What is diabetes in cats?

Almost all of the cells in your cat’s body need glucose to be able to perform properly. When your cat’s food is digested the carbohydrates are converted into sugars including glucose which then goes into the bloodstream. To be able to get into the cells the glucose needs some help from a hormone called insulin which is produced by the pancreas.

When a cat is diabetic the pancreas isn’t able to produce enough insulin or sometimes the body’s cells become less responsive to the insulin that is being made. This means it is more difficult for the cells to get the glucose they need. This also has a knock-on effect of leaving an excess of glucose in the blood because it can’t get into the cells where it’s meant to be.

Cat diabetes guide.