Call to Action: Spread the Word about Feline Diabetes

In recognition of the American Diabetes Association's designation of November as American Diabetes Month, Diabetic Cats in Need is making these calls to action to its friends. We also are submitting this information to BtC4Animals, hoping that it will publish our cause during November.

Our cause for this purpose is this:

• Spread the Word about Feline Diabetes

Our cause will spread the word about proper nutrition for cats. A better diet will keep many cats from becoming diabetic. Our cause also will spread the word about the services offered by Diabetic Cats in Need to help diabetic cats and their people. The more individuals, animals shelters, and animal rescues that know about our rescue, the more cats will be appropriated treated for their diabetes, instead of being destroyed simply because they are diabetic or being inappropriately treated and suffering ill effects due to insulin mis-management.

We don't know how many diabetic cats are destroyed everyday simply because they are diabetic. Or worse yet, they are sent to shelters and left to sit in metal cages, terrified, for a few days before they are destroyed. The case workers at DCIN do their best to identify these cats and save them.

We do know that feline diabetes is epidemic in the United States, with various websites stating that 1 in 50, 100, or 200 cats is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.

http://consciouscat.net/2010/11/08/diabetes-in-cats-treatment-and-preventio/
http://www.nanasdiabetes.com/diabetes-statistics.php
http://www.halopets.com/pet-education/pet-articles/feline-diabetes-new-look-at-old-disease.html

Our calls to action are:

• Post a link to Dr. Lisa Pierson’s Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition article on your social networking sites. Print a copy of that article, and deliver it to your veterinarian.
• Print copies of Diabetic Cat Care’s Cats are Obligate Carnivores handout and distribute them in appropriate places (pet and grocery store public boards) and to appropriate people (caregivers buying dry cat food at pet and grocery stores).
• Print copies of Diabetic Cats in Need’s brochure and strip sheet and deliver them to your veterinarian, animal shelters, and animal rescues.
• Post a link to Diabetic Cats in Need's list of adoptable diabetic cats on your social networking sites.

If our friends print copies of copies of Diabetic Cat Care’s Cats are Obligate Carnivores handout and distribute them in appropriate places and to appropriate people, more people will become aware that the dry food diet they are well-meaningly feeding their cats may lead to diabetes mellitus or other serious health problems. A dry food diet can significantly reduce a cat’s lifespan and cost thousands of dollars in preventable veterinary care. The sources for this information are on the handout, but the first source I send people to for information about feline diets is Dr. Lisa Pierson’s (DVM) website. For the same reasons, I ask our friends to distribute the dietary information on Dr. Pierson's site.

If our friends print copies of our brochure and strip sheet and take them to their veterinarian’s offices, animal shelters, and animal rescues, more caregivers will become aware of the help that DCIN can provide through its Financial Assistance and Rehoming programs. Our brochure also directs caregivers to forums on the Internet with large groups of caregivers helping each other treat their diabetic cats. Those forums are at Diabetic Cat Care and FelineDiabetes.com.

If our friends post a link to our adoptable diabetic cats on their social networking sites, more caregivers may step forward to offer a home and heart to these dear, abandoned cats. And in moving to a home with love and proper care of their diabetes, these cats will live long and healthy lives. Many may even go into diabetic remission.

DCIN's adoptable diabetic cat list includes cats like Spivey, who was presented to a veterinarian solely because of her diabetes. The vet asked for a surrender instead, and DCIN has been trying since August 2011 to find this sweet girl her own home.

Experience in treating a diabetic cat is not a requirement to adopt. One must be willing to learn and apply appropriate treatment, including hometesting blood glucose levels with a human glucometer, injecting a suitable dose of insulin twice a day, and feeding low-carbohydrate canned or raw food. There are two very good forums on the Internet with large groups of caregivers helping each other treat their diabetic cats. Those forums are at Diabetic Cat Care and FelineDiabetes.com.