Just like humans and dogs, more and more cats are developing the metabolic disease diabetes. However, diabetes in cats differs from that in dogs and humans in a number of key ways. Middle-aged neutered male cats are particularly affected. Maine Coon and Siamese cats are more susceptible to diabetes.
In a healthy body, the hormone insulin, produced in the pancreas, ensures that sugar absorbed from food is transported to the cells. Diabetes always develops when too little or no insulin is produced or when the cells are no longer receptive to insulin (insulin resistance). As a result, not enough sugar molecules can be removed from the blood. The increased blood sugar level and the lack of energy sources cause the metabolism to become unbalanced. Once a certain threshold value is reached in the blood, the kidneys can no longer reabsorb the excess sugar, so it is excreted in the urine. This results in additional water loss.
Inflammation or tumors of the pancreas, which lead to the destruction of insulin-producing cells, can trigger reduced insulin production. This type of diabetes, known as type 1 diabetes, is relatively rare in cats.
However, protein deposits in the pancreas in combination with increased insulin resistance in the body's cells are far more common in cats and are responsible for elevated blood sugar levels. In this case, insulin is still produced in the pancreas. This is referred to as type 2 diabetes, which can often occur temporarily in cats as a side effect of cortisone treatment or as a result of another underlying disease.
The altered metabolic state leads to the classic clinical signs of diabetes. When sugar, the body's energy source, is no longer available, the body begins to break down fat and muscle tissue to obtain energy. As a result, the cat loses weight despite eating the same amount of food and appears lethargic and weak due to a lack of energy. To compensate for this energy deficit, it begins to eat even more. At the same time, the increased sugar content in the urine leads to increased water loss, causing the cat to urinate more frequently and consequently drink more.
Affected cats often have a dull, shaggy coat, decreased muscle tone, and neurological damage caused by permanently elevated sugar levels. This damage can manifest itself in a condition known as pad walking. This is when the cat walks with its hind legs flat on the ground up to the hock joint.
The high sugar content in the urine also often leads to persistent urinary tract infections as a result of ascending pathogens. As these infections often remain symptom-free, they are not always easy to diagnose, but they do make it more difficult to correctly treat a diabetic patient. Unlike dogs and humans, diabetic cats do not develop lens opacities. Such changes in cats are exclusively age-related.
Based on their thorough general examination and your detailed preliminary report, your veterinarian will be able to make a preliminary diagnosis. Although the clinical symptoms are very typical, they can also indicate diseases of the kidneys, uterus, or thyroid gland. A laboratory examination of blood and urine is therefore always necessary.
However, simply measuring blood sugar levels is not very informative, as cats can experience elevated blood sugar levels simply due to stress at the vet's office. Long-term measurements or the determination of the sugar substance fructosamine are therefore recommended, as these can provide reliable information about possible diabetes.
Since 85 to 90% of cases in cats are type 2 diabetes, the missing insulin can either be replaced with medication or drugs can be used to make the body's cells receptive to insulin again. Please discuss with your veterinarian which treatment method is best for your pet.
If the diabetes is only mild or caused by an underlying condition, treatment of the underlying condition and a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet may be sufficient for recovery. In general, cats with diabetes should always be kept at a healthy weight, as high body fat levels cause or exacerbate insulin resistance.
In type 1 diabetes, the missing insulin must always be replaced. Most of the preparations approved for cats must be injected twice daily in precise doses by the owner. Close monitoring and an adjustment phase, which can last several months, are necessary to determine the appropriate dose for each individual cat. The timing of feeding and the regular intake of consistent amounts of food are just as important as the exact treatment.
Hyperglycemia is precisely the condition in which most cats are presented at the beginning of treatment in the veterinary practice with the symptoms described above. Hyperglycemia is not life-threatening, but should be treated promptly with insulin to prevent damage to the nerves, kidneys, and blood vessels.
If too much insulin is administered to the cat, this can lead to a sharp drop in blood sugar. Unlike hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia can quickly become life-threatening, as a certain minimum level of blood sugar is necessary to supply the brain with energy. If not treated immediately, the undersupplied areas of the brain will die irreversibly, leading to blindness, paralysis, ataxia or, in the worst case, death of the animal. The onset of hypoglycemia is indicated by symptoms such as weakness, muscle tremors, hunger, unsteady gait or even fainting.
Since the transition between borderline low blood sugar and hypoglycemia is fluid and cats often show symptoms very late, regular blood sugar measurements are extremely important. If, despite intensive monitoring, your cat's blood sugar level drops too low, give them food containing grains or sugar or glucose (available in gel form for cats) and contact your veterinarian immediately to discuss how to proceed, as the next insulin dose may need to be skipped or reduced.
NOTE: Hypoglycemia is always an emergency and much more dangerous than hyperglycemia!
Another dangerous complication in diabetes patients who are not properly treated or whose treatment is incorrect is the over-acidification of the blood with ketone bodies, which are produced as a result of increased fat metabolism and can have life-threatening effects on the cat's organism.
In principle, there is a good chance of a complete cure, especially in type 2 diabetes, if treatment is started early enough and is correct. However, even cats with the rarer type 1 diabetes have good prospects of maintaining their quality of life if they adhere reliably to their individual treatment plan.
In both forms, this requires a high level of commitment and consistent management on the part of the pet owner. Well-managed cats can live for many years with their diabetes with virtually no symptoms and have a significantly reduced risk of developing complications.
Since hereditary factors are among those involved in the development of diabetes, prevention is only possible to a limited extent. However, as the owner, you can take a few simple measures to significantly reduce the risk of the disease. Make sure your cat gets enough exercise and feed it a balanced and species-appropriate diet to prevent obesity. If your cat is already overweight, ask your vet for advice on a special diet. You can make an appointment directly via petsXL.
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