Your cat may be suffering diabetes. If this is the case, you should start taking certain precautions. Poor diet and obesity are responsible for this disease in cats. Want to know how to feed your cat if it has diabetes? First tackle its weight problem, feeding it a diet rich in fiber and keep carbohydrate intake under control. Keep reading this OneHowTo article on what to feed a cat with diabetes.
Feline diabetes is an increasingly common disease and much of the problem lies in excessive weight. If your pet has been neutered and is male, the risk of suffering this disease is higher. If your cat has been diagnosed with this disease, it will need it be monitored closely under veterinary control, measuring blood glucose levels and administering insulin appropriately.
Familiarize yourself with the vet's instructions to care for your cat to ensure good health at all times. One of the fundamental guidelines to keep in mind is the food you give your cat. With the help of your vet, this can be easier than you think.
The first thing to consider is to control their weight so that they return to their normal, healthy weight. With weight loss, cats often get better and their insulin levels might regulate themselves naturally. You have to do everything within your means to help your cat return to its ideal size. Create a weight loss plan with lower calories, portion control and with plenty of physical activity. Both diet and exercise should be carefully thought out to ensure that your cat loses weight.
To feed a cat with diabetes you must choose foods that contain a high fiber content. This will help your pet lose weight and also control the level of blood glucose after meals. Feed your pet high-quality food for diabetic cats, which is designed to meet their specific needs. Follow the advice of your veterinarian who will advise you on the ideal food to give your pet.
Another factor in improving your cat's diabetes is to control carbohydrates. A lower carbohydrate diet can help your cat get better. Although these issues can not be generalized, as there are cats that react differently to carbohydrate reduction, it does seem to help in a high percentage of cases. The key is to try and see how things transpire and how your cat responds to this, with regular veterinary check-ups.
A common recommendation among veterinarians is to feed diabetic cats wet food. Food brands often provide a high-end line of wet food suitable for diabetic cats. However, when starting your cat on a low-carb, high-protein diet, you should pay careful attention to labeling. A lot of pet food includes fillers which add to the carbohydrate content, e.g. tapioca, potatoes or peas. Although we must emphasize that this is not a fixed rule, you have to try and assess how your cat responds to the food.
Another of the tips on feeding a cat with diabetes is to establish a different food routine. Whilst leaving food out for your cat to eat as it likes is normal, you'll need to control your cat's food intake if it has diabetes. You should feed your cat half of its daily ration after the insulin injection. If there is some food in its bowl, do not remove it - let it eat throughout the course of the day.
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