Diabetes complications in cats

The long-term complications of diabetes mellitus are a result of a prolonged high blood glucose level or hyperglycemia.

The most common diabetes-related complications in cats include:

  • Low blood sugar or hypoglycemia (which may be induced by incorrect insulin dosing)
  • Chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
  • Weight loss
  • Poor grooming and dry, lusterless haircoat
  • Recurrent infections
  • Ketoacidosis (high acidity in body fluids)
  • Peripheral neuropathy resulting in plantigrade stance (see below)

Peripheral neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy, a disease or degenerative state that affects nerves and weakens muscles, is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes in cats. Often referred to as diabetic neuropathy, this disorder typically affects the hind legs causing weakness, loss of coordination, inability to jump, and a distinct plantigrade stance or posture in which the cat’s hocks touch the ground when it walks.1

Treatment

Though there is no specific therapy for diabetic neuropathy in cats, intensive blood glucose control decreases risks and improves clinical signs in humans. Similarly, aggressive adjustment of insulin therapy may improve nerve function and reverse hind leg weakness and plantigrade posture in diabetic cats. However, a cat’s response to this therapy varies and aggressive insulin treatment increases the risk of hypoglycemia.1

Prognosis

Fortunately, most of the devastating chronic complications seen in human diabetics, such as kidney and coronary artery disease, take 10 or 20 years to develop. Because of cats’ shorter lifespans and the fact that diabetes tends to develop in older cats, these serious complications are uncommon in diabetic cats.1

The good news is that with owner commitment to treating the disease and effective control of blood glucose, diabetic cats that survive the first 6 months after diagnosis can typically enjoy a good quality of life with their owners for 5 years or more.1

1. Feldman EC, Nelson RW. Feline diabetes mellitus. In: Feldman EC, Nelson RW. Canine and Feline Endocrinology and Reproduction. 3rd ed. Saint Louis, MO: Saunders, 2004:576–577.