and Wildlife >
      • Cats and Predation
      • Where have all the birds gone?
      • Debunking the Myths and Misinformation: Cat Predation
      • Why Eradication Methods Fail
    • Handbook Download
  • Cat Health & Supplies
    • Health Care for Your Cat >
      • Vaccines
      • Wellness Vet Checkups
      • Microchiping
      • Nail Trimmings
      • Effects of aging
      • Hospice Care and Euthanasia Decisions
      • Financial Assistance
      • How to Prepare for an Emergency
    • FIP, FeLV, FIV >
      • Testing for FeLV/FIV
    • Common Cat Health Issues >
      • Feline Panleukopenia
      • Fleas
      • Zoonotic Diseases
      • Rabies
      • Toxoplasmosis
      • Ringworm - Symptoms and Treatment
      • Ringworm Myths Debunked
      • Obesity in Cats
      • Diabetes
      • Indoor/Outdoor Cats
    • Cats & Claws
    • Animal Cruelty Against Cats
    • Hazardous Poisons
    • Poisonous Plants
    • Cats and COVID-19
    • Cat Supplies
    • Pet Food Banks
    • Pet Disaster Preparedness
  • Cat Behavior
    • Solutions to Prevent Surrendering your cat >
      • Rehoming
    • Common Cat Behavior Issues >
      • Litter Box Problems
      • Scratching and Destructive Behavior
      • Aggressive Cats >
        • Cat on Cat Aggression
      • Meowing and Yowling
      • Urine Marking
      • Behavior Issues in Elderly Cats
    • Introducing Cats
    • Cat Enrichment
    • Tips for Entertaining an Indoor Cat
    • Cat Supply Resources
    • Lost Cat
  • African Wildcats
    • AWC Conservation Projects
    • Press Release on African Wildcat Campaign
    • Differences between AWCs and domestic cats
  • Donate
  • Store