Symptoms of Feline Diabetes

*The following information may be found on numerous websites and in various forms. This info is from the Becton, Dickinson and Company website about diabetes. They produce very fine one-use insulin syringes (my husband used them and Spike uses them) - and I like their information on all types of diabetes.*

Signs of diabetes in cats are subtle and may build over a period of months to years. The cat may not show any classic diabetes symptoms until chronic high blood glucose leads to sugar in the urine. By then, the cat is always thirsty and urinates very large amounts of liquid, seen as big clumps in the litter box. The cat may act sad and mopey. Because its body is using up fat and muscle protein for energy, the cat might lose weight quickly even though it may have a ravenous appetite.
A cat with diabetes often develops muscle weakness due to nerve damage (neuropathy). It may have trouble climbing stairs, jumping, and getting into and out of the litter box. This might cause it to urinate in places other than the litter box. A classic sign of nerve damage is a ‘plantigrade’ position. The cat walks on its entire back hocks instead of just walking on its back toes. The hocks are the joints that look like elbows on the back legs. A cat with this problem often has ‘frosty paws’, because cat litter sticks to its hind legs and paws.

Symptoms of Diabetes - Although obesity is a risk factor for feline diabetes, by the time the cat shows symptoms it can be either obese or very thin, depending on how much insulin the cat's beta cells are still able to produce. The most common symptoms of diabetes in cats include:
Extreme thirst
Lethargy, mopey attitude
Excessive urination
Weight loss
Usually, a ravenous appetite
Weakness
Unkempt hair and coat
Difficulty climbing and jumping
Abnormal walking position (plantigrade stance)

Symptoms of Ketoacidosis - Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a condition that happens when a severe lack of insulin cause the cat’s body to break down fat to use as energy. The breakdown of fat creates chemicals called ketones, which build up in the blood and urine. Ketoacidosis is a medical emergency. If your cat shows several symptoms of DKA, it should be rushed to a veterinarian for treatment. Untreated, ketoacidosis can lead to coma and death.
Diabetic ketoacidosis can happen if a cat has not yet been diagnosed or treated for its diabetes, or if it is not responding to its diabetes treatment. DKA can also happen in a cat that has a serious medical condition in addition to the diabetes, such as a severe infection. The most common symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis are:
Extreme lethargy
Weakness
Reduced appetite or complete refusal to eat
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Fruity breath
Rapid breathing

*My husband's ex-wife was able to home-diagnose one of her cat's diabetes due to his fruity-smelling breath. Her veterinarian was surprised that she knew what was wrong with the cat, and she explained she'd had plenty of experience with her husband's fruity breath when he was "running sugar." **