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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.190



To contain litter tracked outside the box, it is often worthwhile to
put the litter pan in a larger shallow cardboard box that will collect
most of the litter stuck to the cat's paw pads when it jumps out.
Keep the area around the litter box as clean and free from spilled
litter as you can.  This helps the cat distinguish from outside and
inside the litter box.  Guess what can happen if this distinction is
not clear.

If you have multiple cats you may have to put out several litterboxes.
If you have a young cat and a large house, you will either need to
place several litterboxes down so that there will be one near enough
at any point or you will have to confine the young cat to an area of
the house within easy reach of the litter box.

Disinfect the the litter box and top (if any) on a regular basis to
prevent illness and disease.  Bleach is a good disinfectant around
cats, although you should be sure to rinse thoroughly and air out all
the fumes.  Do NOT use pine-oil based cleaners as these are toxic to
cats.

5.  Toilets

It is possible to train a cat to use the toilet rather than a litter
box.  One book is _How to Toilet Train Your Cat: 21 days to a
litter-free home_ by Paul Kunkel, published by Workman Publishing, 708
Broadway, New York, NY 10003, and simultaneously published in Canada
by Thomas Allen and Son Publishing (no address given).  ISBN no.
0-89480-828-1.  Cost, $5.95.

The cat must be well trained to the litter box first.  Move the litter
box into the bathroom next to the toilet.  Little by little (2 inches
every two days) raise the litter box until the bottom of the litter
box is at the level of the toilet (seat down, lid raised).  Then
slowly move the litter box over to the top of the toilet.  This
accustoms the cat to jumping UP to the toilet to eliminate.  When the
cat is comfortable with this, cover the toilet (under the seat) with
strong plastic wrap like Saran wrap and fill the middle with litter.
Decrease the amount of litter until the cat is peeing into the plastic
and then make a hole in the middle of the plastic so the cat gets used
to the sound of urine and stool hitting the water.  Sooner or later
you eliminate the plastic.

6.  Placement of litter box

Beyond making the litter box readily accessible to your cat, there is
some consideration as to an aesthetically pleasing placement.  Utility
closets that the cat can always access are useful.  Laundry rooms work
well, bathrooms less well (especially in guest bathrooms).  One
suggestion was to build a chest with an entrance at one end big enough
to contain the cat box.  The chest can be displayed like furniture and
yet be discreet.  If you can't build a chest yourself, it should be
relatively easy to saw an opening in the side of a pre-made chest.


E.  Dental Care.

1.  Tartar buildup

Cats, like humans, have tartar buildup on their teeth called plaque.
An accumulation of plaque can lead to peridontal (gum) problems, and
the eventual loss of teeth.  Plaque is a whitish-yellow deposit.  Cats
seem to accumulate plaque primarily on the exterior face of their
upper teeth.  Reddened gum lines can indicate irritation from plaque.

Some cats are more prone to plaque buildup than others. Some never
need dental care, others need to have their teeth cleaned at regular
intervals.  Many vets encourage you to bring your cat in annually for
teeth cleaning, using a general anesthetic.  The cost, which can be
considerable, and the risk of the anesthesia itself are both good
incentives for doing some cat dental care at home.

What you can do:

  Brush your cat's teeth once a week.  Use little cat toothbrushes, or
  soft child-size toothbrushes, and edible cat toothpaste (available
  at most vets or pet stores). Cats often hate to have their teeth
  brushed, so you may have to use a bathtowel straightjacket and a
  helper.  If you are skilled and have a compliant cat, you can clean
  its teeth using the same type of tool the human dentist does.

2.  Smelly breath

If your cat has smelly breath, there are various possible causes.

  * Teething: at about 6 months of age, cats will lose their baby
    teeth and get permanent ones.  If the gums are red and puffy and
    you can see the points of teeth breaking through here and there,
    the cat is just teething and the odor will subside as the teeth
    come in.

  * Gingivitus: if the gums appear red and puffy and you've ruled
    teething out, your cat may have a gum infection of some sort.
    Take the cat to the vet.

  * Diet: certain foods, usually canned foods or prescription foods,
    can make your cat's breath smell.  If possible, try changing your
    cat's diet.

  * Abscessed tooth: may show no symptoms other than smelly breath.
    Drooling sometimes occurs in conjunction.  The cat must be taken
    to the vet to have the abscess drained and possibly the teeth
    involved removed.  If this is not done, the infection can easily
    spread to the sinuses and cause the face to swell, especially just
    under the eyes.

