Feline diabetes is similar to type 2 diabetes in humans – it is caused by too much fat in the body. It occurs most often in obese male cats, and 45 percent of all cats between the ages of 8 and 12 are overweight or obese.

Traditionally, diabetic cats were given a high-fiber diet to help them lose weight. The cats lost fat, but unfortunately, they also lost muscle. A low-carb/high-protein diet may help cats lose fat while still maintaining the muscle needed for permanent weight loss.

With funding from Morris Animal Foundation (MAF), Drs. Deborah Greco and Mark Peterson, staff endocrinologists at the Animal Medical Center in New York discovered that, in many cases, veterinarians and cat owners can manage diabetes with diet.

Feline patients at the Animal Medical Center and Colorado State University participated in an MAF-funded clinical trial. Of the cats on the high-protein diet, a whopping 68 percent went off insulin, while only 40 percent on the high-fiber diet went off insulin completely. Although both groups saw improvement, Dr. Greco firmly believes high-protein fare is best because it is similar to what cats in the wild would eat. She says, in general, cats shouldn't consume high-carbohydrate diets, which is what most dry foods offer. Canned diets provide more water in the food, she says, and pet owners can control the portions.

Search our animal health studies database for more MAF successes and current studies for cats.