# Diabetes in Cats — Quick answer

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/diabetes-in-cats): Diabetes in Cats — Quick answer. Feline diabetes mellitus occurs when the body cannot regulate blood sugar — usually because of insufficient insulin. Signs include increased drinking and urination, weight loss, and increased appetite. Most cats need twice-daily insulin injections and a low-carbohydrate diet; many overweight cats achieve remission with consistent treatment and weight loss.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/diabetes-in-cats): Diabetes in Cats — What is diabetes in cats?. Diabetes mellitus is a failure of insulin — the hormone that moves glucose from blood into cells. Without enough insulin, glucose accumulates in the bloodstream while cells starve for energy. The body breaks down fat and muscle, causing weight loss despite eating. Feline diabetes resembles type 2 diabetes in people. Obesity, physical inactivity, and high-carbohydrate diets are major risk factors. Burmese cats may have a genetic predisposition.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/diabetes-in-cats): Diabetes in Cats — Symptoms of feline diabetes. Classic signs include: - Polyuria and polydipsia — urinating and drinking more than usual - Weight loss — despite normal or increased appetite (polyphagia) - Lethargy and reduced grooming - Plantigrade stance — weakness in hind legs, walking on the hocks due to diabetic neuropathy - Recurrent infections — urinary tract infections are common Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an emergency — vomiting, rapid breathing, sweet-smelling breath, collapse, and coma. Untreated or poorly controlled diabetes can progress to DKA quickly.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/diabetes-in-cats): Diabetes in Cats — Diagnosis. Your vet diagnoses diabetes with blood glucose and fructosamine testing, plus urinalysis showing glucose and sometimes ketones in urine. Persistent hyperglycaemia with clinical signs confirms the diagnosis. Pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease can affect glucose — your vet may run a full senior panel to identify concurrent conditions.

Source: https://pethealth.org.uk/health/diabetes-in-cats