Feline Diabetes – Symptoms
Blood sugar buildup leads to increased urination (polyuria) and increased thirst (polydypsia). Polyuria and polydypsia are usually two of the first feline diabetes symptoms that the cat caregiver notices. The body attempts to flush out excess sugar from the kidneys through increased urine production and replace lost fluids through increased thirst. Other common symptoms include increased appetite, lethargy and weight loss. Weight loss occurs even in diabetic cats with normal or increased appetites because their bodies cannot properly utilize glucose.
Some cat caregivers notice a marked weakness in their cats’ rear legs, leading them to initially seek veterinary care. Muscle wasting or nerve damage attributable to hyperglycemia causes weakness in the rear legs that usually reverses itself once blood glucose is controlled.
Other signs appear as the disease progresses. A cat in the early stages of feline diabetes will remain alert and active for some time, but gradually her coat deteriorates and she becomes more likely to develop fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis) and secondary bacterial infections. Obese cats are most likely to develop hepatic lipidosis, and since these cats are also predisposed to feline diabetes, it is not difficult to make the connection between the two conditions. Appetite loss, a symptom of feline diabetes, also plays a part in the development of hepatic lipidosis, further connecting the two.
To summarize, cat caregivers should look for the following signs if they suspect feline diabetes:
- Polydypsia and polyuria;
- Weight loss from the body’s inability to process insulin;
- Vomiting;
- Appetite loss;
- Weakness in leg muscles;
- Poor condition of hair coat;
- Breathing problems; and
- Dehydration.
