In this brief discussion, we’ll answer the question, “How much should cats eat before insulin?” We will also discuss what is the best diet for your diabetic cat.
How much should cats eat before insulin?
Generally speaking, give your cat half its daily food intake before or with insulin shots. Consult your veterinarian if your cat likes to graze throughout the day or if you have any other specific queries about the kind, volume, time, or frequency of feedings.
Make sure to choose high-quality protein foods that are easily digestible such as meat or eggs. Moreover, make sure to give a fat-restricted diet that is low in carbohydrates to avoid further complications.
Can a special diet help in controlling diabetes in my cats?
Diet and maintaining a healthy weight are also crucial components in managing diabetes, in addition to insulin. Cats with extra weight should lose it; in some cases, this might lessen the severity of diabetes.
Exercise is crucial for weight loss as well. You must discuss your options with your veterinarian to get their advice on the ideal diet for your cat. In general, diabetic cats benefit from diets low in carbs.
Additionally, veterinarians sell various diets made especially for diabetic cats. In order to prevent your neighbours from being persuaded to give your cat food or offer care if it roams, it is a good idea to inform them of their disease.
What is the best diet for my diabetic cat?
Diabetic cats need to control their daily intake in order to maintain their health. There are a few guidelines you can follow to serve food to your diabetic cat. Some of the guidelines are given below:
Give low-carbohydrate and high-protein foods to your cat
Carbohydrate-rich foods can raise blood glucose levels in cats, which is not ideal for diabetic cats since it raises the demand for insulin. Low-carbohydrate foods prevent this response. Therefore, it is advised to feed high protein and low-carb foods to your cat.
It is recommended to look for foods that have 50% of the calories from protein and about 40% from fats. Many diabetic cats are not affected by fat in their diets.
However, this can be problematic if your cat needs to lose weight. Therefore, it is best to consult a vet in such situations.
Canned food is best for diabetic cats
Canned food is the preferred option for diabetic cats because it has a lower carbohydrate content compared to dry food. Some canned foods are completely carbohydrate free. This can help to maintain the insulin levels in your diabetic cat.
Control the portion sizes while serving food to your cat
The amount f food you feed your cat is as important as the type of food you give the. If your cat is obese, you should only feed them enough to maintain a healthy rate of weight loss.
You also need to serve half the food you normally serve your cat before giving them insulin. Therefore, it is important to watch out for portion sizes before giving food to your cat.
Make sure the food is palatable
You need to make sure that their food is palatable because they need to eat o a set schedule. If their food is palatable, they will look forward to consuming it and managing their schedule will be easier.
Canned foods are considered both palatable and best for diabetes, so you should look out for the ones that your cat finds appealing.
What should I keep in my mind before feeding my cat with diabetes?
Make sure to remain consistent while feeding your diabetic cat, especially if it is on insulin. Cats need to follow a set schedule and eat the same amount of food at a particular set time each day.
If your cat receives two shots of insulin each day which are 12 hours apart, you should offer them food just before the next insulin dose is due. This is ideal because if the cat doesn’t eat all of its meals, you can adjust the insulin dose accordingly.
Make sure to limit the treats of your cat to 10% of its diet and give them treats at the same time every day. The best treat option for diabetic cats includes freeze-dried chicken, salmon, tuna, beef and liver. These foods are high in proteins and are best to maintain insulin levels.
Before making any changes to your cat’s diet, consult with a vet first because diabetes management is delicate.
Conclusion:
We answered the question, “How much should cats eat before insulin?” We also discussed what is the best diet for your diabetic cat.
References:
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/cat/diabetes-in-cats
