| There are two main reasons why your cat may | | | | Diabetes is a disease that usually affects |
| suffer from diabetes: | | | | older cats or those that are obese. Male cats |
| | | | are also more at risk of developing diabetes |
| - the pancreas does not produce enough | | | | than females are. There are many causes for |
| insulin, this is known as diabetes type 1; | | | | diabetes, but there is not an exact cause |
| | | | known yet. It is believed that obesity, |
| - the body does not respond to insulin as it | | | | pancreas problems or genetic predisposition |
| should; this is diabetes type 2; | | | | can lead to diabetes. Furthermore, some |
| | | | medications are also thought to increase the |
| The cats that suffer from diabetes can not | | | | risk of developing diabetes. |
| take advantage of glucose as they should, | | | | |
| thing that leads to some conditions like: | | | | To diagnose diabetes means to do several |
| | | | tests, examinations. If there are any signs |
| - hyperglycemia, which means high levels of | | | | of diabetes, then a veterinary must be seen. |
| sugar in the blood; | | | | He/ she will then do a physical examination |
| | | | and some test to see if diabetes is the case. |
| - subsequent glucosuria, meaning that there | | | | The presence of high quantities of sugar in |
| is sugar in the urine; this condition can | | | | urine and blood is a sure sign of diabetes. |
| lead as well to some conditions, that we can | | | | |
| also refer to as symptoms of diabetes: | | | | After diagnosis, comes treatment. Diabetes is |
| polydipsia, which is excessive thirst and | | | | treated according to the severity of the |
| polyuria, which means excessive urination; | | | | disease. Therapy with fluid may be often used |
| | | | in diabetes types to correct dehydration. The |
| Another result of diabetes in cats is loss of | | | | most used treatment of all in diabetes cases |
| weight. Although, cats do not loose their | | | | is with insulin injection. Cats that do not |
| appetite, because their body can not use the | | | | suffer from any other illness, should be |
| glucose as it should, loss of weight occurs. | | | | given one insulin injection once or maybe |
| As the diabetes progresses, some other | | | | twice a day. Furthermore, it is essential |
| symptoms will appear as well. Vomiting, | | | | that when suffering from diabetes, the diet |
| dehydration, weakness and eventually loss of | | | | must also be controlled. |
| appetite will happen in a cat that suffers | | | | |
| from diabetes. | | | | So as you can see, there is no difference |
| | | | between diabetes in animals and humans. |