F.  Trimming Claws.

As an alternative to declawing and to help stem the destruction from
scratching, many cat owners keep their cats' claws trimmed.  This is
easiest if you start from the beginning when your cat is a kitten,
although most cats can be persuaded to accept this procedure.

Use nail clippers available at pet stores.  Look for the guillotine
type (don't use the human variety, this will crush and injure your
cat's claw) and get blade replacements as the sharper the blade is the
easier this procedure is.

There are also clippers that look like scissors with short, hooked
blades.  These may be easier for some people to handle.

Set your cat down securely in the crook of your "off" arm, with the
cat either in your lap or on the floor between your knees, depending
on the size of your cat and your own size.  Pin the cat to your side
with your arm and hold one of its paws with your hand (this is
sometimes a little much for an "off" arm, you may wish to practice).

With its back away from you, it cannot scratch you, or easily get
away.  With your "good" hand, hold the clippers.  If you squeeze your
cat's paw with your off hand, the claws will come out.  Examine them
carefully (you may want to do this part before actually trying to trim
them, to familiarize yourself with how the claws look).

If the claws are white (most cat's are), the difference between the
nail and the quick is easy to see (use good lighting).  The quick will
be the pink tissue visible within the nail of the claw at the base.
This is comparable to the difference between the nail attached to your
skin and the part that grows beyond it.  DO NOT CUT BELOW THE QUICK.
It will be painful to your cat and bleed everywhere.  When in doubt,
trim less of the nail.  It will just mean trimming more often.

Clip the portion above the quick for each nail and don't forget the
dewclaws.  On cats, dewclaws are found only on the front paws, about
where humans would have their thumbs -- they do not touch the ground.
Some cats are polydactyl, and have up to seven claws on any paw.
Normally there are four claws per paw, with one dewclaw on each of
the front paws.  Rear claws don't need to be trimmed as often or at
all; they do not grow as quickly and are not as sharp.  You should be
able to hold any of the four paws with your off hand; it will become
easier with practice.

If you have too much trouble holding the cat still for this, enlist
someone else to help.  You can then pick up a paw and go for it.  Be
careful; this position often means you are in front of its claws and a
potential target for shredding.  Older cats generally object more than
younger ones; this means you should start this procedure as soon as
you get your cat if you intend to do this.

Trimming claws should be done weekly.  Different claws grow at
different rates; check them periodically (use the same position you
use for clipping: it gives you extra practice and reduces the cat's
anxiety at being in that position).

Claws grow constantly, like human nails.  Unlike human nails, however,
to stay sharp, claws must shed outer layers of nail.  Cats will pull
on their claws or scratch to remove these layers.  This is perfectly
normal and is comparable to humans cutting and filing their own nails.
You may see slices of claws lying around, especially on scratching
posts; this is also quite normal.

G.  Grooming.

Start early with your cat.  The younger it is when you begin grooming
it, the more pleasant grooming will be for it.  A cat that fights
grooming may need sedation and shaving at the vets for matted fur; it
is well worth the time to get your cat to at least tolerate grooming.
Start with short sessions.  Stick to areas that it seems to enjoy
(often the top of the head and around the neck) first, and work your
way out bit by bit.  Experiment a bit (and talk with your vet) to find
the brush and routine that seems to work best with your cat.  Even
short-hair cats benefit from grooming: they still shed a surprising
amount of hair despite its length.

1.  Thick, long fur

Inexpensive pin-type (not the "slicker" type) dog brushes work well.
You may choose to followup with a metal comb; if you use a flea comb,
you will also detect any fleas your cat may have.

2.  Silky long fur

Soft bristle brushes work well.

3.  Short hair

Try an all-rubber brush, often sold as kitten or puppy brushes.

H.  Pills, Dosing and Medication.

1.  Methods

Kneel on floor and put cat between knees (cat facing forwards).  Cross
your ankles behind so cat can't escape backwards; press your knees
together so cat can't escape forwards.  Make sure your cat's front
legs are tucked in between your knees so it can't claw you.  Put the
palm of your hand on top of its head and thumb and index finger on
either side of its mouth; the mouth will fall open as you tilt the
head back.  You may wish to stop at this point and use a flashlight to
examine the cat's mouth to see what you are doing.  You want to drop
the pill in on *top* of the tongue as far *back* as you can.  Keep the
head tilted back, hold its mouth closed, and stroke its throat until
pill is swallowed.  Then let your cat escape.

