Diabetes Therapies for Cats

The goal of your cat's diabetes care is to allow it to lead a healthy and happy life. You can do this by:

* Keeping blood glucose levels within an acceptable range (generally, 100 to 300 mg/dL).

* Preventing or delaying diabetes complications such as nerve damage (neuropathy).


In time, with the proper care, anywhere from 10 to 40% of diabetic cats can have their diabetes reversed in the 12 months following diagnosis.1 Most diabetic cats, however, need continuing treatment to control the condition.

Some diabetic cats respond well to oral medications that are used for humans. However, most veterinarians prefer to treat diabetic cats

with insulin from the start. This is because insulin is usually effective in regulating a cat's blood glucose, while pills do not work at all in some diabetic cats.

Oral medications are usually considered if the owner is not able to give insulin injections or if the cat seems to require very small insulin doses, for example, less than one unit, to maintain control. 1

Giving your cat insulin is not that hard. In fact, many cat owners feel that it is easier to give their pet an insulin injection than to give it a pill.