Feline diabetes is a common problem dealt with by the cat’s parents. It is frequent amongst middle to old-age cats. Yet, if one makes the correct diagnosis at the right time, one can save the cat from the trouble of insulin therapy and the price that comes with it. One way out of feline diabetes is the use of non-prescription food for a diabetic cat. The article below covers some viable options available for the cat parents.
An introduction to feline diabetes
Diabetes is when the cat’s body stops secreting or starts producing a lesser amount of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that works to maintain optimal levels of blood sugar. Recently an upsurge has been seen in feline diabetes.
It is responsible for causing a certain percentage of deaths amongst cats. Thus, making a timely diagnosis and dietary interventions along with the use of medications is a must. While talking about food, the quality and quantity of the ingredients are different from a healthy cat’s diet.
Especially when diabetes is just diagnosed, management without insulin and non-prescription or homemadefood for diabetic cats is possible. A range of such products is available in the market that can be consumed to slow down the progression of the disease or revert it altogether.
Understanding more about non-prescription food for a diabetic cat
If you are wondering that what non-prescription food is, let us explain. The cat with diabetes can have both prescribed and non-prescribed food. It is essentially essential for the underlying situation. It is a balanced diet that contains the right quantum and suitable ingredients for the cat. Such kind of food is easily digestible and allows the provision of constant energy levels.
Food is an imperative factor in treating diabetes and restoring the cat’s good health why prescription food requires a vet’s signature. Non-prescription food, on the contrary, can be bought from the market without such compulsion.
In addition to this, non-prescription food is readily available and can also be made at home. We will refer to the proportions that can be tried at home and the canned food types available in the market. Both of you will in helping the diabetic cat.
Changes in Diabetic Cat
Diabetes in cats is like type 2 diabetes in humans. The situation revolves around the case referring to less sensitivity to the hormone insulin. The sugar level typically spikes up and leads to some of the below-given terms symptoms in the cat.
A cat can be seen with weight loss, excessive urination, change in appetite with overall lethargy in behavior, and general lack of interest in day-to-day activities.
Food choices for Diabetic cat
Cats are carnivores in nature and prefer to have meat. So is the need for a cat with diabetes requires a high quantity of protein and controlled amounts of carbohydrates. Protein content helps with muscle weight in the diabetic cat. While low carbohydrates regulate sugar levels, keeping it controlled in the cat.
Generally, two types of diabetic food can be obtained for the cat once the choices include prescription cat food, while the other is non-prescription diabetic cat food. In the case of the former, one needs a Vet to prescribe the food. While for later, it is bought commercially from the available brands in the market without any such compulsion.
However, one can also prepare non-prescription food at home but will require some balanced quantity, considering the need for a cat.
Diet: A source or prevention tool for cat’s diabetes
Many cat’s nutritional experts have recommended a list of foods to help a healthy and robust life in diabetic cats. Thus, suggest a controlled lifestyle, one that is different from instincts that a cat may have. Some of the factors contributing to diabetes in cats could be a genetic predisposition, while in the case of senior cats, munching could also be donating high sugar levels.
Many don’t understand the diet’s contribution to diabetes; high carbohydrate intake increases the disease’s chances. Plus, it also makes cats overweight which doubles the chances for diabetes.
The appropriate time to have the diet-controlled is before the symptoms appear. However, in the case of appearance, it keeps progressing, decreasing the efficacy of insulin. This leaves nothing but a lifelong commitment to having insulin injected into the cat. The best time to review your cat’s diet is before it shows symptoms of diabetes.
Appropriate cat died in case of diabetes
A Wildcat is a carnival and hunts other animals as food takes in the necessary number of amino acids and other micronutrients from the prey. It doesn’t have large quantities of carbohydrates naturally. Only minor amounts are served as they nibble up grass or some plant to help their digestive system occasionally.
Plus, this system barely supports a rich carbohydrate diet. Cat generally lacks an enzyme in the saliva that helps in the digestion of carbohydrates on my list. In short, they can barely manage high glucose levels even if they are healthy. A cat without diabetes will also have some insulin resistance naturally.
Non- Prescription diet food for the cat
Below, we have summed up the cat’s dietary needs and the levels that need to be maintained.
Low levels of carbohydrates
Diet for cat should approximately contain 10% carbohydrate. In some cases, this might be reduced to 5%, or as per the diabetic condition of the cat.
Fat levels of the food
The non-prescription diet also limits the intake of fat in the cat. a high level will directly proportionate to obesity in the cat. The more obese cat is, the more is its risk with diabetes. Hence one needs to ensure the cat’s weight is in control, which necessitates low levels of fat in the Non-prescription food for diabetic cats.
Wet food versus dry food
Generally, dry food comes with high carbohydrate levels, while canned wet food comes as better non-prescription food. Many non-prescription foods in groceries come with balanced protein, low fat, and low carbohydrate levels, omitting the need for prescription food. In addition to these, necessary quanta of fiber are also added.
