- Feed your cat wet food to increase their protein intake. High protein is an important dietary factor for cats with diabetes.
- Choose a high protein dry food if your cat won’t eat wet food. ...
- Select food high in fiber. Cats with diabetes may need food high in fiber so they can better absorb glucose and fat in their diet.
- Pick food that is low in carbohydrates and fat. Make sure your cat is getting at least 20-45 percent of its daily calorie intake from fat and only 1-2 ...
- Ask your vet for food recommendations. Before you change your cat’s diet, consult with your vet. ...
What food should not be given to a diabetic cat?
- Pasta: To Eat, or Not to Eat?
- What Can You Eat If You Have Diabetes? Foods To Eat & Avoid
- Feeding the Diabetic Cat
What is the best food for a diabetic cat?
Your best bet is to find a quality pet food with the AAFCO label and with proteins that fall under the 95% or 3% rule. While there are pet foods for different health concerns, please talk to your vet before feeding these diets. Of course, the best cat food is the one that your cats love and you can afford, so don’t sweat this too much.
How to fatten up a diabetic cat?
Ways To Fatten Up A Cat
- Consult A Vet To Check Health Condition. You must consult a vet before starting fattening up your cat. ...
- Increase The Amount of Food And Frequency Of Feeding. ...
- Choose High-Quality Nutrient-Rich Food. ...
- Give Your Cat A Homemade Diet. ...
- Offer Treats In Between Meals. ...
- Give Your Cat Nutritional Supplements. ...
- Give Your Cats Kitten Foods. ...
How often do you feed your diabetic cat?
What to Feed a Cat with Diabetes
- Feline diabetes is an increasingly common disease and much of the problem lies in excessive weight. ...
- The first thing to consider is to control their weight so that they return to their normal, healthy weight.
- To feed a cat with diabetes you must choose foods that contain a high fiber content. ...
What do you feed a diabetic cat that won't eat?
You can tempt reluctant cats to eat by putting a small bit of tuna or cooked chicken on top of his food. Sprinkling parmesan cheese on the food is another trick, as is using a small bit of human baby food (chicken or meat flavor).
What is the best food to feed a cat with diabetes?
The 11 Best Diabetic Cat FoodsSmalls Human Grade Fresh Cat Food – Best Overall. ... Purina Pro Plan Vet Diet DM Canned Cat Food – Best Value. ... Wellness CORE Grain-free Classic Pate Canned Cat Food. ... Wysong Epigen Salmon Canine/Feline Canned Cat Food. ... Instinct Original Grain-free Pate Canned Cat Food.More items...•
What do you feed a senior cat with diabetes?
“The ideal diet for a diabetic cat is one that has increased protein and decreased carbohydrate content,” Nelson says. Most canned cat foods are already high in protein and low in carbs. But many dry cat foods are made with starch, which makes them higher in carbohydrates.
Is Wet food better for diabetic cats?
When choosing a diet for your diabetic cat, it's best to choose wet foods that typically come in cans or pouches. Wet foods are lower in carbohydrates than dry foods and contain more water than kibble.
Is Fancy Feast okay for diabetic cats?
Fancy Feast Fish and Shrimp Feast is one of the lower-cost foods that is good for diabetic cats. Its low-carb formula is primarily comprised of ocean fish, fish broth, shrimp, and vegetable oil. There are several kinds of Friskies for diabetic cats.
Is chicken broth good for diabetic cats?
You can try canned food, broth, or even try warming the food up a little. You can also try hand-feeding your pet. As a last-ditch effort, you can try some treats that are low in carbohydrates, like meat or cottage cheese.
How much canned food should I feed my diabetic cat?
How do you determine on how much wet food a diabetic cat should be given daily? Most cats do well when fed 1/2 to 1 can of high quality canned food twice daily. That is a 5.5oz can. You may need to adjust the amount based on your cat's activity level.
Is canned tuna good for cats?
Some tuna now and then probably won't hurt. But a steady diet of tuna prepared for humans can lead to malnutrition because it won't have all the nutrients a cat needs. And, too much tuna can cause mercury poisoning.
How many times a day should you feed a diabetic cat?
Most diabetic cats are fed twice daily. Give ½ of the daily calories approximately 30 minutes before the insulin injection. After your cat eats, his blood glucose will naturally increase. The insulin will help drive the glucose levels back to a normala normal level.
What are the final stages of diabetes in cats?
In the final stages, the cat starts wasting, with the body breaking down its own fat and muscle to survive. Lethargy/limpness and acetone-smelling breath are acute symptoms of ketoacidosis and/or dehydration and constitute a medical emergency. Untreated, diabetes leads to coma and then death.
