Understanding feline diabetes mellitus — increasingly common in indoor cats — its causes, the welfare implications of management, and the possibility of diabetic remission with appropriate treatment.
Feline diabetes represents a welfare challenge that is substantially preventable and, in many cases, reversible. The high prevalence of obesity in companion cats — itself a welfare failure driven by inappropriate feeding and insufficient exercise — directly drives diabetes incidence. Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment not only improves welfare through glycemic control but offers genuine possibility of remission that returns cats to a non-diabetic state. The welfare costs of unmanaged diabetes are significant: neuropathy, cataracts, increased infection susceptibility, and the systemic effects of chronically elevated blood glucose. Management involves twice-daily insulin injection and regular monitoring — the welfare burden on cats is manageable with appropriate technique and equipment.