Feline Diabetes and the Right Cat Diet

Many cat owners care deeply about their cats and cater to their whims as if they are beloved children. Often times when one is eating, the cat begs for food. So the owner feeds some of what he/she is eating to the cat. However, like humans felines' can develop diabetes if it eats too much of the wrong food.

Cause of Feline Diabetes
As stated by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (www.vet.cornell.edu) cats can develop diabetes from eating too much carbohydrates and not getting enough nutrients. Since cat food is costly, owners tend to feed their cats people food. The human diet is made up of lots of carbohydrates such as breads, pastas, sweets, and processed foods. Owners feed this to their cats. Many low cost cat food products contain high amounts of corn, wheat, soy, rice, and sugar. Such diets are lacking in nutrients needed to regulate the blood sugar.

What Are Affects Of Feline Diabetes
According to Dr. Edrard Feldman's findings, a veterinarian of Bbdiabetes.com, 1 out of 500 cats have feline diabetes. The resulting signs of feline diabetes are frequent urination, excessive eating and drinking, and weight loss. Cats with diabetes tend to be over 10 years old and /or over weight.

Treating and Preventing Feline Diabetes
By nature cats are carnivores. In Marty Smith's book Complete Cat Health Manual, their systems are not made to consume a high carb diet. They need animal based proteins (meat). The animal based proteins contain complex combinations of amino acids that cats need, such as taurine, and digestible proteins which are found in meat and milk. Taurine is important for a healthy heart, retina, eye sight, and bile fluid. Digestible proteins are needed for muscle development and brain function.(Marty Smith p.15-17)

The following foods are recommended to include in a cat's diet:
chicken
beef
pork
fish
liver
milk

Avoid feeding cats dry cat food because they are mostly made of plant based proteins. Because of their high carb content they tend to be cheaper than the cat food made with meat proteins. So if an owner wishes to continue feeding his or her cat plant based foods please include any of the meats previously listed with each meal.

Also be sure to feed the cat raw meat products. In the raw meat amino acids that cats need is not broken down, unlike in cooked meet. Plus eating raw meat helps the cat feel full. Also feed cats milk with each meal, and make sure the cat gets plenty of water to drink.

When keeping a cat, one must consider the special need in a cat diet. Feeding them "people food" is not recommended. Although it may cost more be sure to feed a cat raw meat each day.

Sources:
Smith Marty, Complete Cat Health Manual, April 1997
Dr. Edrard Feldman: www.Bbdiabetes.com
American Association of Feline Practitioners: www.vet.cornell.edu