My diabetic cat won't eat her special food. Can she have Fancy Feast?

I would recommend to cut them very gradually over two or three weeks time and do the same with food. This will allow his organism to adapt and maintain appetite (so you can give insulin).In the long term Metabolic food (Hills) (low carbohydrates and higher protein content) should be preferred. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am so sorry about Sweet Pea's diagnosis! I would call your Vet today. A diabetic that won't eat is a big deal. They may want to see her today to check her for the presence of ketones. Ketones are formed when a diabetic breaks down muscles and fat to feed the body. But ketones cause the animal to feel sick and perpetuates the cycle of not eating and not feeling well. If ketones are present, usually hospitalization is required to get rid of the ketones. Another cause of a diabetic not eating is pancreatitis. Some cats become diabetics from chronic pancreatitis. The treatment for that is supportive care. Even if you can't bring her to your Vet today, I still recommend that you talk to them over the phone. Maybe they can prescribe an appetite stimulant, but a minimum they can guide you on how much insulin to give Sweet pea while she isn't eating well. Giving insulin at normal doses when animals aren't eating well can cause the blood sugar to drop too low, which is serious as well. I wish you and Sweet Pea the best!

Hello. As long as the majority of your diabetic cat's diet is the proper one, sneaking a few pieces of the other diet is fine. Every diabetic is allowed a treat now & then. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Personally I have several patients that seem to do well on Fancy Feast. As long as he is maintaining a healthy weight and does not have other health concerns I think it would be fine to continue to offer canned Fancy Feast. The foods without gravy tend to be lower in carbohydrates which might be better nutrition for cats, but again if he seems to be somewhat picky and has been underweight in the past you may want to stick with what he likes. It also might be a good idea to double check with your vet and see if they have other recommendations.

Unregulated or poorly regulated diabetics cats often seem ravenous. This includes the newly diagnosed feline diabetic. As her diabetes becomes more regulated, her appetite will normalize. Feed a high quality canned food. Food that comes from the can looking like a hockey puck. No minced or diced food and no sauces or gravies. All those tend to have high carb content. Cats have no dietary requirement for carbs and excess carbs can complicate the diabetes. Most cats require about 6-8 oz of food daily.

High protein. low carb diets such as royal canin diabetic or hills m/d are very effective in helping to regulate blood sugar and oreventing glucose spikes in diabetics. If underweight, a highly digestible intestinal diet can also be helpful until body condition is restored.

The best food for a cat with diabetes and urinary issues will always be a canned food diet. For diabetics, we try to keep their carbohydrates low. This is only possible with a canned food. I am attaching a link below to a list of canned foods which lists the carbohydrates (which are often not on the label). In general, I try to keep my diabetic patients in the 10-15% carbohydrate range if possible. http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.