Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Welfare and Diabetic Remission

Diabetic remission - returning to normal glucose regulation without insulin - is achievable in a significant proportion of cats. Aggressive early management maximises remission chances.

Key Facts

Diabetic remission occurs in up to 90% of cats with optimal early management
Low-carbohydrate wet food is the most important dietary intervention for remission
Remission typically occurs within the first 3-6 months of treatment
Relapse can occur and monitoring must continue even after apparent remission
Remission significantly improves cat welfare by eliminating injection stress

Welfare Considerations

Diabetic remission is a transformative welfare outcome that eliminates the ongoing stress of insulin injection. Aggressive early management with low-carbohydrate diet and tight glucose control maximises remission probability.

What You Can Do

Discuss the goal of remission with your vet from diagnosis
Transition immediately to low-carbohydrate wet food on diagnosis
Monitor glucose regularly to detect remission and adjust insulin accordingly
Continue long-term monitoring after remission to detect early relapse