Feline Diabetes: Symptoms, Treatments, and the Insulin Shot

Sally has a cat named Kitty and has never heard of feline diabetes. She is also quite unimaginative when it comes to naming her pet. Kitty is a seven-year-old male who has been neutered. Lately, Sally has noticed that Kitty's litter is soaked: the litter is not able to absorb all the urine. Kitty's water bowl needs filling more often and Kitty is sleeping and lounging around more than usual. Even his catnip toys hold no interest. Sally realized something was wrong.

If Kitty were human, Sally would suspect diabetes. Was there such a thing as feline diabetes? Sally took Kitty to her vet, Dr. Fang, who ran a few tests and, indeed, Kitty did have feline diabetes. Dr. Fang explained that in addition to the symptoms Kitty presented with, cats with feline diabetes also suffered weight loss and poor coat conditions. Sally was worried and shed a few tears but Dr. Fang explained that with proper treatment, Kitty could live a full and normal life.

Sally asked why Kitty had gotten diabetes and Dr. Fang said that felines, who were male, overweight, over six years old and neutered were most at risk. Heredity also played a role.

WHAT IS THE TREATMENT FOR FELINE DIABETES?

Kitty stayed a few days at the animal hospital while he was treated with pills and insulin. The hospital stay was necessary to get his insulin levels adjusted. Because he was fat, his food intake was reduced slightly and he was put on a high fiber diet that he didn't like very much. Sally came every day to see him and on the third day she took him, his feline diabetes supplies, his insulin, and a sack of his new food, home.

Sally dreaded giving Kitty his first shot because it was so hard to give him a pill. Much to her surprise, she took a piece of skin from between his shoulders, put in the needle, and Kitty was none the wiser.

Soon Kitty was back to his old self, chasing his tail, bringing in dead birds, and jumping on people form a perch atop the refrigerator. Unfortunately, Kitty soon caught on to the shots and scratched and screamed and ran away. But Sally knew to toss a towel over Kitty ho, like most cats, loved to have his head covered. Then she could just part the towel at the shoulders and give Kitty his shot. She also made it a point to give him a treat after every shot.

WHAT ABOUT INSULIN SHOT AND FELINE DIABETES?

Sally had been warned that, like any cat with feline diabetes, Kitty could go into insulin shock, which is potentially fatal. Sally knew the signs: weakness, listlessness, and uncoordinated movements moving into convulsions, coma and death. One day Sally found Kitty half-conscious and unable to swallow anything. Remembering what Dr. Fang had told her; she grabbed a bottle of corn syrup and rubbed a tablespoon of it on Kitty's gums. Pretty soon Kitty came around, but just to be sure, Sally took him to the vet. Kitty was fine and he and Sally lived happily ever after.