The choice of preparing diabetic cat food at home
Some people also attempt to make the food at home. It is an extension of Non-prescription food for diabetic cats. All the above-stated caution and levels of ingredients are added to homemade food. Some other necessary add on’s include:
- 50 to 60% of the food should be meat. It comes by adding shrimp, chicken, and even pork to the meal. Sometimes a can also supply the required amount of protein.
- Almost 25% of the serving should contain starch. It is a comparatively complex form of carbohydrate, coming from sweet potatoes and yams.
- Vegetables should serve around 15% to 20% of the portion. A good choice, in this case, could be lettuce, sprout, and broccoli. It helps to maintain the required levels of fiber. One can add either in the raw form or cooked or as preferred by the cat.
- In addition to this, to bring flavor to the diet, one can add a raw egg, low-fat curd, and even low-fat cheese sometimes.
The cat might hesitate in consuming this food, so one needs to be cautious and have a strategy to serve the furry fellow.
Some precautions include feeding the cat only once or twice and to ensure no feeding at night and serving the cat in small portions.
Try bringing taste to the prepared meal and never feed them with additional carbs or leftovers.
Never deviate from routine and ensure regular exercise and visit with the Vet.
Marketed Non-prescription food for diabetic cats
Quite a few brands are available commercially that can serve the diabetic cat feed. We have handpicked the top choices and shared them below for your consideration.
Diabetic cat food by Royal Canin
The royal canin helps by providing both dry and wet cat diabetic food. The furry fellow can be given a taste of either of it as per its choice. Some of the available options are:
Royal Canin Feline Glycobalance
In continuation to the Non-prescription food for diabetic cats, we have a royal Canin on the list. It helps to serve cats with adequate sugar levels that are neither very high nor too low.
It is a dry cat food formula that ensures a constant energy supply with no weight gain. It comes with the addition of cereals that helps in controlling the blood pressure of the cat with a controlled release of energy.
Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Feline Diabetic Dry
Here is another option available which comes with instant glucose levels coming from controlled levels of carbohydrates. But it is sufficiently controlled to ensure that the level never spikes the optimal need. It uses high-quality ingredients, making it the top brand amongst other commercially available.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness: Natural Adult Dry Cat Food
It is a unique formula that serves obese cats. It does not only prevent it helps with diabetes but manages is the weight in the diabetic cat also.
The blue Buffalo stands as the right choice for obese diabetic cats by providing high-quality protein, balanced calories, and no grains. It altogether keeps the weight and sugar in control.
Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets
Next on the list, we have the Purina special diet. It is a unique formulation catering to the specific needs of a diabetic cat. With this formula, you can ensure an increased intake of protein with a controlled amount of carbohydrates. It is just rightly adjusted to maintain the cat’s energy levels, ruling out the chances of weight gain.
Low carbohydrate Non-prescription food for diabetic cats.
Some additional options available include low carbohydrate diet food available in the market. We have shortlisted both dry and wet food formulas that cater to the diabetic cat’s needs. It provides quality ingredients, as the real with focus remains on the content of carbohydrates. The list is covered for your review:
- Dr. Tim’s Premium All-Natural Dry Cat Food
- Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Low-Carb Wet Cat Food
- Crave High Protein Chicken Pate Wet Cat Food
- Ketogenic Pet Foods Low-Carb Natural Cat Food
- Tiki Cat Born Carnivore Low-Carb Dry Cat Food
Treating cat diabetes with diet
All the above Non-prescription food for diabetic cats caters to the health needs of the cat. It is essential to establish that unhealthy diets can lead to multiple changes in the cat. Along with known symptoms of diabetic cat, some other changes that can be observed with a bad diet includes:
Weight loss in the cat, frequent vomiting, a state of dehydration, being tired all the time, and the risk of getting the cat in a comma. Having a wrong non-prescription diet can reduce the lifespan of the cat and lead to an early death.
A point of care here would be to never serve the cat with the regular human food or leftover. While feeding a cat at home, the prepared food should be as per unique formula. Otherwise, it can have a negative effect instead of improving the health of the cat.
When serving the cat with non-prescription food, it is necessary to have a dietary plan and split the meals into small portions. The cat should be administered with food before the insulin dose, and one should never skip the meal or let the cat munch unnecessarily.
Conclusion
To sum up the need for Non-prescription food for diabetic cats, it is essential to know that only lifestyle changes or dietary balance can help the cat. Feeding the right thing in the correct quantity can only ensure optimal energy levels and weight control in the diabetic cat.
Sometimes with timely diet management, one can avoid insulin in cats and the ever-increasing budget. Along with food, providing the cat with the proper exercise and sleep time will also help improve health. Moreover, one should keep visiting the Vet for regular advice and see the disease’s progression.
A diabetic cat usually is more sensitive than a typical cat and will require some additional attention from the cat parent. So along with food, one should also cater to the need of attention to the diabetic cat.