Tips for Taking Care of Your Diabetic Cat

Tips for Taking Care of Your Diabetic Cat

Diabetes in cats is quite common and is a cause of major concern for any pet lover. Regardless of whether your diabetic cat is already under medication for the condition, you can follow some useful diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus to manage it more effectively. Diabetes in cats can be controlled to a great extent and can even be cured by incorporating some dietary changes. Let’s look at some of these dietary tips:

  • High-protein, low-carb diet
    Diabetic cats should be given foods that are rich in protein but immensely low in carbohydrates as meals rich in carbohydrates lead to sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. One of the most important diet tips to follow for cats with diabetes mellitus is to feed them animal-based protein. This provides them with the required calories and fat, while also cutting down their carb intake significantly. While buying cat food, you should check the label and ensure that the food contains no more than 10% of carbohydrates.
  • Opt for wet canned foods
    Opting for wet canned foods is one of the recommended diet tips to follow if you’re caring for cats with diabetes mellitus. This is, again, because diabetic cats need the least number of carbohydrates, and dry foods cannot be made with low-carb concentration. Some store-bought canned foods from reputed brands contain no carbohydrates at all, making them a better choice.
  • Keep a check on the portion sizes
    For a diabetic cat, the portion size is as important and crucial as the type of food. Accordingly, obese cats should consume an amount that promotes a healthy rate of weight loss. Ideally, cats should lose one to two percent of their body weight every week until they reach the ideal body weight. So, you can feed your cat diabetes-friendly food if being overweight is the main cause of diabetes for them.
  • Make your cat food palatable
    The taste of the food is important because your diabetic cat is supposed to eat on a set schedule. So, giving your cat tasty food that it looks forward to eating is one of the most effective diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus. The good news is that several canned foods out there are healthy and tasty, so finding one that your diabetic cat loves is not too difficult.
  • Feed your diabetic cat consistently
    If your cat is on insulin, consistency is of utmost importance as it should eat the same amount of food at the same time each day. Most diabetic cats receive two insulin injections daily, typically 12 hours apart. If this is the case with your cat, the food should be offered just before the next dose of insulin is due.

With these diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus, you can easily manage this condition and give your pet a healthy life.