What triggers diabetes in cats?
While the exact cause of cat diabetes is unknown, obese cats are the most predisposed to developing this disease. Other risk factors include chronic pancreatitis and hormonal disorders such as hyperthyroidism and Cushing's disease.
How much wet food should a diabetic cat eat?
How do you determine on how much wet food a diabetic cat should be given daily? Most cats do well when fed 1/2 to 1 can of high quality canned food twice daily. That is a 5.5oz can. You may need to adjust the amount based on your cat's activity level.
How can I treat my cats diabetes naturally?
“Some diabetic cats can be managed on a low-carb food alone, without insulin,” says Koble. ”This is the only 'natural' treatment that sometimes works by itself. Many cats need a combination of a low-carb food and insulin.”
Is canned tuna good for cats?
Some tuna now and then probably won't hurt. But a steady diet of tuna prepared for humans can lead to malnutrition because it won't have all the nutrients a cat needs. And, too much tuna can cause mercury poisoning.
How often should a diabetic cat eat?
twice dailyMost diabetic cats are fed twice daily. Give ½ of the daily calories approximately 30 minutes before the insulin injection. After your cat eats, his blood glucose will naturally increase. The insulin will help drive the glucose levels back to a normala normal level.
What foods should diabetic cats eat?
Good options like freeze-dried chicken, beef, salmon, tuna, and liver are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, just like the foods recommended for diabetic cats.
How to help diabetic cats lose weight?
Low carbohydrates/high protein: Eating carbohydrate-rich meals leads to sudden spikes in blood sugar levels, which increases a cat’s demand for insulin. This is the exact opposite of what a diabetic cat needs. Low carbohydrate foods blunt this response. Cats should get most of their calories from animal-based sources of protein. Fat is needed to round out the diet but high levels can be problematic if a cat needs to lose weight. Look for foods with around 50 percent of their calories coming from protein and 40 percent coming from fat. Many diabetic cats do well on foods that are less than 10 percent carbohydrate, but some may need to go below 5 percent. Carbohydrate levels are not often listed on pet food labels, but they are relatively easy to calculate.
How much weight can a diabetic cat lose?
Obese cats should eat an amount that encourages a healthy rate of weight loss. A goal of around 1 percent of body weight per week is appropriate for most cats until they have reached their ideal body condition. Weight loss can be achieved by feeding a reduced amount of a diabetes-friendly food. Over-the-counter weight loss diets tend to be too high in carbohydrates for diabetic cats.
Why is diabetes in cats important?
One of the most important factors that leads to diabetes in cats is obesity. Fat cells produce hormones that make the body less responsive to insulin. The more fat that is present, the more of these hormones that are produced. Many cases of feline diabetes could be prevented if cats were not overfed and they remained slim.
What is diabetes management for cats?
Diabetes management is a delicate balance between diet and insulin levels. Changing one almost invariably necessitates a change in the other to keep cats safe from potentially fatal fluctuations in their blood sugar levels.
How is insulin produced in cats?
Insulin is produced by special cells in the pancreas. It is secreted into the bloodstream when blood sugar levels rise, for instance after a meal. Insulin allows sugar to enter cells where it is used to fuel biological processes or converted into other substances and stored for later use. When cats have Type 2 diabetes, their cells no longer adequately respond to insulin leading to chronically high blood sugar levels. The pancreas reacts by producing more insulin, but eventually the organ essentially wears out, and the cat will need insulin injections to survive.
What happens if a cat doesn't eat a full meal?
That way, if a cat does not eat a full meal, the amount of insulin can be reduced. Your veterinarian will put together a detailed plan regarding when and how to adjust insulin dosages. If in doubt, do not give your cat any insulin and call your veterinarian for advice.
What to feed a diabetic cat?
When choosing a diet for your diabetic cat, it's best to choose wet foods that typically come in cans or pouches. Wet foods are lower in carbohydrates than dry foods and contain more water than kibble. Cats need water in their diets for hydration and urinary tract health because they often don't drink enough water on their own. If you are having trouble getting your kibble-addicted cat to eat wet food, you will need to take time to transition your cat to wet food.
How much carbs should a cat eat?
About 50% or more of the calories in your cat's diet should come from animal-based protein and 20-40% should come from fat. Calories from carbohydrates should be less than 10%, but lower is always better.
Why do cats need water?
Cats need water in their diets for hydration and urinary tract health because they often don't drink enough water on their own. If you are having trouble getting your kibble-addicted cat to eat wet food, you will need to take time to transition your cat to wet food.
What is the condition in which a cat's blood sugar is too high?
Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disorder that occurs when a cat's blood glucose (sugar) level remains too high and the pancreas is unable to excrete enough insulin to regulate blood glucose. Veterinarians often use insulin to manage diabetes in cats. Alternate or additional treatment methods are sometimes used, including diet change.
Is cat food bad for diabetic cats?
Unfortunately, many commercial cat foods are too high in carbohydrates for cats and can contribute to problems like obesity and diabetes. All cats can benefit from low -carbohydrate diets, but they are especially important for diabetic cats .
Is gravy the same as wet cat food?
Be aware that not all wet cat food is the same. Wet foods with a lot of gravy may contain a lot of sugar. Although cats cannot really taste the sweetness, they can still become addicted to it. Many cat owners notice their cats love gravy-based wet foods more than pate wet foods.
Can cats eat raw food?
Some owners are interested in raw diets for cats, but it's important to discuss this with your vet as well. Raw diets come with some risk and must still be formulated to ensure they are complete and balanced.
What to feed a cat with diabetes?
They are often made with plant proteins, by-products, and low-quality grains, not to mention more than the recommended 10% carbohydrate content.
What is the best cat food for diabetic cats?
For the most part, the best cat food for diabetic cats is canned food – at least when you’re talking about commercial cat food. Commercial canned cat food tends to be higher in protein, lower in carbohydrates, and higher in moisture than dry cat food which makes it ideal for cats with diabetes.
What Do You Need to Know About Diabetes in Cats?
When it comes to diabetes in cats, there are two primary types: Type I and Type II. The treatment for both types is similar, but it is still a good idea to understand the condition from all angles so you can better care for your diabetic cat.
How to help diabetic cat gain weight?
Restricting your cat’s intake of dietary carbohydrates is a good idea, and you may need to increase his protein and fat intake if he needs to gain weight. In addition to changing what you feed your diabetic cat, you may need to alter how much and how often you feed him as well.
How does insulin help cats?
Supplemental insulin will help your cat’s body utilize the glucose he gets from his diet, but there are certain dietary changes you should make to help keep your cat’s blood sugar stable.
How do you know if your cat has diabetes?
Here are some of the most common symptoms of diabetes in cats: Signs of excessive urination (such as larger clumps of urine in the litter box) Increased water consumption. Diluted urine (evidenced by less urine smell in the litter box) Overweight or obesity. Muscle wasting along the back.
What happens when a cat's pancreas fails to produce enough insulin?
When the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin, the cells in your cat’s body are unable to absorb glucose (energy) from the bloodstream. Instead, they turn to an alternative source of energy – your cat’s muscles and stored fat. If you notice symptoms of diabetes in your cat, consult your veterinarian.
What is the best diet for cats with diabetes?
Ideally, your cat’s food should mimic his natural prey diet. An optimal feline diet is about 52% protein, 46% fat, and 2% carbohydrates. According to Susan Gottlieb and Jacquie Rand’s Managing Feline Diabetes: Current Perspectives, the highest remission rates—over 80%—are reported when diabetic cats eat a very-low carbohydrate diet containing 6% or less calories from carbohydrate.
Why is it important to feed diabetic cats?
Because most diabetic cats are overweight, it’s important to choose pet food that will encourage gradual weight loss. Compared to calorie-dense kibble, moisture-rich foods are more satiating and will help your cat feel more satisfied between meals.
What is the rarest type of diabetes in cats?
Extremely rare among cats, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that destroys the patient’s ability to produce insulin. Again, only a tiny percentage of cats with diabetes have type 1. Instead, nearly all diabetic cats exhibit the metabolic patterns of type 2 diabetes.
How long does it take for a cat to adjust to low carbohydrate diet?
The effects of switching to a low-carbohydrate diet kick in immediately. This means that after changing your cat’s diet, you don’t need to wait weeks or even days before reducing the insulin dosage. In fact, if you fail to reduce your cat’s insulin dosage according to his changing requirements, his blood sugar could dip dangerously low, leading to permanent brain damage or death.
What does a cat's diet not have?
What your cat’s natural diet doesn’t have is large concentrations of carbohydrates. A wild feline diet may have as little as zero carbohydrate matter. What little carbohydrate or fiber their diet might contain would come from nibbles of grass and digested plant matter found in the digestive tracts of their prey.
What ingredients help give kibble its structure and crunch?
Starchy ingredients help give the kibble its structure and crunch.
Why does my cat have high blood sugar?
When insulin isn’t properly utilized in the body, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of being converted into energy – this causes high blood sugar. High blood sugar levels affect your cat in several ways, causing lethargy, weakness, excessive urination, and an unwell feeling.
What to do if my cat is diabetic?
