Getting a diabetic cat to eat?

Question

My aunt's cat was just diagnosed with diabetes and they cannot get it to eat...It is on the verge of liver failure because of not eating. Does anybody know of a good recipe that a kitty will not be able to resist?

She's tried everything and the cat only ate a tiny bit of tuna yesterday.

Thank you for your help. If it doesn't eat soon, I will suggest she put the kitty down. Very sad situation...They went through the same thing with another kitty several years ago!

She has insulin to give the cat but she was instructed to only give it after the cat eats...if she can get it to eat.

Answer 1

Chicken baby food is very palatable to most cats. Many will go completely bonkers for it. Another thing that cats go absolutley crazy for are sardines. I've never seen my cats crazier than when I offered them sardines. The problem with your cat right now is that she doesn't feel well. When a cat doesn't feel well, it doesn't eat. And your vet is correct about the feeding before the insulin. Do not give any insulin until she eats or she could go into what's called diabetic shock from blood sugar that is too low. This can cause seizures, coma or death. So, try the chicken baby food or the sardines and let us know how it goes. Good luck.

Oh no! I just read your update! There is no reason why you would need to put down a diabetic cat. None at all. You vet can also give your cat a steroid injection that does wonders to stimulate an appetite. Ironically, once your cat does in fact eat, she will begin to feel better which will start her on the road to recovery and increase her appetite overall. Diabetes in both humans and cats can be managed. It is not a death sentence by any means.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Some good recommendations (except for continuing the insulin in cat that is NOT eating -- DO NOT do that until the appetite is restored). Call your vet. In addition to the foods and tubes, there are medications that can be administered to stimulate the appetite. If there is hepatic lipidosis going on though, the cat should be hospitalized to help get through the crisis. Just stay in close contact with the vet. Oh, FYI: the first year of a newly diagnosed diabetic animal is the hardest (regulating the blood sugar levels, transitioning them to a special diet, etc) -- once your pet is stabilized, things do get A LOT easier.

Answer 4

When we had cats in the hospital that would not eat we tried a couple things.

Meat baby foods warmed just a bit, and Ensure (vanilla) in small amounts, or blended with a good canned cat food.

Sometimes these cats won't eat when their blood sugars are high and like you said than they get fatty liver disease and feel even worse and won't eat. Have they considered placing some kind of feeding tube? Sometimes if you can just get food into them for a few days (well OK sometimes it takes longer but..) they will start to feel well enough to eat on their own again.

Answer 5

first things first--did the vet give your aunt some insulin? a diabetic cat needs insulin--it won't eat at all if it doesn't feel good (no matter what you put in front of it!). I had a diabetic cat for a number of years (as did my husband before we met!), and the key to keeping a diabetic cat happy is to give him the insulin every 12 hours like clockwork. Yeah, cats don't like shots, but it won't take long before the cat starts to associate the shot with feeling better. Most cats actually learn when it is time for the shots and will start coming to you to remind you! there is no reason to have a diabetic cat put to sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If he has been diabetic for a long time without treatment and is already in kidney failure, that's a different story. but my old cat only had one functioning kidney, and once we got his insulin worked out he did great. In fact, when I did eventuallly have to have him put down, it was because of lung cancer--nothing to do with diabetes!!!!!!! good luck to you and your aunt, and you kitty!!!!

Answer 6

That is sad!

My parents had a cat who was diabetic during the last months of her life. The only thing they could get her to eat was shrimp.

The vet should be able to sell you a tube of some kind of high nutrition-high calorie paste that you can feed your cat if she won't eat anything else- after she's had the insulin, of course. And if she won't eat it from the tube, you could try smearing it on her fur so she'll have to groom it off. That's how I got my kitties to take their heartworm medicine.

Good luck!

Answer 7

check with the vet first, but for a treat my cats just love Gerber baby meat( in the little jars) especially the lamb flavor. if she likes it let her eat just that and then you can later try adding softened kitten crunchies or a brand of dry food your vet reccommends. soak it in hot water to thorougly soften and then mix with the baby food. as she get used to it try adding other canned cat food until you eventually get rid of the baby food. i actually have a 4 year old large male cat that will only eat Gerber lamb mixed with kitten crunchies. you should see him he is beautiful, huge and has the most glossy medium length black fur. it hasn't hurt him and he eats this everyday( his brothers and sisiters are jealous)
you can also try tempting her with some sardines in spring water, or if your vet says ok then with olive oil, not too much though you don't want her to get diarreah. I know she will only eat tuna, but it really isn't very good for cats so i've heard. but you have to get her to eat something. good luck. not a good sign when they wont eat, but if she will take a little then there is hope!
she probably just doesn't feel good and until her insilin is dosed just right, which can take time, then she wont feel back to normal.
you might also try giving her some of the cat milk available at the pet food stores if your vet agrees as i'm not sure what is reccommended as far as sugar content and such.

Answer 8

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Answer 9

Try something very strong smelling. Kentucky Fried Chicken (take off the coating and the bones) is a good thing to try. Most cats will eat that if it's shredded up and put in front of them. Try meat baby food too, that is irresistable to a lot of cats who are ill.

Answer 10

Keep this kind of meal between 400 and six hundred calories. Serve yourself a small portion, so if you like returning for seconds, you'll just end up eating a normal-size portion.