Another trick is to buy a bottle of gelatin capsules.  Take the
capsule apart, dump the contents, put the pill in the empty capsule
(in pieces if it won't otherwise fit) and reassemble the two capsule
halves.  Some places, especially natural food stores, will sell empty
gelatin capsules, try and get size "00".  This makes the
administration of small pills much easier, and can also allow you to
give more than one pill at one time, if they're sufficiently small.
The capsule itself just dissolves away harmlessly.  Do NOT use
capsules which have been filled with any other substance but plain
gelatin, since the residue may not agree with your pet!

You can try babyfood as a deception: get some pureed baby food meat,
dip your finger in the jar, and sort of nestle the pill in the baby
food.  Offer it to your cat and it may lick it up.  Be warned, some
cats are very good at licking up everything BUT the pill.

To administer liquid medication if the cat will not lick it up: use
the same procedure for pilling, but (using a needle-less syringe that
you can obtain from your vet) squirt the medicine down its throat
instead of dropping the pill.  Cats do not choke on inhaled liquids
like humans because they rarely breath through their mouths.

Cats can vomit easily, so keep an eye on them for a while after
they've been dosed: it's not impossible that they'll run off to a
corner and upchuck the medicine.  Giving them a pet treat after dosage
may help prevent this.

If your cat has an affected *area* that you must clean or swab or
otherwise handle, try this strategy, especially if the cat is
uncooperative:

Start with lots of handling.  At first don't handle the affected area,
at all or for long.  Gradually increase the amount of handling of the
affected area.  Move closer to it day by day, spend more time near it
or on it.  Talk to the cat while you're handling it.  At the same time
you're handling the affected area, pet the cat in an area it likes to
be handled.  After handling the affected area, praise the cat, pet the
cat, give the cat a food treat, do things the cat likes.

As long as the medical problem you're treating isn't acute, don't
restrain the cat to apply treatment.  Gradually working up to a
tolerable if not pleasant approach is much better in the long run.

If you must restrain the cat, grab the fur on the back of the neck
with one hand, holding the head down, and clean/medicate with the
other hand.  Have your vet show you how.  Sometimes wrapping the
cat in a towel helps too.

I.  Worms.

This information is condensed from Taylor.

  * Roundworms: can cause diarrhea, constipation, anemia, potbellies,
    general poor condition.  They are present in the intestines and
    feed on the digesting food.

  * Whipworms and threadworms: fairly rare, can cause diarrhea, loss
    of weight, or anemia.  Whipworms burrow into the large intestine;
    threadworms into the small.  Both may cause internal bleeding.

  * Hookworms: can cause (often bloody) diarrhea, weakness and anemia.
    They enter through the mouth or the skin and migrate to the small
    intestine.

  * Tapeworms: look for small "rice grains" or irritation around the
    anus. They live in the intestines and share the cat's food.

  * Flukes: can cause digestive upsets, jaundice, diarrhea, or anemia.
    They are found in the small intestine, pancreas and bile ducts.

If you suspect worms in your cat, take it (and a fresh fecal sample)
to the vet.  Do not try over the counter products: you may not have
diagnosed your cat correctly or correctly identified the worm and
administer the wrong remedy.  In addition, your vet can give you
specific advice on how to prevent reinfestation.

General tips on preventing worm infestation: stop your cat from eating
wild life; groom regularly; keep flea-free; keep bedding clean; and
get regular vet examination for worms.

J.  Poisons.

The information in this section is mostly condensed from Carlson &
Giffins.  The list of poisons is not intended to be conclusive.  Nor
are the treatments intended to be sufficient: call your vet in the
event of any internal poisoning.

1.  Treatment after ingestion

To induce vomiting in cats:
   * Hydrogen peroxide 3% (most effective): One teaspoon every ten minutes;
     repeat three times.
   * One-fourth teaspoonful of salt, placed at the back of the tongue.
   * Syrup of Ipecac (one teaspoonful per ten pounds of body weight).

