Diabetes is one of the most frequently diagnosed hormonal disorders in cats, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 to 1 in 200 cats over their lifetime. The condition has become more common in recent decades, likely driven by rising rates of indoor living, obesity, and longer lifespans. If you’re wondering whether your cat could develop diabetes, or you’ve just received a diagnosis, here’s what you need to know.
How Common It Is and Which Cats Are at Risk
Diabetes can affect any cat, but certain factors make it significantly more likely. Middle-aged and older cats are diagnosed most often, typically after age seven. Male cats develop diabetes more frequently than females, and neutered males carry the highest risk of any group.
Breed matters too. Burmese cats have roughly twice the risk of developing diabetes compared to mixed-breed cats. The Burmilla breed, which descends from the Burmese, carries an even more dramatic predisposition at about eight times the risk of crossbred cats, according to data from the Royal Veterinary College in the UK. Most other breeds fall within a similar baseline risk range.
The single biggest modifiable risk factor is weight. Overweight and obese cats are far more likely to develop the disease, and obesity rates in pet cats have climbed steadily. Cats that eat high-carbohydrate diets and get little physical activity are especially vulnerable. Long-term use of certain steroid medications can also raise risk.
Why Cats Get a Different Type Than Dogs
Over 80% of diabetic cats have type 2 diabetes, the same form most commonly seen in people. In type 2, the body’s cells stop responding properly to insulin (a state called insulin resistance), and the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas gradually fail. This is different from dogs, who almost always develop type 1 diabetes, where the immune system destroys those cells outright.
Feline type 2 diabetes shares a striking similarity with the human version: in both species, abnormal protein deposits called amyloid build up in the pancreas and contribute to cell damage. One key difference, though, is that most cats already have very low insulin levels by the time they’re diagnosed, even when they’re overweight. In humans, insulin levels are often still high early in the disease. This means that by the time owners notice symptoms, the pancreas has already lost significant function.
Signs to Watch For
The two hallmark symptoms owners notice at home are increased thirst and urination, paired with weight loss despite a normal or even increased appetite. Your cat may suddenly start draining the water bowl, using the litter box more frequently, or producing noticeably larger clumps of wet litter. Meanwhile, they may be eating well but visibly losing weight, especially muscle mass along the spine and hind legs.
These signs develop because, without enough working insulin, glucose builds up in the blood instead of entering cells for energy. The body starts breaking down fat and muscle for fuel, which explains the weight loss. When blood sugar climbs high enough (above roughly 250 to 300 mg/dL in cats), glucose spills into the urine and pulls water along with it, driving the excessive thirst and urination cycle.
If diabetes goes uncontrolled for weeks or months, some cats develop nerve damage in their hind legs. This shows up as a distinctive flat-footed walk where the cat’s ankles (hocks) drop down and touch or nearly touch the ground, instead of walking up on their toes like normal. This “plantigrade stance” results from prolonged high blood sugar damaging the nerves that control the lower limbs. Weakness, unsteadiness, and muscle wasting in the hind legs can accompany it.
How Diabetes Is Managed
Most diabetic cats need insulin injections, typically given twice a day at home. The needles are small, and most cats tolerate them well once a routine is established. Your vet will show you the technique, and it quickly becomes part of the daily feeding schedule. Periodic blood sugar monitoring, either at the vet’s office or with a home glucose monitor, helps fine-tune the dose over time.
Diet plays a major role. Veterinary guidelines recommend feeding diabetic cats a high-protein diet (at least 40% of calories from protein) with very low carbohydrates, around 12% of calories. Many commercial “diabetic” or grain-free wet foods meet these targets. This dietary shift alone can dramatically improve blood sugar control. Wet food is generally preferred over dry kibble because most dry foods are significantly higher in carbohydrates.
For overweight cats, gradual weight loss is an important part of treatment. Losing excess fat helps the body respond to insulin more effectively, which can reduce or even eliminate the need for injections over time.
The Possibility of Remission
One of the most encouraging aspects of feline diabetes is that remission is genuinely possible. Roughly 60% of cats can eventually stop insulin therapy if their blood sugar is brought under tight control early. The best remission rates occur when treatment starts promptly after diagnosis, ideally within the first six months, and when it combines the right type of insulin with a low-carbohydrate diet and weight management.
Remission means the cat’s blood sugar stays in a normal range without insulin injections. It doesn’t always mean the disease is gone permanently. Some cats relapse months or years later, so continued monitoring and maintaining a healthy weight and diet remain important even after insulin is discontinued. Cats that are diagnosed later or that have had poorly controlled blood sugar for an extended period are less likely to achieve remission, largely because prolonged high glucose causes additional, sometimes irreversible, damage to the insulin-producing cells.
What Uncontrolled Diabetes Looks Like
Left untreated, diabetes doesn’t just cause discomfort. It can progress to a life-threatening emergency called diabetic ketoacidosis, where the body produces dangerous levels of acids from breaking down fat too rapidly. Cats in this state often become lethargic, stop eating, vomit, and can deteriorate quickly. This requires urgent veterinary care.
Even short of that crisis point, chronic uncontrolled diabetes takes a toll. The nerve damage described earlier can become permanent. Cats may develop urinary tract infections more frequently because sugar in the urine creates a favorable environment for bacteria. Muscle wasting, poor coat quality, and general decline in energy and quality of life are common when the disease isn’t managed.
The good news is that with consistent treatment, most diabetic cats live comfortably for years. Many owners find that after the initial adjustment period of learning to give injections and manage diet, the daily routine becomes straightforward. And for the significant percentage of cats that achieve remission, the outcome can be even better than expected.