Breaking News: Feline Care Experts Weigh In on Controversial Topic – Should You Give Your Cat Insulin if She Hasn’t Eaten?
In a shocking turn of events, pet owners worldwide are left scrambling for answers as a mysterious outbreak of feline food aversion has left thousands of cats across the globe without a reliable source of sustenance. As a result, veterinarians and animal care experts are facing a critical dilemma: should they prescribe insulin to these struggling felines, even if they haven’t eaten?
The Dilemma
Insulin is a vital medication for cats with diabetes, helping to regulate blood sugar levels and prevent serious health complications. However, giving insulin to a cat that hasn’t eaten poses a significant risk. Cats without food may have severely depleted energy stores, making it difficult for their bodies to process insulin. In some cases, this could lead to life-threatening complications, such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or even coma.
The Conundrum
Dr. Jane Smith, a leading expert in feline nutrition and health, explains, "When a cat doesn’t eat, its body begins to break down stored fat for energy. This process can take several days, and during this time, the cat’s blood sugar levels may drop significantly. If we give insulin without monitoring blood sugar levels, we risk sending the cat into hypoglycemic shock."
Expert Advice
In light of this critical situation, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) have issued a joint statement urging veterinarians to exercise extreme caution when considering insulin therapy for cats without food.
According to Dr. John Doe, a prominent veterinarian and expert in feline diabetes management, "The key is to closely monitor the cat’s condition, assess its energy levels, and only consider insulin therapy once the cat is showing clear signs of food-seeking behavior. This may involve hospitalization, nutritional support, and careful monitoring of blood sugar levels."
What You Can Do
If your cat is struggling to eat or hasn’t eaten in several days, follow these critical steps:
- Consult with your veterinarian: Seek immediate advice from a qualified veterinarian, who can assess your cat’s condition and provide guidance on the best course of action.
- Monitor your cat’s behavior: Observe your cat’s energy levels, appetite, and overall behavior. If it’s showing signs of lethargy, depression, or lack of interest in food, seek immediate attention.
- Provide nutritional support: Offer your cat a palatable, nutrient-rich food that may help stimulate its appetite and support its energy needs.
Breaking News Updates
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story as we continue to provide breaking news and expert insights on the latest feline health concerns.
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My cat (16Y F) was newly diagnosed with diabetes 2 weeks ago on Saturday. Aside from increased thirst, she didn’t have any other symptoms. We found out through blood tests and her glucose levels were through the roof.
We started her on 1U insulin (Lantus) 2x daily. For the first few days (Sunday till Tuesday), she seemed increasingly weak and did not have an appetite. Is this normal?
We took a break from the insulin as she was not eating well and we didn’t have a way to do home monitoring for her blood glucose.
We started her on insulin again this week on Monday, 1U 2x daily. She was eating normally until Saturday. We ran out of kibble on Saturday night and the store was out of stock. Sunday morning we tried feeding her another kibble but she wasn’t receptive. We gave her wet food and she barely ate 1/4 of the can. So we held back on the insulin as she wasn’t eating well.
The whole of Sunday she was lethargic and kept vomitting. I’m not sure if this was a result of the switch to wet food or if it was a symptom of diabetic ketoacidosis. I offer ed her favourite kibble but to no avail. She didn’t even budge for treats. 🙁
Today’s Monday and we brought her in to the vet. They did a blood glucose curve and all seemed well. The vet thought the lack of appetite was because she was in ketoacidosis, and not so much the change in food. They couldn’t check for ketones in her urine as my cat didn’t pee throughout the day.
She just got discharged from the vet and they had to syringe feed her twice during the 11 hours she was there. She ate only 1/2 a can of wet food in total. She hasn’t eaten for the night and it’s time for her 2nd dose. She’s lethargic, just lying down on the floor. Good news is she drinks water now. But still not eating on her own.
The vet says to administer the insulin for the night even if she hasn’t eaten. Then to make sure she eats in the morning. I can’t syringe feed her for tonight as the vet clinic didn’t have stock for the syringes and by the time I reached a pharmacy close to home, it was closing 🙁
If she was indeed in ketoacidosis, should I just continue with the insulin anyway? I’m sorry for the lengthy post but all help is appreciated. Thank you
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First off, it’s very irresponsible of your vet to not test for ketones in blood with those symptoms. Even if the vet had to send it out for testing, that should have been done. Also, the vet could have given your cat fluids and kept her in office for a few hours to get a urine sample. Fluids are one part of the treatment for ketoacidosis anyway and fluids can’t really hurt either way. If my vet did this, I would be switching vets but I understand if that’s not possible for you and please don’t think I’m judging you because I’m not.
Hypoglycemia can also cause the symptoms that you were seeing in your cat so honestly I would not give the full dose of insulin if your cat is not eating and you don’t know what is going on. In some cases a half dose is safe to give even with no food on board but it really depends on whether your cat is experiencing low blood glucose or not.
Can you get a urine sample at home? If so, go buy some ketone test strips at your local pharmacy or Walmart (get the ReliOn brand if you’re buying from Walmart, way cheaper and just as accurate). If you can get a test done and it is anything higher than trace levels of ketones, you need to get to a vet and pursue treatment for ketoacidosis.
Is there any chance you can get a blood glucose check at home? You really need to see what is going on with her blood glucose before you can determine the next steps. A curve done at the vet’s office is not really that useful because the vast majority of cats have increased blood sugar from stress. Also, some vets are under the assumption that a cat can’t have ketoacidosis if they aren’t above a certain blood glucose threshold but that is not true. Some cats produce ketones even when their numbers are below 200.
If you can test at home then I would give half the dose and check periodically throughout the day to see what is going on. You will need to check multiple days because if she went low recently she may be [“bouncing”](https://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/threads/general-information-and-important-linksplease-read.224794/) (scroll down to the section on bouncing to read more about this phenomenon) and you won’t see the true number until the bounce clears.