Cats develop diabetes mellitus owing to an insufficient insulin response or insulin resistance, leading to high blood glucose levels. It’s a severe hormonal problem where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin required by the body. Usually, one in a couple of hundreds of cats develop this chronic condition, but the numbers are increasing of late.

It’s also called feline diabetes and is commonly found in overweight and older cats. Some symptoms to watch out for are frequent urination, drinking and eating more than usual, and dramatic weight loss. Other signs of diabetes mellitus in cats are

• Lethargic but acting hungrier
• Walking lower in the hind limbs due to nerve problems caused by diabetes neuropathy
• Muscle wasting over the back

While medications like oral medications and insulin injections are available, dietary changes make a big difference for cats with diabetes mellitus. The correct diet can effectively reverse the effects of diabetes mellitus. However, new foods should be introduced gradually to avoid digestive issues. The best well-planned diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus are as follows:

Cut down on carbs and add more protein
Your veterinarian will strongly recommend a diet very low in carbohydrates, preferably as low as 10% or lesser. A diet rich in carbohydrates shoots up blood sugar levels and demands more production of insulin. A low-carbohydrate diet effectively decreases glucose absorption from the intestinal tract and decreases the need for insulin. Cats get a majority of calories from protein, and since they’re born carnivores, animal-based sources of protein work wonders. Fat is also an essential component of a well-balanced diet to combat diabetes mellitus. However, close observation is important if the cat is obese. A good option is picking those foods that provide 60% of calories from proteins and 40% coming from fat. Often, carbohydrate levels should not be more than 5% in most cases. This powerful combination of diet should be fed multiple times a day if your cat is underweight. However, in obese cats, your veterinarian will draft a weight loss program along with the diet. The combination is very helpful for the cat to maintain controlled glucose levels that combat the effects and symptoms of diabetes mellitus.

Provide premium canned food
One of the premium diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus is first-rate canned food. Canned food, preferably wet food, is naturally high in proteins. Another reason is cats are natural meat-eaters and cannot ingest carbohydrates in high quantities. Dry foods usually have huge amounts of carbohydrates and, most canned foods have no carbohydrates at all. Cats also don’t drink water in large quantities and stay close to dehydration. Wet foods compensate for limited water intake with more water in the diet itself.

However, better diet tips for cats with diabetes mellitus are wet and dry food combinations. Cats also love dry foods and, feeding a specific amount of dry food with wet foods is essential. Do a mix and match with wet and dry food to provide the appropriate number of calories. The calorie needs depend on the weight of your cat, bone density, age and, activity level.