Feline Diabetes: Advanced Welfare Management

Key Welfare Considerations

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus is most common in cats — insulin resistance combined with beta cell exhaustion.
• Obesity is the single most important modifiable welfare risk factor — weight management is preventive medicine.
• Diabetic cats show polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss despite polyphagia, and plantigrade stance as welfare signs.
• Glucose toxicity impairs insulin secretion — early treatment with insulin restores beta cell function and welfare.
• Remission — restoration of normal glucose control without insulin — occurs in 30-80% of cats with optimal management.
• Long-acting glargine or detemir insulin achieves highest remission rates through tight glycaemic welfare control.
• High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets reduce postprandial glucose excursions, supporting remission welfare.
• Diabetic remission improves welfare by eliminating injection requirements and associated stress.
• Home glucose monitoring using flash glucose monitoring (FreeStyle Libre) improves welfare glycaemic control.
• Diabetic ketoacidosis is a welfare emergency — early recognition through sick day protocols is critical.
• Hypoglycaemia from over-insulin is a welfare emergency causing seizures, collapse, and death.
• Owner education in hypoglycaemia recognition and emergency glucose provision is welfare-mandatory.
• Regular veterinary monitoring through fructosamine and glucose curves guides dose adjustment for welfare.
• Peripheral neuropathy causing plantigrade stance may reverse with good glycaemic welfare control.
• Quality of life in well-managed diabetic cats can be excellent — welfare outcomes justify management commitment.