How To Put Weight On A Diabetic Cat – Full Guide

One of the pet parent’s concerns is that their diabetic cat does not gain weight.

Diabetes can also affect cats, and the disease has the same impact on them as it does on us.

Ways to put weight on diabetic cat

When it comes to having diabetes, cats and people are similar.

The disease affects the body’s insulin, which affects the movement of sugar from the bloodstream into the cell.

This leads to the symptoms of increased urination and thirst.

Diabetes is more common in older cats that are obese.

How To Put Weight On A Diabetic Cat?

1. Find The Reason Your Cat Is Getting Diabetic

It is important to find out why your diabetic cat is diabetic before increasing his or her weight.

It may be the diet, lifestyle, and other medication that leads to obesity in cats.

The veterinarian will diagnose the disease and determine its cause.

Once you have found the reason for your cat getting diabetic, you can treat your cat accordingly to put weight on your diabetic cat.

This is done by setting up the appropriate diet, and insulin injection dose, and monitoring your cat’s health.

It helps understand your cat’s medical and physical needs to treat your cat efficiently.

Remember, whatever the reason is, all you need to do is stay consistent in taking care of your cat.

You also need to make sure that your medical and diet needs are fulfilled.

2. Give Insulin Injections

Giving insulin injections to your cat is crucial if you want to put weight on a diabetic cat.

No diet or medication can help if the cat’s insulin level in the body is disturbed.

Usually, vets recommend using human insulin that includes Humulin N, L, and U.

These insulin doses are cheaper and are found to be effective. The N insulin is short-acting and has less duration for cats.

It can also wear off rapidly, due to which blood sugar increases quickly or even can have sharp steep drops.

In contrast to that, the L and U insulin are medium and longer-lasting insulins for cats.

Interestingly, the cats’ average blood sugar level is the same as for humans which is 80-120 mg/dl.

In order to help the cat gain weight, insulin doses can be adjusted accordingly.

You should also consult your veterinarian about insulin doses so that your cat is not overdosed or underdosed.

3. Start Special Diet For Diabetic Cat

By nature, cats are omnivores, which means they need a lot of protein in their diet.

It is also important to remember that a cat’s body is not as good at digesting carbohydrates.

The ratio of carbohydrates to protein must be taken into account in order to increase the weight of the diabetic cat.

If you want your diabetic cat to gain weight, its special diet will contain more protein and fewer carbs.

It is recommended to use canned food as it is high in proteins and low in carbs.

While you are following this diet, it is also essential to watch the cat’s weight.

You need to understand your diabetic cat’s needs according to its health, weight, level of being diabetic, and taste.

You can get the most effective nutrition plan for your cat with the help of a veterinarian.

If you see a positive change in your diabetic cat’s weight by following the right nutrition and insulin plan, you can lower its insulin doses.

4. Set The Time For Feeding Your Diabetic Cat

Leaving out the food bowl for grazing whenever they want is not a good solution for weight gain in diabetic cat weight gain.

Instead, meal timing must be coordinated with insulin shots.

The calories are more easily absorbed when meals are scheduled to coincide with insulin medication.

This stops them from getting hypoglycemic (low blood sugar level).

Typically, you can feed your cat twice a day, lead by a dose of insulin right after feeding them.

Ideally, you can feed your cat with half a can of high protein or a low carb cat food in the morning and half the can at night, followed by a shot of insulin.

How to put weight on diabetic cat

However, you also need to see if the cat likes the new diet plan, and it is essential to see if they are eating or not. 

It is critical because, with an empty stomach, they cannot be dosed with insulin, as it is dangerous for their health.

5. Monitor Your Diabetic Cat’s Health

If you want your diabetic cat to gain weight, it is essential to keep track of the cat’s health.

This can be done by checking their blood sugar level, appetite, weight, and food and water consumption.

You also need to check the litterbox to see if the cat is urinating the same amount.

You need to see a veterinarian if there is no change in your cat’s weight regardless of taking all the measures.

Aside from gaining weight, it is also essential to make sure that your cat’s metabolism is efficient.

6. Body Score Your Diabetic Cat Regularly

It is essential to know your cat’s ideal weight. Also, you can body score it by checking the fat at its ribs and backbone.

It helps in figuring out if the cat is gaining weight.

The perfect cat has ribs and a backbone that can be felt easily but does not stand out through the fur.

You can also weigh the cat and estimate their desired target weight.

By keeping a record of your diabetic cats’ weekly weight, you can analyze the increase in their weight patterns.

This will help in defining the diet and insulin dose plan for the next week.

What Is The Best Method To Put Weight On A Diabetic Cat?

Regular doses of insulin and a particular diet plan are all you need to take care of.

By doing this, you help your diabetic cat gain weight and get back into shape.

By following all the steps above, you can put on weight on your diabetic cat and efficiently control its disease.

The best method is to give your cat portions rich in protein, followed by regular insulin doses.

When putting weight on a diabetic cat, it is essential to keep an eye on its weight changes.

Also, the timing set for the cat’s meal is essential.

It’s best to follow the right diet plan and medication timely.

Putting Weight On A Diabetic Cat – Precautionary Measures

While trying to put weight on a diabetic cat, the following are essential points that need to be considered.

Neglecting any point can lead to worsening the health of your cat.

  • If your cat is not eating the food, do not give it an insulin dose. If you do so, it may lower your cat’s sugar level, which may be life-threatening.
  • Always give a balanced dose of insulin to the cat so its body’s metabolism can increase the cat’s weight.
  • Make sure that your cat does not gain excessive weight that might end up making it obese. Keep track of the ideal weight for your cat.
  • Watch the portion size that your cat is taking. Even if you want your cat to have more meals, you do not want to feed them over, impacting their health.
  • Keep in touch with your vet to regularly monitor your cat’s health and give different prescriptions whenever needed.
  • Don’t force anything on your cat, as it can be dangerous at times. If you force your cat to eat food that it does not like, it might get a bad stomach. Similarly, forcing your cat to do some exercise while resisting can also be exhausting for your poor baby’s health.

Final Remarks

If your diabetic cat is underweight, following the six steps explained can surely help get your cat back to its ideal weight.

Still, preventive measures are essential as they can help achieve your cat’s health and fitness goals.

With a bit of extra care and following a particular nutrition plan, you can get your cat to its ideal weight.

An essential thing to consider is to make sure that the protein portion size and insulin dose are monitored.

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