TOA PAYOH VETS PTE LTD
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Blk 1002, Toa Payoh Lor 8, 01-1477, Singapore 319074.  Tel: +65 6254-3326, 9668-6468, judy@toapayohvets.com, 99pups@gmail.com
 Focus: Small animals -dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters, pet rats amand mice, birds and turtles      
November 29, 2020 
Case written: August 28, 2010

A FAT CAT HAS DIABETES TYPE 1?
 

The male neutered 8-year-old fat cat displayed brown-yellowish urine stains and hair loss in the genital area for some 2 years, but now he no longer had stains.  At that time, I suspected that he had to go in and out of the litter pan which was lined with newspapers. The newspapers were spread out of the sides of the pan. After making sure that the papers were placed inside the litter pan and antibiotics, the cat's genital area was no longer bald due to licking of the stained area. Everyone was happy.

Now the father and young adult daughter who has become a teacher after graduation,  brought the fat cat with matted hairs to Toa Payoh Vets for grooming. The cat looked like Garfield.

"It is not normal for a cat to have stained genital areas," I said to the daughter. "Get a blood test done." I did not ask for a urine test as there were some hesitation about costs and in any case, the cat was sent in for grooming and not for disease.


HISTORY
The father said that the cat was very hungry and drank a lot.

BLOOD TEST
High blood glucose. Liver enzymes were OK. No kidney disorder.  So is this a case of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus without complications in a cat? Is it a case of diabetes at all? What do you think? How to confirm it?

URINE TEST
This would be done if not for economic reasons. Glucosuria will confirm diabetes mellitus. What about diabetes insipidus? Urine SG <1.008 will indicate a likelihood of diabetes insipidus as the urine will be very dilute. "Normal cat urine SG should be around 1.020" I said to my assistant Mr Saw.

I had a review of the two types of diabetes with my assistant Mr Saw. Real case studies are best and this case is useful for Mr Saw as he has to go into differential diagnosis including diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus and the causes of high blood glucose. One condition is associated with the pancreas. The other with the kidneyS.

FOLLOW UP
The fat cat was prescribed Hills W/D which is meant for management of weight and diabetes Type 1. He thrived on this diet given to lose  weight. He was not hungry or thirsty after 3 months on this diet. Hence, I would say that he had type 1 diabetes which is said to be the more common type for cats.  The treatment is dietary management using therapeutic diet like Hills W/D.

 

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