Do NOT induce vomiting when the cat
   * has swallowed an acid, alkali, solvent, heavy duty cleaner,
     petroleum product, tranquilizers, or a sharp object
   * is severely depressed or comatose
   * swallowed the substance more than two hours ago

You will also want to coat the digestive tract and speed up
elimination to help rid the cat of the substances:

To delay or prevent absorption
   * Mix activated charcoal with water (5 grams to 20 cc.).  Give
     one teaspoonful per two pounds body weight.
   * Thirty minutes later, give sodium sulphate (glauber's salt),
     one teaspoon per ten pounds body weight, or Milk of Magnesia,
     one teaspoon per five pounds body weight.
   * In the absence of any of these agents, coat the bowel with milk,
     egg whites, vegetable oil and give a warm water enema.

If your cat has a poisonous substance on its skin or coat, wash it off
before your cat licks the substance off and poisons itself.  Use soap
and water or give it a complete bath in lukewarm (not cold) water.

2.  Greenhouse plants

Plants from commercial greenhouses may be sprayed with systemics to
control pests.  Some are fairly nasty and long-lasting.  More
enlightened greenhouses use integrated pest management techniques and
vastly reduce the costs of pest control, and costs to the environment.

You'll need to ask about what the sprays are, how often, etc.  They
should have MSDS (material safety data sheets) on hand for everything
they use.   Many greenhouses also buy foliage plants (esp.) from
commercial growers in southern states, rather than raising their own
plants, so you need to ask about that too.


3.  Household plants

  * Gives a rash after contact: chrysanthemum; creeping fig; weeping
    fig; poinsettia; pot mum; spider mum.

  * Irritating; the mouth gets swollen; tongue pain; sore lips --
    potentially fatal, these plants have large calcium oxalate
    crystals and when chewed, esophageal swelling may result,
    resulting in death unless an immediate tracheotomy is done:
    Arrowhead vine; Boston ivy; caladium; dumbcane; Emerald Duke;
    heart leaf (philodendrum); Marble Queen; majesty; neththyis;
    parlor ivy; pathos; red princess; saddle leaf (philodendron);
    split leaf (philodendron).

  * Generally toxic; wide variety of poisons; usually cause vomiting,
    abdominal pain, cramps; some cause tremors, heart and respiratory
    and/or kidney problems (difficult for you to interpret):
    Amaryllis; azalea; bird of paradise; crown of thorns; elephant
    ears; glocal ivy; heart ivy; ivy; Jerusalem cherry; needlepoint
    ivy; pot mum; ripple ivy; spider mum; umbrella plant.

4.  Outdoor plants

  * Vomiting and diarrhea in some cases: Delphinium; daffodil; castor
    bean; Indian turnip; skunk cabbage; poke weed; bittersweet; ground
    cherry; foxglove; larkspur; Indian tobacco; wisteria; soap berry.

  * Poisonous and may produce vomiting, abdominal pain, sometimes
    diarrhea: horse chestnut/buckeye; rain tree/monkey pod; American
    yew; English yew; Western yew; English holly; privet; mock orange;
    bird of paradise bush; apricot & almond; peach & cherry; wild
    cherry; Japanese plum; balsam pear; black locust.

  * Various toxic effects: rhubarb; spinach; sunburned potatoes; loco
    weed; lupine; Halogeton; buttercup; nightshade; poison hemlock;
    pig weed; water hemlock; mushrooms; moonseed; May apple;
    Dutchman's breeches; Angel's trumpet; jasmine; matrimony vine.

  * Hallucinogens: marijuana; morning glory; nutmeg; periwinkle;
    peyote; loco weed.

  * Convulsions: china berry; coriaria; moonweed; nux vomica; water
    hemlock.

5.  Chemical substances

  * Strychnine, Sodium fluoroacetate, Phosphorus, Zinc Phosphide:
    rat/mouse/mole/roach poisons, rodents killed by same.  Phosphorus
    is also found in fireworks, matches, matchboxes, and fertilizer.

  * Arsenic, Metaldehyde, Lead: slug/snail bait; some ant poisons,
    weed killers and insecticides; arsenic is a common impurity found
    in many chemicals.  Commercial paints, linoleum, batteries are
    sources of lead.

  * Warfarin (Decon; Pindone): grain feeds used as rat/mouse poison,
    Also used as a prescription anti-coagulant for humans, various
    brand names, such as coumadin.  The animal bleeds to death.
    Vitamin-K is antidote: look for purplish spots on white of
    eyes and gums (at this point animal is VERY sick).

  * Antifreeze (ethylene glycol): from cars.  Wash down any from your
    driveway as this is "good tasting" but toxic to most animals.

