Diabetic Cat Food Science Diet
Cats can be picky eaters.
Diabetic cat food science diet. While most cats can be converted to twice daily feedings some prefer grazing on food throughout the day which may work for some diabetic cats particularly those that are underweight depending on the type. Here s what to consider when selecting a cat food for your diabetic cat. Whether they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes most cats will also require daily or twice daily injections of insulin to lower their blood sugar. Factors contributing to weight gain include age lack of exercise and overfeeding.
Along with frequent physical exercise choosing the right food plays a very important. A non diabetic cat can very safely handle the tough love 12 18 hours period of time without food that is often necessary to get them to change their diet but this does not apply to a diabetic patient. Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to pick the best food for a cat with diabetes. Even a little extra weight can lead to serious health problems.
As a rule wet food is better for diabetic cats than dry food before it tends to contain more meat and less grains and starches meaning is has higher protein and lower carbs than dry food. It is not impossible but the process does have some complicating factors. Most cases of feline diabetes are similar to what is called type 2 diabetes in people which means that weight management and diet are major factors in the development and control of the disease. When your cat has diabetes it s even more important to feed the right cat food.
We typically recommend feeding diabetic cats a measured amount of food twice daily at the time of insulin administration. Diabetic cat food should have a few important features. Every cat is unique and the same diet won t necessarily work for all cats. Feeding a veterinarian recommended cat food with a consistent nutrient profile one that doesn t vary from batch to batch will help keep your cat s metabolism level stable so she can stay healthy.
Royal canin veterinary diet canned cat food is specially formulated to maintain healthy blood glucose levels in diabetic adult cats. A special diabetic diet will help your cat trim down and it can actually make the diabetes easier to manage. Losing weight helps the cat s body use insulin which lowers blood sugar. If you cat prefers dry food then move them to canned food gradually when moving to a diabetic cat diet.
This diet is palatable tasty and contains the appropriate nutrients such as prebiotics and dietary fiber to keep the sugar levels balanced and control glucose spikes and dips. Giving insulin injections to cats is usually very easy. If your cat is on the hefty side your vet may prescribe a therapeutic weight loss food to help your cat shed unhealthy pounds. Extra weight reduces play time impacts mobility and affects the general health of your cat.
Over a period of 7 to 10 days mix the dry food with a bit of canned. Therefore switching a stubborn diabetic cat can be more difficult.