Diet is one of the best ways of preventing diabetes in cats. Just like with people, diet can affect a cat’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Making sure that your cat eats a healthy, well-balanced diet and isn’t overweight are the best ways to help prevent diabetes in cats.
In some cases, cats develop type 1 diabetes, which can’t be prevented. However, in both types of diabetes, diet plays an important role.
In this article, you will learn how to feed your cat well to lower his/her risk of type 2 diabetes.
Watch your cat’s weight
The first way that you can use diet to prevent type 2 diabetes in felines is not to allow your pet cat to become overweight or obese. Obesity has many health implications for your cat, and developing diabetes is just one of them.
According to some veterinary clinics, about 50% of all cats that are brought in to clinics are either obese or overweight.[1]
How can you determine the amount of food to feed your cat? There are a number of factors that you should keep in mind. For example, your cat’s metabolic rate, the number of treats your cat gets, health status, and age.
To make things simple, your goal should be to keep your cat fairly slim and adjust portion size if you notice that your pet cat is putting on weight.
Type of food
When planning your cat’s diet, it’s important to make sure that the diet is protein-rich and not full of carbohydrates. Cats are meat-eaters and their main energy source should be protein and fat.
A carbohydrate-rich diet can cause insulin resistance in cats and put them at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. So, it’s good to check the ingredients of your cat’s food and remember that dry kibble tends to be higher in carbs than canned food.
Exercise
Even with a healthy diet, your furry friend could still be at risk of diabetes if he/she doesn’t get enough exercise. Exercise is a great way to prevent your cat becoming overweight and keep their blood healthy
Regular checkups
Apart from diet, you should arrange for regular checkups at your local veterinary clinic to check blood work. Diabetes can often be prevented if the early signs are detected and preventative measures and taken.
1. Source: College of Veterinary Medicine. Obesity.