  * Organophosphates and Carbamates (Dichlorvos, Ectoral, Malathion,
    Sevin (in high percentages) etc), Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
    (Chloradane, Toxaphene, Lindane, Methoxychlor: flea/parasite
    treatments, insecticides.

  * Petroleum products: gasoline, kerosene, turpentine.

  * Corrosives (acid and alkali): household cleaners; drain
    decloggers; commercial solvents.

  * Many household cleaning products.  Pine-oil products are very
    toxic and should be avoided or rinsed thoroughly (bleach is a
    better alternative).  In particular, avoid items containing
    Phenol.

  * Garbage (food poisoning): carrion; decomposing foods; animal
    manure.

  * People Medicines: antihistamines, pain relievers (esp. aspirin),
    sleeping pills, diet pills, heart preparations and vitamins.
    Anything smelling of wintergreen or having methyl salicylate
    as an ingredient.  Tylenol (acetominophen) will kill cats.

6.  Food

Chocolate: theobromine, which is found in chocolate is toxic to cats.
The darker and more bitter the chocolate is, the more theobromine it
has.  More information can be found in the Summer 1992 edition of _Cat
Life_.

Caffeine: can cause problems for your cat.  Do not feed it coffee,
Coco Cola, or other foods containing caffeine.

K.  Vaccination and Worming Schedule.

Preventative health care schedule for cattery cats and pet cats.  From
John R. August, 1989.  Preventative Health Care and Infectious Disease
Control, pp.  391-404 in Sherding, Robert H. (ed) The Cat: Diseases
and Clinical Management, v1.  Churchill-Livingstone Inc, NY.

|All cats should be vaccinated, even strictly indoor ones.  Cats may
|escape.  Some diseases use mice, fleas, or other insects as vectors
|and do not require the presence of other cats.  Natural disasters:
|consider earthquakes, hurricanes, etc., may let your cat out of the
|house.

3 weeks          fecal exam

6 weeks          fecal exam

9-10 weeks       FRTV/FCV/FPV vaccine
                 ELISA test for FeLV
                 FeLV vaccine
                 fecal exam

12-14 weeks      FRTV/FCV/FPV vaccine
                 FeLV vaccination
                 Rabies vaccine
                 fecal exam

6 months         FeLV vaccination
                 fecal exam

12 months        fecal exam

16 months        FRTV/FCV/FPV vaccine (repeated annually)
                 FeLV vaccine (repeated annually)
                 Rabies vaccine (repeated according to manufacturer's
                                 instructions)
                 fecal exam (every 6 months)

FCV= feline calicivirus
FRTV= feline rhino-tracheovirus
FPV= feline panleukopenia virus = distemper
FeLV = feline leukemia virus.

FIP is a yearly vaccination, but it is new and may not always be
available, or advised for your particular cat.  Talk with your vet.

L.  What Your Vet Should Check.

On a standard annual physical/examination, your vet should check:

  * teeth for tartar/gum swelling
  * ears for ear mites and other fungus problems
  * body for ringworm (with black light)
  * standard bloodwork
  * fecal exam for worms
  * booster shots for rabies, FeLV, panleukopenia, rhino&co, etc.
  * eyes for normal pupil response and normal retinal appearance
  * weight, heart rate, temperature


III.  HEALTH/MEDICAL

A.  In General.

Your cat can't tell you how it's feeling so you must familiarize
yourself with its normal behavior.  A healthy cat maintains normal
body weight, level of activity, and social behavior.  A significant
change in any of these is a warning sign.

Getting regular, accurate weights can detect problems early.  You can
weigh yourself on a bathroom scale with (holding) and without the cat
and subtract.  This is accurate only to about two pounds on most
bathroom scales.  For better accuracy, modify a kitchen scale by
mounting a bigger platform on it.  Train your cat to get on the
platform by placing a Pounce or similar treat on it.  Any sudden
weight change, especially loss, probably means your cat is feeling
sick.

Medicines for humans are often used for cats, both prescription and
non-prescription drugs (phenobarbitol, lasix, amoxicillin, cold
medications, etc.).  When you hear that you should never give human
medicines to cats, it means that you should NOT give them without
first consulting your vet.  Certain very common human drugs like
aspirin and especially tylenol are DEADLY to cats, so DON'T give them
ANY kind of medication unless recommended by the vet (note that
aspirin can be given in very small doses, but you need to check out
correct dosage and frequency of administration).

