Though not fairly common, diabetes in cats has been the recent hot topic in the country. According to research, 1.5% to 2% of cats are known to have diabetes, especially diabetes mellitus, which is exponentially increasing every year. Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin to regulate normal blood sugar levels. The condition, just like in humans, needs to be treated medically, with proper care. Diabetes mellitus in cats can get serious, causing severe vomiting, dehydration, loss of appetite, weight loss, abnormal motor functioning, depression and coma leading to death in extreme cases.
1. Causes
Feline diabetes mostly goes undiagnosed. However, even if diagnosed, it is important to find the cause of the disease to be able to provide the best cure. Cats are mostly inclined toward Type 2 diabetes, whose symptoms are very similar to those of humans.
Diabetes mellitus in cats can result from a number of reasons, which are:
2. Symptoms
When diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, cats show a range of symptoms. The symptoms and severity of this condition can vary, and it is not necessary for a cat to show all the symptoms at once. Some of the common symptoms of diabetes in cats are:
The symptoms of diabetes mellitus are quite obvious but can be mistaken for any other superficial diseases. This is why the condition is often overlooked by many vets. After a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, cats need to follow a strict diet that does not interfere with the abnormal blood sugar level. Prolonged medical treatment is highly recommended as this condition cannot be completely cured in most cases.