[Nepeta]

Diabetes is NOT a death sentence in cats!

www.felinediabetes.com is an excellent site, with solid, useful information. Referring there helped me keep my diabetic cat going for years after he was diagnosed--he's still alive today.

Briefly: you will need to measure blood sugar levels at home, with a handheld meter. Select one that takes a small sample size. This is the most difficult part.

You may be giving your cat insulin. This is not difficult--it is far easier than giving a cat a pill.

Dry foods are probably killing our cats. I don't know of any formulas that do not contain grains, and cats are OBLIGATE CARNIVORES. They do not have the metabolic means of dealing with a heavy load of carbohydrates.

Switch to a good canned, meat based formula. The feline diabetes site has a chart showing brand names and levels of fibre. Low fibre indicates low plant content, which indicates low carbohydrates. Read labels. Avoid "gravy" formulas. There is a relationship between price and quality, but it isn't exact--you can probably find something reasonably priced that will keep your cat in great health.

My cat has lived 6+ years after diagnosis. He will be 17 shortly. He's slightly arthritic, but still sweet and playful. The last 6 years have been good years.

[who knows what evil?]

Dry foods are probably killing our cats. I don't know of any formulas that do not contain grains, and cats are OBLIGATE CARNIVORES. They do not have the metabolic means of dealing with a heavy load of carbohydrates.

Like I tell people all the time at the store..."when is the last time you had to chase cats out of your corn field?"