Diabetic cat getting lethargic, bloated, drinking lots

by Kim
(New Mexico)

My 10 year old female cat was diagnosed with feline diabetes in December (5 months ago). We give her 2 units of insulin twice a day. She is also eating Hills prescription M/D for diabetic cats.

My cat’s condition doesn't seem to be getting better. She is urinating outside of the box, defecating outside of the box, drinking excessively, and eating excessively. My cat is bloated, her fur feels grungy, she walks 5-10 steps and lays down, and has licked all of the cat fur off of her front legs.

We are concerned for her comfort and cat health. We have an appointment scheduled in a few days for a feline blood glucose check, but wanted a second opinion. We don't want to put her to sleep, but are concerned about her quality of life.


Dear Kim,

Although without knowing blood glucose readings and other various aspects of your cat’s feline diabetes treatment, and without seeing your kitty in person, it will be difficult for me to provide a second opinion, it does sound as though your cat’s diabetes is still not under control. The cat illness symptoms you described are all classic signs of feline diabetes, and indicate that your cat’s blood glucose is still too high.

You haven’t mentioned what increases there have been to your cat’s insulin dosage over the course of the last five months, or at what frequency your cat’s blood glucose is being tested. Regular blood glucose tests, at least every 10-14 days for the first few months of your cat’s feline diabetes treatment, and dosage adjustments are critical for getting your cat on the right diabetes treatment regimen.

If you want the absolute best for your kitty, I would strongly recommend that you purchase a glucometer and ask your vet to teach you how to test your kitty’s blood glucose at home. New research suggests that following tight regulation protocol, which depends on regular home blood glucose testing, and feeding a low carbohydrate diet is the best method for treating feline diabetes. I would recommend reading the information provided about these options on the Diabetic Cat Care website. There, you can join the forum, talk with other diabetic cat owners, and learn how to practice tight regulation.

Treating feline diabetes can be hard and quite stressful for any cat lover, but doing so is very possible.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely