The Nutritional Needs Of A Diabetic Feline
Let’s face it: your sweet kitty is a carnivore! Her ancestors evolved as exclusive meat eaters. And while all cats should get the bulk of their calories from protein, a protein-rich diet is especially important for a diabetic feline.
This is because carbohydratesone of the three main macronutrients is broken down by the body into sugar , and it’s this sugar the diabetic kitty just can’t manage as well. In fact, a carbohydrate-rich diet may be the exact thing that caused your kitty’s diabetes to develop in the first place!
So, the ideal nutrition plan for a kitty with diabetes is lower in carbs and higher in protein . If you end up getting wet can food, make sure the crude protein content comes in at 10% or more. Crude protein content in dry food should be about 40% or more. Meanwhile, total carb content should be no more than 7 to 15%.
It probably won’t say this on the package, but you can figure it out by adding up all the other percentages and then subtracting from 100.
In addition to low-carbohydrate, high-protein foods, many cats with diabetes do best with low allergen foods. This is because diabetes can weaken an animal’s immune system, making her more susceptible to allergies. So, look for foods that use natural ingredients and are free from preservatives, artificial fillers, chemicals, and other additives.
Your best bet is probably to stick with products containing real meat from animals like turkey, duck, lamb, chicken, venison, rabbit, and quail.
Why Is Feline Diabetes On The Rise
There is no clear consensus in the medical community that can explain the tremendous increase in feline diabetes and obesity over the past 40 years. We do know that prior to this time almost all cats were fed a meat only carnivore diet and obesity and diabetes were rare. We also know that the vast majority of wet and dry diets fed to cats today contain up to 30% starch/carbs. Your cat is an obligate carnivore and has no nutritional requirement for starch/carbs in their diet. None.
We also know that presently more than 60% of our cats are overweight and that obesity is a contributing factor for developing diabetes. Basically, the industry has changed the way we feed our cats. We believe these changes have led to the epidemic of health issues we see today.
Transitioning Your Cat To A New Diet
If your cat isnt on insulin, you could switch up their food in a few days by slowly transitioning to the new food. Once your cat has adjusted to the new diet, you can see if theres an impact on their blood sugar. Just dont wait too long to get them started on insulin you should speak with your vet about exact timing.
If your cat is already taking insulin, youll need to incorporate home glucose testing and monitoring to ensure your cats blood sugar stays level. Its safest to discuss a switch to a new diet with your vet first, to avoid putting your cat at risk for hypoglycemia or other life-threatening side effects.
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Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Flaked Chicken Recipe Grain
Another great option in canned cat food for indoor cats is this Blue Buffalo Freedom Indoor Flaked Chicken Recipe. This formula is completely grain-free and rich in protein with real chicken as the first ingredient. It contains a rich blend of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and coat with zero grains, fillers, or by-products to ensure digestibility. This recipe is made with real broth for increased moisture levels as well as plenty of natural flavor. Youll also find fresh fruits and vegetables as natural sources for key vitamins and minerals to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.
Crave Grain Free High Protein Wet Cat Food
This easy-to-digest wet cat food formula boasts high-quality real, farm-raised chicken as the 1st ingredient followed by chicken liver, chicken broth, chicken heart. This cat food is identical to what their wildcat ancestors are consuming the diet in the wild. Besides providing high-quality protein, this limited ingredient diet doesnt accommodate any by-product meals and cheap fillers. This feature makes this cat food safe.
To facilitate the weight loss program and support the immunity, Crave Grain Free High Protein Wet Cat Food includes chicken broth which is a rich source of essential vitamins and minerals. Besides high-quality protein, this cat food is packed with fish oil which provides the essential fatty acids. Fatty acids play a supportive role from reducing the hearts vulnerability to boost the immune system to healthy digestion, to promoting healthy skin, shiny coat, and counting.
To keep the carbohydrate content drastically low, this cat food wont include cheap fillers including potatoes, peas, etc. in this cat food. It wont stir food sensitivities as you wont find any traces of whole grains including wheat, corn, soy, etc. The diet wont add fuel to the development of cancerous cells since its free from red ingredients including artificial color, flavors, or preservatives, etc. that are the main culprits behind cancer cell development.
- Obtain the Cat Food from:Chewy,
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Best Wet Cat Food For Diabetic Cats
Affiliate Disclaimer: Kindly note that you will find a bunch of affiliate links in this blog post which means if you make a purchase via the links that I have placed, I will receive a commission without charging you an extra penny.
When a feline friend is diagnosed with diabetes, its highly likely that the cat parents are in low spirits. But the good news is that with a proper diet plan and a few lifestyle changes you can manage your cats blood sugar level and keep the blood glucose level in order that isnt too low or too high.
The majority of the cat owners find themselves at sea when its time to pick the best wet cat food for diabetic cats that will bring fruitful outcomes. When you are on a fishing expedition for the best wet food for a diabetic cat, then read this guide. This post features the best wet cat food for diabetes.
Before offering the best cat food for diabetic cats, lets take a look at:
- What is diabetes in cats?
- What are the signs of diabetes in a cat?
- How to test for diabetes in cats?
- How to treat a cat with diabetes?
- What are the underlying causes of diabetes in cats?
- How to prevent diabetes in cats?
- What to feed a cat with diabetes?
How Many Times A Day Do You Feed A Diabetic Cat
Most people will need to change up their cats feeding schedule after their diagnosis. This is large because the food needs to be consumed alongside the insulin dosages. Otherwise, your cat will be unable to properly use the calories that they consume, which can lead to health problems.
This eliminates the possibility of simply leaving your cats food out, as you wont be able to provide them with the appropriate insulin when they eat. You simply dont know when they are eating! Youll likely need to feed your cat twice a day and provide them with a specific amount of insulin at this time as well. This will prevent their blood sugar from spiking and allow them to properly utilize the carbs in their food.
But your specific cat may need to be fed more or less than that. If your cat is working to lose weight, more meals may help them feel fuller. Generally, you will never feed your cat only once. This would result in far too many carbs entering their bloodstream at the same time, and it would require a very large dose of insulin.
Small snacks are usually better for cats with diabetes. But we understand that most owners only have enough time to feed their cats two or three times a day.
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Tips To Keep In Mind When Feeding A Diabetic Cat
The responsibility to balance your felines blood sugar levels solely depends on you as a pet owner. Therefore, follow these tips to achieve the goal.
- Maintain a high-protein, low-carb diet.
- Be consistent with the feeding times. Have specific feeding times to help stabilize your cats blood sugar levels.
- Feed your kitty right before you give them an insulin shot. This way, you modify the dose should they consume less. For more information about this, talk to your vet.
- Minimize cat treats and serve them at specific times. Besides, it is best to serve high-protein treats.
- For an overweight, diabetic cat, choose foods that help with healthy weight loss while balancing blood sugar levels.
Basics Of Diabetes In Cats
After reading our reviews of the best food for diabetic cats, you are now only a step away from pinpointing the ideal one for your kitty. To be able to select the perfect food for your cat, it is also crucial to have some understanding of diabetes.
To be able to establish how cat food plays a role in diabetes management, let us take a closer look to determine how blood sugar, food, and insulin are related.
In a cats body, insulin is generated in specialized pancreatic cells and released into the bloodstream when sugar levels go up. Insulin helps to facilitate the entry of sugar into the body cells to drive different biological processes.
If the sugar is excess of what the body needs for operations, it is converted into other formats, such as fat, and stored in different parts of the body.
If your cats cells develop resistance to insulin, it implies that they no longer take blood sugar and its levels in the blood increases. The result is type 2 diabetes.
In such situations, the pancreas responds by increasing insulin output, wearing itself out. When diabetes reaches this point, you have to artificially provide insulin to the cat through injection.
Common signs of diabetes in cats:
- Excess urination and getting thirsty
- Loss of weight and appetite
- Loss of interest, being less playful, and inability to jump
- Changes in gait
- Vomiting lethargy
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Hills Prescription Diet M/d Glucosupport Stew Canned Cat Food
The Hills Prescription Diet m/d GlucoSupport Stew Canned Cat Food requires a prescription from your vet. It also helps your feline maintain a healthy weight, which is important for combating diabetes. Therapeutic levels of L-carnitine are included to support a functioning immune system an essential vitamin when youre trying to help your cat lose weight.
It is formulated by vets and nutritionists. The first ingredient is water. This is important for felines that have trouble staying hydrated, which can put them at risk for serious health conditions. The second and third ingredients are chicken and pork liver. These are high-quality protein ingredients that are perfect for cats, including those trying to lose weight.
It is somewhat low in protein as well, which is a bit of a disappointment. It may not be completely suitable for cats with diabetes for this reason. You should speak with your vet to ensure that it is appropriate.
Ketogenic cat food may be recommended for cats with diabetes. However, it isnt the best choice for most felines. It includes a very high level of protein and very few carbohydrates. This makes it good for cats with diabetes, as it wont spike their blood sugar significantly at all. This formula is grain-free and doesnt contain any starches. This also keeps it from spiking their blood sugar.
There are also a few somewhat low-quality sources, like various vegetable oils.
