5 Symptoms of Diabetes in Cats

cat looking at camera

There are a few key symptoms of diabetes in cats that you should be on the lookout for. They are:

  1. Drinking more. Cats with diabetes will have an insatiable thirst. You will notice that your cat is at the water bowl more often or looking for other sources of water such as the sink or toilet.
  2. Peeing more. Like the human disease, cat diabetes causes sugar levels in the blood to be high. The sugar then spills into the urine and draws water along with it producing more urine. Diabetic cats will sometimes find new places to pee because they are not able to make it to the litter box in time. Some cats with diabetes will develop urinary tract infections that cause them to feel like they have to pee all the time. Any change in litter box habits should be investigated with aveterinary examination.
  3. Weight loss. Cats with diabetes are not able to use the sugar from their food. The body does not have the insulin or does not respond to the insulin to allow it to be taken into the body and use it to supply the body with energy. These cats will slowly waste away despite having a good appetite.
  4. Increase in appetite. This symptom often prevents the early diagnosis of cat diabetes. Owners see that their cat is eating well and do not notice early weight loss. As time goes on the cats become ravenous. Cats with diabetes may break into places where food is kept or jump onto the table to eat food when they had not done this before.
  5. Not jumping up well, hind end weakness, or a change in how they walk with their back legs. These symptoms are usually seen in cats that have had diabetes for some time. The increased amount of sugar is toxic to the nervous system. These cats will commonly be walking on their hocks (the first point of the hind leg after the paw) instead of their toes. These cats might look like they are walking on eggshells and it can be very painful.

If you are noticing any of these symptoms of diabetes in any cats in your home, you shouldcontact usfor an appointment immediately. It’s important to know there are specially formulateddiabetic cat foodvarieties available.

Yours in health,

Dr. Kent Morley