controlling cat diabetes with diet?

[mamabohl]

We just found out that my cat is diabetic.  The initial cost is quoted as $400-$500 for the first month and then about $100/month for the insulin after that and another check up after 6 months (or did she say 3?).  I may get flamed for this but that is just too much money, we can't do it.  

I had just been reading up on feeding cats meat instead of dry cat food...and I think it's the years of dry cat food that caused his diabetes.  Does anyone know if switching him to an all-meat (some or all raw) diet is enough to keep him well (just in the couple weeks since I had started giving him real meat his symptoms had improved)?  

[starrlamia]

No idea, but it would be very good for him if you can switch to a raw diet, you would have to switch and wait and see what happens.

[elsie]

I would look into this book: http://www.drmarty.com/drmartybook.htm

He has a lot of good information about how to make the right changes

[catheleni]

In my opinion, you can absolutely do this.  I have done it myself and if more people would be open to it, they'd cure their cats.  I have an excellent article. Let me find it.  It doesn't even have to be raw, just quality canned, and done gradually, to avoid digestive upset.  Let me figure out how to add the article.

[catheleni]

Here is the link to the article we give to all our adopters (our cat rescue).  It directly addresses your question.

http://www.catinfo.org/

[lonegirl]

We do diet changes along with insulin.  There have been some cases where diet change alone has controlled the diabetes....but not in every case.  There are specially formulated diets (yes I know many are all about the raw diet...I am not). DM (diabetes management) MD (metabolic diet) as well as some weight control diets all help in controlling this condition.

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by lonegirl 

We do diet changes along with insulin.  There have been some cases where diet change alone has controlled the diabetes....but not in every case.  There are specially formulated diets (yes I know many are all about the raw diet...I am not). DM (diabetes management) MD (metabolic diet) as well as some weight control diets all help in controlling this condition.

We some improvement when we switched to a DM diet but it didn't "cure" our elderly cat's diabetes but it did reduce, for a time, the amount of insulin she needed.  Our vet told us to go for a raw diet but neither cat was interested in raw meat of any kind.  (both cats ate wet, high quality canned food their entire lives)  Because she wouldn't eat raw, it caused even more problems with her sugar levels.  She crashed a couple of times, resulting in trips to the emergency vet room.  Just mentioning this as an owner whose two cats wanted NOTHING to do with a raw diet.

OP - How old is your cat?  Have you talked to the vet about your kitty's quality of life going forward?  I understand the money concerns.  I want to weep at the amount of money we spent.  I loved C. with all my heart but looking back on it, we kept her alive for us, not for her, as her quality of life was not good for a long time.  The insulin and diet changes kept her alive but didn't keep her "better"

[Caneel]

Originally Posted by catheleni 

Here is the link to the article we give to all our adopters (our cat rescue).  It directly addresses your question.

http://www.catinfo.org/

Thanks for posting this!  I book maked it for future reference.