Cats with diabetes mellitus are lethargic and tend to have physical anomalies. These cats urinate frequently, show severe changes in appetite, and lose weight drastically in a short period of time. Diabetes mellitus is a condition where the body is unable to produce the insulin required to keep the blood sugar levels under control. Generally, the doctor prescribes insulin shots or pills to keep diabetes under control.

1. Are blood tests conducted regularly for cats with diabetes mellitus?
A routine visit to the vet usually means that a blood test will be conducted to help your pet’s doctor monitor the situation better. But if you want to, you can get a separate blood test done at other pathology labs. If the doctor prescribes insulin shots for the cat, the owners have to administer it themselves. The vet explains how to give the first insulin shot, after which the owners can continue giving the next shots.

2. Can diabetes mellitus be cured if diagnosed in the early stages?
Normally, diabetes mellitus in cats cannot be cured. The disease goes into remission, either partially or fully. A reasonable diet and exercise can help maintain healthy body conditions, but the cat has to live with dietary restrictions throughout their life.

3. Can diabetes be prevented with a controlled diet?
Since there is no actual study on this topic, one can’t be certain if diet control can prevent the condition or not. Although, it is established that obesity is a severe risk factor for diabetes mellitus in cats. Some studies have concluded that a low-carbohydrate diet controls the blood sugar levels of cats better. Also, some cat breeds are more prone to diabetes than others, which proves that genetics play an important role.

4. Is cooked food a better alternative than store-bought food
Cooked food might seem like the better option, but it but lacks the necessary nutrients for cats. It is difficult to maintain a balanced diet if you’re cooking your cat’s food at home. Furthermore, cats need different amino acids as compared to dogs. You can always ask your vet to give you recommendations for brands that have healthy options for your cat.

5. Does it matter if you give dry or wet food for cats with diabetes mellitus?
Debates regarding dry or wet food has been raging for ages. As cats are carnivores, their natural diet is meat, making wet food being what they are inclined to eat. While dry food is more convenient, it may not necessarily be better for the cat’s health. Some studies do claim that cats who eat dry food are not prone to be diabetic; however, there is no conclusive proof of the same. Therefore, it is very difficult to state whether wet or dry food can better control diabetes mellitus in cats.

Cats with diabetes should be given a proper diet that is rich in protein and low in carbohydrates. Also, their weight should be checked regularly. In case they show lethargy, a doctor should be consulted and blood tests should be done to check and control diabetes, and possibly prevent it.