| If your cat has feline diabetes you need to be | | | | If your cat is used to a dry biscuit diet or having |
| careful in what you feed it. Just as you would with | | | | them available during the day to graze on, you will |
| humans. And it is essential that you are able to easily | | | | have to reduce this over a period as well. I suggest |
| test your cat's blood glucose levels at home. Speak | | | | taking the biscuits away after breakfast and only |
| to your vet about a home testing kit. It is not | | | | putting them down for an hour or so during the |
| feasible for you to have to bring your cat into the | | | | afternoon. Some cats may have diarrhoea when |
| vet's office each time it needs testing. If your vet | | | | there is a change in diet. This should settle within a |
| suggests this, I'd start looking for one who supports | | | | week. Of course if you are worried about this or any |
| home testing. | | | | other behaviors your cat is exhibiting, contact your |
| Many cat foods on the market vary considerably in | | | | vet. |
| the nutritional value they contain, and in the | | | | It is essential for you to closely monitor your cat's |
| information you find on the label. And constant | | | | blood sugar levels when you make any changes to |
| improvements in pet foods means you are faced | | | | any part of your cat's life. This includes changing the |
| with an almost bewildering choice. This does not | | | | diet or amount of exercise. I am diabetic and every |
| mean you have to go and purchase the most | | | | time my doctor changes my medication I test before |
| expensive food for your cat. However, it does mean | | | | and after meals for at least a week until I'm happy |
| that you need to learn to read the labels and | | | | that my body has stabilized. When first learning to |
| understand what they mean. And if you can't find | | | | administer insulin, don't vary the dosage without |
| the information on the label, you need to investigate | | | | consulting your vet. |
| further online. | | | | Exercise is also crucial for diabetic cats. Start playing |
| Diabetic cats must have a diet that has fewer | | | | with your cat every day, either before or after food. |
| carbohydrates and more protein than normal cat | | | | This will help bring the blood sugars down to |
| foods. This is probably the single most important | | | | acceptable levels and will also help prevent your cat |
| thing you must do. This is for 'wet food', canned or | | | | becoming overweight or obese. |
| pouches. You will have to stop feeding your cat dry | | | | If your cat is diagnosed with diabetes, you will need |
| biscuits as the carbohydrate percentage is too high. | | | | to make sure it stays as healthy as possible. This |
| Some studies have shown that up to 50% of cats | | | | could mean confining it more to indoor life so it has |
| with feline diabetes who are fed a high protein, low | | | | less chance of picking up infections, worms, fleas etc |
| carbohydrate diet are able to be taken off insulin. | | | | from other cats. |
| I strongly suggest changing your cat's diet over a | | | | Feline diabetes can be manageable with the correct |
| minimum of a week to get it used to the new food. | | | | diet and exercise. There are specific diabetic cat |
| You will need to mix a little of the new food in with | | | | foods on the supermarket shelves these days. You |
| what your cat normally eats and slowly increase this. | | | | do not have to buy the most expensive brand, but |
| Once your cat is happily eating a mix of majority | | | | better quality food usually means a healthier cat and |
| new food, you can stop adding in the old food. Of | | | | less visits to the vet. Speak to your vet about what |
| course you can feed your cat a homemade diet but | | | | is best for your diabetic cat. |
| speak to your vet about the best way to do this. | | | | |