Obese kitty & diabetes

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BacardiTheGreat

BacardiTheGreat

Member Since 2018
Hi guys, I would like to ask the more knowledgeable of you about one thing. My Bacardi has been obese most of his life, with one exception of when he got ill with diabetes, before we put him on insulin. Now he’s obese again.

I’m well aware of the fact that it’s not good for him and I am already trying to put him on a diet (at the moment getting him used to eating wet only, before I go on and reduce his food intake - already studying how to do that in a healthy way for him).

My question, however, is about combination of obesity and diabetes - does the fact that my kitty is fat make his diabetes worse? His BG is still way too high and all over the place, so I wonder if him losing some weight can make it a bit more manageable? Does anyone have a cat who is fat and after losing some weight their diabetes got better? And how important is for a diabetic kitty not to be fat?
 
FurBabiesMama said:
Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes in cats (and people).
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Well, apparently thats what got us here. I am trying to figure out how exactly his weight may be affecting his numbers and would like to hear about other people’s fat furbabies and their experience with diabetes.
 
FurBabiesMama said:
You might be interested in this discussion: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/11-11-feline-weight-chart-compared-to-a-human.206356/
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Haha yes being a fat cat sucks. Bacardi was on a diet for a long time even before he got diabetes, but with no significant success (I have other cats and used to feed all them the same and he’s the only fat one). So, him losing weight is easier said than done. But we are on the quest once again.

On a more serious note now, the topic is more on obesity than on diabetes, that’s why I’d like to hear some actual experience - do the BG numbers drop when the kitty loses some weight? Can his bouncing be caused by the fact he’s fat (and to what extent)? Right now I’m trying to figure out his insulin dosage and get his BG under control and don’t know whether it is even possible to get him into blues/ greens while obese.. etc..
 
A low carb wet food diet will go a long way toward getting the weight off. I know that in humans a lot of midsection fat can be associated with insulin resistance. I don't know if it's the same for obese kitties. As far as bouncing goes - I don't think there's a connection. My guy is very bouncy and has never been overweight.
 
Just snapped a photo of him - we have a long way to go.
 

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Keep working on the transition to an all low carb wet food diet. Many/most of the dry foods labelled "weight control" are still high in carbs and don't work very well. When Teasel was diagnosed I switched his brother (who was mildly overweight) to the same low carb wet food and over the course of a year he lost a kilogram with zero effort on my part. He's stable at a good weight for his frame now and continues to eat the same low carb wet food in the same amount.
 
Yes being overweight can cause diabetes but I've not found that there's a correlation between losing weight and dropping glucose numbers with either of my 'extra sweet' boys. Changing off high calorie dry to low carb wet helped but that's the difference in the calories, not the weight. Others may have had different experiences...
 
I adopted Nala as an untreated diabetic. Her records showed that the previous owners noticed something was wrong when she went from 18 to 13 pounds. I suspect her obeseness triggered her diabetes. When I adopted her from a shelter she was 12 pounds and still overweight. I am thinking that with return to her normal weight and low-carb diet she can go into remission.
 
Interesting! Thank you for your replies. Damage has been done, had I known that I would have tried much harder to keep him skinny when he was younger. It’s good to hear that his BG can still be managed, while losing weight and not after.

@Squeaky and KT (GA) I love your term extra sweet :)) They sure are :) @Kris & Teasel thats a good tip! I have two more kitties and I am sure they will benefit from the diet change as well - good to know that it’s good not only for Bacardi. @Larry and Kitties remission is my dream! (I am sure that all of us want it:), we have a long way to go but working on it!!

off topic: Bacardi just ate a napkin, threw up his preshot meal and does not want to eat now, so it looks like I am on a night shift now.. making sure that he does not drop too low. His damn apetite...he does not care what he eats!!
 
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BacardiTheGreat said:
Interesting! Thank you for your replies. Damage has been done, had I known that I would have tried much harder to keep him skinny when he was younger. It’s good to hear that his BG can still be managed, while losing weight and not after.

@Squeaky and KT (GA) I love your term extra sweet :)) They sure are :) @Kris & Teasel thats a good tip! I have two more kitties and I am sure they will benefit from the diet change as well - good to know that it’s good not only for Bacardi. @Larry and Kitties remission is my dream! (I am sure that all of us want it:), we have a long way to go but working on it!!

off topic: Bacardi just ate a napkin, threw up his preshot meal and does not want to eat now, so it looks like I am on a night shift now.. making sure that he does not drop too low. His damn apetite...he does not care what he eats!!
Click to expand...
His voracious appetite should lessen as his BG gets under better control. Meanwhile, it's better to have an enthusiastic eater, much better! :smuggrin:
 
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