Feline Diabetes Trivia Quiz

Answer: all of these

Without sufficient insulin, diabetic cats can't metabolise what they eat. They feel like they're starving and become ravenous. However, high blood glucose levels (BGs) can also make them nauseated and generally miserable, causing a loss of appetite.

When BGs are very high, the kidneys start dumping glucose into the urine. Because they need extra water to process the glucose, the cat becomes very thirsty.

Answer: True

If a cat is well regulated it can expect a normal life span. Treatment usually consists of one or two shots of insulin a day, although a minority of cats do well on pills. While the thought of giving a cat shots can be frightening, most people find it easier than convincing a cat to swallow a pill.

Answer: food, medication and exercise

Regulation is the process of finding the combination of food, insulin and exercise that keeps the cat's BGs in a safe range. Granted, there's only so much you can do to control a cat's exercise, but it's a good idea to remember that if a generally lazy diabetic cat encounters an unusually exciting fly and spends an hour bouncing off the walls in noble pursuit, he's probably going to need an extra snack or a little less insulin.

Not all diabetic cats need insulin to control their diabetes. Some can be managed with oral glucose pills like Glipizide. Also, some can be maintained with food, water and exercise alone.

Answer: high in protein and fat, low in carbs

The ideal diet for a diabetic cat is the same as that for a non-diabetic. Generally, cats have no need for any carbohydrates in their diets, and it has been suggested that high levels of carbs in many brands of cat food actually contribute to diabetes.

There are exceptions. Certain diseases have dietary restrictions that supersede the diabetes. Chronic renal failure (CRF) and pancreatitis are the ones most commonly seen in diabetics. Cats with CRF need very low protein diets. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas that often leads to diabetes. Cats suffering from it need diets low in protein and with virtually no fat.

Answer: assessing how hard the cat bites you when he realises you're taking him back to the vet

There are advantages and disadvantages to each method. Urine testing is the easiest and cheapest, but it is very inaccurate, relies on keeping the cat's BG at a dangerously high level and cannot detect some serious problems. Curves done by a vet are very expensive and often useless. The readings themselves are very accurate, but many cats are stressed by vet visits. Stress increases BGs dramatically, so what happens at the vet may not represent what happens on a normal day at home.

Home testing with a glucometer (which you can get an any pharmacy) is probably the best option for most people. Since the glucometers are made for humans they are not entirely accurate - the cat's BG will be somewhat higher than the meter shows. However, the trends - whether BGs are going up or down - are accurate, and even though the readings are a bit low they're usually better than the readings you'd get from a stressed cat at the vet's.

Answer: True

Feline diabetes is very similar to type two diabetes in humans and, as with humans, the risks rise with age and compounded by factors such as obesity. Younger cats aren't totally immune, but most cats are at least seven years old and most fall in the range of ten to thirteen. Male cats are also one and a half times more likely to develop the disease than females.

Answer: endocrinologist

Most people don't have access to a veterinary endocrinologist, so diabetic pets are usually treated by small animal vets. Small animal vets have to treat thousands of conditions in any number of different species. Diabetes isn't one of the most common conditions they'll encounter, so it's not surprising that they learn very little about diabetes during their education. Concerned owners can often do their own research and learn more about the latest ideas than their vets know, but the vets' backgrounds will enable them to better evaluate that information.

The best relationship with a vet is a partnership.

Answer: cataracts

Dumping excess glucose into the urine is very hard on the kidneys. If the diabetes isn't well controlled it will eventually lead to kidney failure (CRF). Glucose in the urine provides ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria and will create recurrent bladder infections.

Neuropathy is nerve damage caused by high BGs. In cats, it usually presents as hind leg weakness. The cat may even begin to walk with its hocks (the part of the leg below the knee) flat on the ground. Neuropathy can often be reversed by adjusting the insulin dosage and bringing the cat under better control. Cataracts are proof cats are weird. They're very common in human diabetics, almost guaranteed in diabetic dogs and virtually unheard-of in diabetic cats.

Answer: when blood glucose drops dangerously low

A hypo means an episode of hypoglycemia. They can happen because the cat got too much insulin, because it got the regular dose of insulin but vomited or didn't eat when expected, because it got more exercise than usual or because the sky is blue and the day ends in y. Hypos are emergencies and can kill very quickly. The cat may stagger or run into things (basically acting like it's drunk), shake, have seizures or lose consciousness. If it is conscious and will eat it should be given a simple carbohydrate (most cat treats will do) to raise its glucose levels quickly and some high protein food to keep them up.

If it's unconscious, seizing or refusing to eat, you can rub corn (Karo) syrup, honey or any other kind of syrup on its gums. When it wakes up, give it treats and food as above. If the cat does not wake up or gets worse, take it to the vet. It will probably need intravenous glucose. Contact the vet in any case as you may need to adjust the next dose of insulin.

Answer: True

There are many web sites, message boards and mailing lists about feline diabetes, but do check several sites to make sure the information is consistent.