Diabetic wet cat food helps manage well-being of diabetic cats.
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What is the best diabetic wet cat food in 2024?
Cat diabetes is a serious condition characterised by abnormally high blood sugar levels. Treatment is based on insulin supplementation and the use of diabetic wet cat food.
Feline diabetes is a pancreas disorder often promoted by obesity. If left untreated, it can be fatal. In addition to insulin injections, it is important to provide your cat with quality food. The diet should be rich in protein and fibre. As far as sugars are concerned, only small quantities of slow sugars, such as starchy foods, are allowed. The energy intake must be adapted for proper weight management.
There are many varieties of food for diabetic cats. While kibbles are practical, tins, sachets, and pouches can certainly be a nice treat for a sick cat. This new diet is an essential element to take into account as the appropriate medical and dietary treatment can sometimes lead to the remission of diabetes in cats.
Summary
How do I know if my cat has diabetes?
Cat diabetes develops in middle-aged to older, often overweight cats. The symptoms are quite clear. In the case of diabetes, the animal will show:
- An increase in thirst and urine output, called Polyuro-polydipsia
- An increase in food intake or Polyphagia
As the condition progresses, the cat will lose weight and may show other clinical symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, a plantigrade gait, urinary tract infections and cataracts.
Based on symptoms as well as blood and urine tests on, a veterinarian can make a diagnosis. A cat's normal fasting blood sugar level is 1 g/litre, as in humans. In the case of feline diabetes, it typically increases sharply. It is not uncommon to find hyperglycaemia of 6 g/litre or more.
What do I feed a diabetic cat?
A diabetic animal needs to eat suitable and consistent food to avoid fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Vets recommend a diet rich in protein and low in carbohydrates. That means food made with lean meat such as chicken or non-fatty fish.
Many brands offer wet food for diabetic cats that is very effective in managing a cat's diabetes.
What foods should I avoid giving my diabetic cat?
Foods containing fast sugars, such as fruit or cakes, should be avoided. As cats are carnivores, they generally eat little of these.
Slow sugars or starches, like pasta or rice, should be given sparingly.
Therefore, standard human foods are not the most suitable. It is preferable to turn to diabetic wet cat food whose composition is specially formulated to meet the needs of the sick animal.
Why should I control my diabetic cat's weight?
In the early stages of the disease, animals are often too fat and need to lose weight, as obesity promotes tissue resistance to insulin. Low-calorie cat food is recommended. And don't forget to have them exercise! Staying active is vital for recovery.
At a more advanced stage, cats become very thin and need to gain weight with a higher fat diet. This weight loss can be dangerous for certain organs, such as the liver.
What feeding schedule should a diabetic cat adopt?
Ideally, a diabetic cat should be fed after their insulin injection,so twice a day. That theoretically allows the peak effect of the insulin to coincide with the absorption of the sugars in the meal. That is not always an easy task with “nibbling” cats.
In this context, diabetic wet cat food is great because it allows serving real meals, whereas kibbles often linger all day. You can combine the two kinds of food by offering your pet a sachet in the morning and evening and a little kibble in self-service for the day.
Why should I buy wet food for diabetic cats?
Diabetic wet cat food has many advantages.
It provides better satiety than kibbles, which works great if your cat needs to lose weight.
It is often more palatable. In addition, it comes in several textures, like pâté, mousse, or minced meat, and flavours to the delight of gourmets.
And why deny it? It is also more satisfying for us humans to offer flavoured cat food than a handful of kibbles to our little companion. But of course, you have to account for your pet's tastes! Some felines swear by kibble, while others can't get enough wet food.
We must not forget that treating a cat's diabetes is a challenge, in which the choice of appropriate cat food is fundamental.
