Fat Hangry Diabetic Cat Conundrum

From episode 122 on the Medicine Feed. With Dr. Linda Fleeman (also available now on the open-access podcasts)

Here’s a conundrum in diabetic cats that diabetes guru Dr. Fleeman brought to light in this conversation: 

• Your untreated diabetic feline will probably be skinny, because he can’t metabolise his calories. But then you treat him, and his body regains the ability to store fat. Which it will, if it keeps eating ad lib. 

• Insulin resistance is an issue for obese cats: a diabetic cat that is more than 20% overweight will be impossible to get into remission, or, if it was in remission, its diabetes will relapse. 

• As a non-cat owner I also learnt something new from this quote: 

“Everybody knows that if a cat is hungry, you can't live with that cat. The cat will always win.”

So, how do we keep hangry diabetic cats from getting chubby? (And this might be my favourite pearl ever…) 

• Zucchini!

  • Has almost no calories. 

  • Is free of oxalates, unlike many other veggies. 

  • Will be eaten by a hungry cat, and will keep it full (and protect your legs from hungry little hunters!)

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