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My diabetic cat has bad breath. Is it a sign of serious illness?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 9 lbs

I was told 3 weeks ago that my cat is diabetic. Her first blood test showed a level of 17.9, second week of 14.3 and third week was 18.9. I was giving her 2 units twice a day for the first 2 weeks and now I was told to up it to 3 units twice a day. I also bought her the diabetic food. I have noticed the last day or two that she has bad breath, I am wondering if this is some other problem or if it is a side affect of her being diabetic?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Christie Long, DVM

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on March 7th, 2018

Diabetics can have a peculiar odor to their breath, especially when they are producing a compound called ketones. The breath kind of smells like nail polish remover, and this can indicate that that Missy is in diabetic ketoacidosis, which is a potentially serious complication of diabetes.

It's also possible that Missy has dental disease (which, by the way, can make it difficult to regulate diabetes in cats, so I would recommend specifically asking your vet about that) and that could be causing the odor you are smelling. At this point, it's worth calling your vet and inquiring whether you might need to bring Missy in to check her urine for ketones, which is the most reliable indicator of ketoacidosis.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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