B.  My Cat is Sick, Should I Take It To the Vet?

1.  Asking on the net

Frequently there are postings such as: "My cat is doing <this>, should
I take it to the vet?"  Or even, "I can't afford to take my cat to the
vet, he is doing <this>, what can I do?"  The usual answer will be
TAKE IT TO THE VET!  It is an irresponsible owner who does not consult
the vet, even by phone, at the first opportunity.  And if you take on
the responsibility of owning a cat, you must budget for the vet visits
to keep it healthy.

On the other hand, if you already have a vet appointment, or have had
the vet look at it and be stumped by the symptoms, rec.pets.cats is a
valuable resource of tips on what might be wrong, or reassurances that
the cat is not at risk of immediate death, so do not hesitate to ask
the group under these circumstances.

2.  Home vet books

A low-cost method to ease anxieties over non-emergency kitty problems
is to get a home vet book.  (See Literature.)  These books also help
explain what sort of "deviant" behaviors are actually relatively
normal for cats.  However, unless you yourself are a vet, these books
should never substitute for having a vet for your cat.

C.  What is FIV?  FeLV?  Diabetes?

A cautionary note about this section.  This is not meant to be a
complete treatise on these various diseases.  It is intended to
familiarize you with the various major diseases your cat can develop.
If your cat has any of these diseases, you should be in close contact
with your vet, who will provide you with all the information you need
to deal with your cat's illness.  Further information on any of these
diseases may also be found in the books listed in the Literature
section.

Furthermore, while many vaccines exist to prevent these diseases, be
aware that vaccines do not always work 100% of the time.  Variables
can include the cat's own ability to "take" the vaccine, the proper
administration of the vaccine, and whether or not the cat has already
be exposed to the disease in question.

2.  FIV

There is no vaccine for this.  FIV is passed through open wounds, such
as cat bites.

This disease impairs the cat's immune system and it will often fall
prey to some other opportunistic disease.  While the virus is related
to HIV, it is NOT possible to contract AIDS from a cat with FIV.

FIV-positive cats should be kept inside and away from other cats.
With this and other precautions, they may live a fairly long time.
Because of their subsceptibility to secondary infections and
complications, these cats are rather vet-intensive.

They do not often die directly from FIV, but rather one of the
diseases that they can get when their immune system is impaired.  FIV
appears to involve three stages: acute (swollen lymph glands, fever,
depression, bacterial infections); latent (apparent wel being, can
last months to years); and chronic (cat is susceptible to all kinds of
other viruses, fungii, and bacteria).  Survival over two years is
rare.

3.  Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV)

Also a retrovirus, Feline Leukemia is fatal and usually fairly
quickly, within three to four years and often less.  There is a small
percentage, ~4%, who are apparently immune and live with FeLV with no
side effects (except that they are carriers and may infect other
cats).  There is a vaccination for this disease.

FeLV is spread mainly by saliva, nose mucous and maybe urine.  The
virus can affect a lot of tissues, but tends to be most notorious for
causing cancer of lymphocytes, neutrophiles, platelet precursors, in
fact nearly all cellular constituants of the blood.  These cancers
arise from the similar ability to hide out for a long latency in the
body, but the FeLV virus "irritates" blood forming cells, causing them
to do strange things (become cancerous).  Very generally, symptoms of
FeLV infection can range from none (some few recover) to very sick.
The symptoms depend on which cell line is being attacked.  Treatment
is similarly complicated, ranging from antivirals to anticancer drugs,
and other drugs thrown in to manage infections and side effects.

4.  Diabetes

Diabetes occurs when the cat cannot properly regulate its blood sugar
level.  Symptoms may include excessive thirst and urination; it may
lose weight or develop diabetes because of obesity.  Older cats are
more likely to develop diabetes than younger ones.

Treatment may consist of a carefully regulated diet to keep blood
sugar levels consistent (especially if the diabetes was triggered by
obesity).  In most cases, daily injections of insulin are needed.
Regular vet visits are required to determine the proper dosage.  In
between visits, using urine glucose test strips available from the
pharmacy helps you determine whether the dosage of insulin is
sufficient.

A bottle of Karo syrup or maple syrup kept handy is essential for
bringing the cat out of dangerously low blood sugar levels.  Diabetic
cats should be kept indoors to prevent accidental feeding (and thus
disturbing the regulation of blood sugar levels).