Conclusion
Diabetic cats can have a good quality of life with few or no clinical signs, facilitated by clients’ and veterinary teams’ commitment to attentive patient care and monitoring, dietary and schedule adjustments, and diligent follow-up evaluations.
A rewarding outcome for diabetic pets starts with realistic but positive and honest conversations between clients and veterinary teams about expectations relating to treatment, patient monitoring, communication, goals, and the commitments required from those involved in the patient’s care. Cats who develop diabetes can live comfortably with their condition for the rest of their lives, and some cats may experience disease remission.
Understanding appropriate patient selection for noninsulin therapies and the differences between insulin formulations and their effects is crucial. Diligent patient observation both at home and via intermittent evaluations in-clinic are essential to gauge therapeutic response, indicate when changes to treatment plans or additional diagnostic tests are needed, and detect or avoid complications associated with the disease or inadequate treatment. Enhancing patients’ and clients’ quality of life relies on resolving clinical signs through adequate, and not necessarily perfect, glycemic control.
The 2026 AAHA Diabetes Management Guidelines for Cats are generously supported by Adapet Medical, Boehringer Ingelheim, Dechra, and Merck Animal Health.
