Feline Diabetes Cat Health Articles

Feline Diabetes for Beginners
Diabetes can be overwhelming. Read this article to give you an overview.

Treatment of Diabetes in Cats
Diabetes is not a death sentence! Learn what diabetes is, how it is treated, and tips and tricks from our users.

Insulin and Injections
Learn how to properly administer insulin, the different varieties of insulin that are available, and the fine differences between PZI vartieties and humulins. A PZI source list is here, too.

Home Testing Blood Glucose in Cats
Home testing your cat's BG levels is a very simple procedure. A simple ear prick can help regulation of your cat and ensure that hypoglycemia is avoided.

Hypoglycemia
Extremely low blood sugar can be a threat to your cat. Learn how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia.

A Rational Approach to Feline Blood Glucose Curves
In the past there has been a link to an article from a veterinary journal to help you figure out how to interpret your cat's blood glucose levels. This link has been removed.

In June, 2005, the author of this article asked us to remove the article as he feels (along with a number of other experts) that blood glucose curves are of no use in treating the diabetic cat. Why? Recent research indicates that blood glucose curves for cats only rarely produce really meaningful data. The thought has been for years that the unreliable data was due largely to the stress of the hospital, lack of adequate food intake, and other factors that created an environment that was nothing like that of the cat's natural environment. While these may affect the blood glucose curve, feline nutrition research has added some new questions related to feline metabolism.

Humans and dogs and other mammals have a physiological process called gluconeogenesis, a way to biosynthesize glucose from pyruvate molecules. Glucose also comes from the breaking down of a storage molecule called glycogen. Glycogen is made by the body when there is more glucose (from carbohydrate intake) in the blood than the animal can utilize as fuel. (Click HERE for link to a medical biochemistry page if you want to delve into it.)

It has been learned that cats have tremendous ability to synthesize glucose from protein (and their building blocks, amino acids) via gluconeogenesis. This appears to be related to the fact that the feline liver, site of gluconeogenesis, has normal hexokinase enzyme activity but NO glucokinase activity that accounts for rapid synthesis of glucose. Cats are the only animals that naturally lack glucokinase! Cats thus have limited ability to convert excess glucose into storage glycogen. Since cats metabolize SLOWLY due to different enzymes, research has looked at the effects. Emerging are studies that show that the cat can maintain normal glucose levels when deprived of food for 72 plus hours due to the breakdown of muscle tissue as a protein source. Feeding has very little impact on post-prandial glucose levels. Instead, cats increase lactate absorption from the colon resulting in a rise in glucose about 6 hours post-prandial.

The leading researcher in this area is Dr. Deborah Greco of Animal Medical Center in New York City. She wrote the chapter on feline diabetes in the latest (3rd) edition of the Five Minute Veterinary Consult. In it she said: "Glucose Curves: Not useful in cats."

Urination
Too much pee, how to test pee, litter box hints. Cat urination can make us all crazy!

Neuropathy: Weak Back Legs
Many diabetic cats can no longer jump or even stand. Found out how to help your cat regain her strength.

• The famous Janet & Binky food charts. Charts comparing the nutritional content of various commercial foods. Invaluable.
  
• Low carb, wheat-gluten free Fancy Feast varieties
  Fancy Feast is an economical, low-carb wet food for your cat - at least, certain varieties!
  
• Feline Diabetes and Diet: The High Carbohydrate Culprit
  A veterinarian cautions against including too many carbohydrates in your cat's diet.
  
• Feline Diabetes and Obesity: The Preventable Epidemics
  An intiguing article by Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM, Esq. discussing the link between diet and two common feline health problems.
  
• Does a low-carb diet increase the risk of ketones in a cat?
  This informal discussion by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins gives a great description of ketones and how cats process glucose.
  
• The Carnivore Connection to Nutrition in Cats by Debra Zoran, DVM, Ph.D., DVACIM. A .pdf article from the December 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
  
• FEEDING YOUR CAT: KNOW THE BASICS OF FELINE NUTRITION. The web site of Lisa A. Pierson DVM, who is passionate about the critical role of diet in the health of cats.
  
• CatNutrition.org provides practical information for the layperson.

Managing Feline Diabetes: Articles by veterinarians

• Update on Feline Diabetes Mellitus
  by Claudia E. Reusch, DECVIM-CA, Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, University of Zuerich, Zuerich. Presented at the World Small Animal Veterinary Conference, 2006.
• Protocol for Success in Managing, Even Curing, FelineDiabetes
  Whether or not your cat can be "cured" vs. the diabetes going into remission has been debated on the Feline Diabetes Message Board. This article by Dr. Elizabeth Hodgkins discusses the treatment protocol she uses for her feline diabetic patients.
• Diabetes Mellitus: Update on Treatment and Monitoring
  Reproduced by permission of Ellen Behrend, VMD, PhD, DACVIM, Auburn University, December 2004. This professional article addresses DM in both cats and dogs and offers a number of references.
• Managing Feline Diabetes Mellitus
  A brief article from Spring 2002 by Fiona McClure, BVSc MVSc DACVIM
• Insulin Glargine (Lantus) & high protein-low carb diet associated with high remission rates in diabetic cats
  This abstract from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine discusses findings of treating newly diagnosed diabetic cats with glargine (aka Lantus) and a carbohydrate restricted diet. The study was quite small but intriguing.
• The 30th Annual Royal Canin/Ohio State University Symposium for the treatment of small animal diseases: Endocrinology
  Multiple topics are covered, including concerns about feline diabetes.

Notes on lectures given by Deborah Greco DVM PhD ACVIM at the MVMA meeting in Telluride, CO in March 2005.

• Feline Diabetes Pearls
  Highlights from the lectures.
• Beyond Glucose Curves
  Notes on a lecture concerning monitoring the diabetic animal.
• Dietary Recommendations for Cats with DM
  Discussion of studies comparing low carbohydrate vs. high fiber diets and reduction of obesity in feline diabetics.
• Approach to the problem diabetic
  Is your cat getting too much insulin?
• Acromegaly
  Some insulin resistant cats may actually have acromegaly.

Medical Data from FDMB

• Comparison of blood glucose readings among various glucometers
• Surveys on initial treatment of diabetic cats and insulin dosages
• Hypoglycemic episodes
• Honeymoon periods
• Insulin dosages & Schedules

Conditions often Concurrent with Feline Diabetes

• Renal (kidney) Failure
• Neuropathy
• Somogyi Effect
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hepatic Lipidosis
• Pancreatitis
• Cushing's Disease

Tools

BG Conversion Calculator - Convert between American and International units.

Insulin Conversions - Convert U-40 to U-100

Pet Sitter Instructions - Printable information sheet for your pet sitter.

Feline Body Mass Index (FBMI) - .pdf document giving instructions and a formula for determining if your cat's weight is appropriate.

Guide to Feline Body Condition - .pdf document with illustrations to determine the fitness level of your cat.

Extras

Dear Mom... A reassuring letter from your diabetic kitty

Rainbow Bridge - the story of "The Bridge"

Feline Diabetes Poems

Electric Cat Water Fountains
Give your cat access to clean and fresh water with a fountain. Read our reviews and cleaning instructions.