Feline diabetes mellitus is a common and manageable endocrine disease with significant welfare implications, where evidence-based management including dietary change and insulin therapy can achieve diabetic remission in many cats.
Feline diabetes welfare involves multiple dimensions: the disease experience, the treatment burden on both cat and owner, and the quality of life achievable with good management. Cats experience the physiological effects of dysregulated glucose including polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss, and in severe cases neuropathy causing plantigrade stance. Twice-daily injections represent a significant management commitment, but most cats tolerate injections well when owners use appropriate technique. The possibility of remission with dietary management is welfare-positive — it represents a route to disease resolution rather than lifelong medication. Owner stress from diabetes management is significant and correlates with suboptimal adherence, highlighting the importance of clear, accessible veterinary guidance and owner support resources.