- Not designed for cats with diabetes
Homemade Diets For Diabetic Cats
If you want to prepare a homemade diet for your cat, it is essential that you work with your veterinarian or a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist to help you find a recipe that is complete and balanced.
Some owners are interested in raw diets for cats, but it’s important to discuss this with your vet as well. Raw diets come with some risk and must still be formulated to ensure they are complete and balanced.
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Obesity And Diabetes: How Are They Related
One of the common factors that cause diabetes in most cats is obesity. Obesity is a condition where the fat cells release hormones which make the cats body cells less responsive to insulin. Notably, the more fat cells that a cat has in the body, the higher the levels of hormones are produced.
Note that weight loss can result in the reversal of diabetes in cats if noted and treatment commenced early. What we mean by this is that a diabetic cat might finally get weaned off insulin injections with sufficient weight loss. It is because of this that you should only go for the best cat food to address diabetes.
Feeding A Diabetic Cat
Diabetic cats should be fed on a set schedule. Theyll get insulin therapy twice a day, twelve hours apart, and their meals should coincide with their therapy schedule. Youll want to feed your cats right before you give your diabetic cat their insulin so that the diabetic cat gets the most out of its insulin therapy. Again, regularly monitoring your cats blood glucose and making treatment adjustments is extremely important in the management of diabetic cats, especially after a change to a low-carb diet.
If you have more than one cat, youll need to feed them separately to avoid food stealing, and you wont be able to free-feed your other cats anymore. Adjusting all of your cats to a feeding schedule can be difficult, but it will be the best for the health of your diabetic cat.
Treats given to a diabetic cat should be limited if given at all. Treats need to make up 10% or less of your cats diet because they can interfere with the feeding schedule. Good options for treats for a diabetic cat are freeze-dried chicken, beef, salmon, tuna, and liver. These treats are high in protein and contain little if any, carbohydrates.
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What Ingredients Should Not Be In A Diabetic Cat Food
If you are to maintain your cats overall health and wellness, there are some ingredients that should be avoided:
- Corn Meal and Carbohydrate Fillers. These are not just rich in carbs they are also used to just add bulk to the cat food totally not recommended.
- Sugars. It is not difficult to explain why sugar is to be avoided for diabetic cats. Sugar is not a natural food for cats and will cause blood sugar spikes, thus harming diabetic cats.
- Grains. Grains are difficult to digest for cats and can lead to several health problems. They also contain a significant amount of carbohydrates.
- BHT, BHA, and Ethoxyquin. These are basically preservatives that are used in pet foods. They are not only difficult to digest, but they also have cancer-causing properties.
- Meat Byproducts. These are secondary products made in addition to the principal product. Often, the source of the meat is not disclosed and can be harmful to your cat.
- Alkaline Products. These are potentially harmful products that lead to urinary tract infections and kidney stones that can deteriorate your cats health.
Switching The Diabetic Cat To A Low Carbohydrate Diet
Caution: This must be done very carefully if the patient is already on insulin. See above if you have not already read the Critical Points section.
If your cat is not on insulin because he was just diagnosed with diabetes, then you can change the diet more rapidly either immediately or within 2-3 days. More on this issue below.
Unless the patients clinical signs warrant immediate insulin administration, I try a diet change with no insulin for 3-5 days to see what impact the new diet will have on the blood glucose. In most cases, I do not agree with waiting much longer than a week to start insulin. This is because you will have the best chance of getting your cat into remission if both diet and insulin are used very early on. The longer your cats body is under the effects of glucose toxicity, the more his body will be damaged and the less chance of remission he will have.
When I have a new diabetic patient present to me, the two most important tasks are:
1) getting the patient onto a low carbohydrate diet preferably canned and not dry
2) teaching the client how to home test
If your cat is already on insulin, the safest way to implement a diet change is to incorporate home testing into your management protocol.
The goal is to get your cat off of dry food and on to a 100 percent canned food diet but if your cat is on insulin, this must be done carefully especially if the cat refuses to eat canned food.
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How Much Carbs Should Be In Cat Food
Approximately 15% of cats diet is made up of carbohydrates. Dr. Bessents recipes appear to be formulated for 5% or less, and many veterinarians recommend even lower levels.
Because cats are carnivores, they are primarily fed with low levels of carbohydrates in their diet. Pet food labels must include the percentage of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture in each serving. All that is left after protein, fat, fiber, moisture, and ash is carbohydrate. My cats dry food is guaranteed to be good to eat, as indicated by this: 38% is made up of crude protein , 38% is made up of crude fat , 6% is made up of crude fiber , and 6% is made up of moisture . Carb content: 100 = 31.2%. The results are 100-12=88 and 31/88 x 100 = 35.7% when calculated on a dry matter basis.