It may not be easy to spot these diseases in your cat, so if you notice that your diabetic cat is not eating, you should take it to the vet for examination first to diagnose what the actual problem is . If your cat is suffering from any of the aforementioned problems like Kidney issues you might have to use kidney food alternatives or in case of Pancreatitis after discussion with your vet, special attention for your feline would be required
Why is your diabetic cat not eating?
Before we dive into the reasons why your cat is not eating, let’s look at diabetes in a little more detail.
Why does my cat lose appetite?
A diabetic cat losing its appetite could mean a lot of things, it could be because of diabetic reasons, or other underlying conditions your cat could have due to diabetes.
Why is cat food low in carbs?
Experts suggest that cat food should be low in carbohydrates because the more carbs, the harmful it is for your diabetic cat.
What happens if a cat doesn't have insulin?
As mentioned before, if insulin isn’t being produced in the body, it has to be injected, and if it isn’t injected either, then your cat will most likely have high blood sugar.
Why does my cat feel weak?
The breakdown of fat causes a chemical called ketone released into the cat’s body, instead of glucose to energy. Due to this, you may notice increased lethargy and weakness in your cat.
What happens if my cat has ketoacidosis?
When your cat has ketoacidosis, you will notice any symptoms such as laziness, being inactive, little to no appetite, lack of water in the body, and even constant nausea.
Who Should Buy Diabetic Cat Foods?
Diabetic cat foods aren’t just another option to buy from cat food shelves. Usually available as prescription food, you need to get it for your cat after she has been diagnosed with diabetes.
ROYAL CANIN Feline Glycobalance Morsels In Gravy
Our choice is the ROYAL CANIN Feline Glycobalance Morsels In Gravy, the best Diabetic Cat Food for your cat!
Things to Consider When Buying
There are a few important features you will need to consider while buying food for your diabetic kitty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Symptoms of feline diabetes vary from one cat to another. Some of the common signs of diabetes are increased hunger, urination and thirst, unexplained weight loss, weakness, lethargy, vomiting, and fatigue. Always consult your vet if you have any concern that your moggy is sick.
1. ROYAL CANIN Feline Glycobalance Morsels In Gravy
If you are searching for great overall cat food, you might actually like Royal Canin’s Feline Glycobalance Morsels in Gravy. The formula specifically focuses on balancing blood in diabetic cats.
2. CRAVE Grain Free High Protein Wet Cat Food
If you are looking for a diabetic-friendly wet cat food option, CRAVE has something your cat would love. Their Grain Free High Protein cat food has real chicken as the first ingredient. And this definitely makes me happy. For me, this is one of the best cat food options in the wet variant.
3. ROYAL CANIN Feline Glycobalance Dry
Honestly, I have always tried to stay away from putting my kitties on an only dry food diet. The regular dry food you get in the market isn’t usually enough and is known to increase the risk of bladder obstruction in cats .
What does a diabetic cat need to be consistent with?
Written by: Dr Laura McLain Madsen, DVM. Diabetic cats need consistency in their daily schedule, including how much and what type of food they eat.
What is the best medication for a cat to eat?
If necessary, your veterinarian may prescribe appetite stimulant medications to help get your cat eating. Cyproheptadine and mirtazapine are two such medications.
How long does it take for a cat to eat canned food?
If a cat already likes canned food as an occasional treat, you’ll still want to take at least 7–10 days to gradually decrease the amount of dry and increase the canned. But if your kitty is a real kibble addict who doesn’t want to touch wet food, you’ll need to go extremely slow, over weeks or even months.
Why do cats need a vet exam?
It is particularly important to have a veterinary exam if your cat shows other symptoms besides decreased appetite, such as vomiting , diarrhea, coughing or sneezing.
Why won't my cat eat?
Other medical disorders that might explain why your diabetic cat won’t eat include problems that sometimes can be seen along with diabetes. Kidney disease, dental disease, urinary tract infection, pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), inflammatory bowel disease, cholangiohepatitis (inflammation of the liver and gall bladder), ...
Why is my cat not eating?
Medical reasons for diabetic cats not eating include complications of the diabetes itself, like hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, which may make cats lethargic) and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). In DKA, the diabetes and metabolism are out of regulation and the cat’s body starts metabolizing its fat for energy. This results in a buildup of chemicals ...
Can you put parmesan cheese on cat food?
Sprinkling parmesan cheese on the food is another trick, as is using a small bit of human baby food (chicken or meat flavor). You can also use a commercial freeze-dried meat cat treat: mash it up and sprinkle it on the food. Of course, none of these are nutritionally balanced for cats so you need to use a small amount—just enough ...
