Can I check if my cat has diabetes?

[dkerram]

My cat is 10 years old and has some strange symptoms, similar to diabetes.  Before bringing her to the vet, which will be quite costly, I want to try some tests at home. My friend told me of 3 brands that are available on-line: Glucotest, Petcheckup and Pawcheck.  Does anyone know anything about these?  Thanks.

[Piparskeggr]

10 years old is getting into senior years for a kitty.  My suggestion is to get a complete physical for her, including complete blood work.  That is something my wife and I have done for ours over the years.

Our Miss Hildie does have diabetes.  We give her insulin twice a day, but because we got her eating a little better (fewer grains, more meat based protein), the dose is smaller than it was.

One of the biggest physical signs we saw with her was a loss of muscle mass and tone in her hind quarters.  With the effective treatment, she's gained back both.

[opus88]

has she been drinking alot more than usual? that is more a sign of diabetes than eating more, and usually its a worry when they eat lots but start dropping weight rather than gaining....
go ahead and try the strips, IMO she really doesn't sound like there is much to be concerned about....
UNLESS she is drinking alot, constantly hungry and NOT gaining weight..than see a Vet..
of course if you are still concerned be sure to get proper Vet advice and testing...

[dkerram]

My cat has been eating a lot, gaining weight and showing signs of frequent fatigue, she is not active.
Of course, I can bring her to my vet, but that's a few hundred dollars by the time they test everything...
I heard a lot of good things about these home-tests, Glucotest is from Purina so it has to be good.

[evewisewoman]

Hello there,

You said your cat has strange symptoms similar to diabetes. What are
these strange symptoms? If you suspect your cat has diabetes, I would
suggest you take her to your vet asap. Take that money you were going
to use to purchase the home tests your listed and take your kitty for
professional medical advice. Our cat was diagnosed with diabetes through
a blood test. The blood test is not expensive atleast not here in Canada.
Diabetes is nothing to fool around with. If your kitty has diabetes she needs
proper medical attention, probably special food which will need to be determined by your vet and the amount of food has to be determined too.
Good luck. Eve

[pawpet]

We tried Glucotest last year for our Bella, the result was positive and she was diagnosed with diabetes, which our vet confirmed with a blood test.  The problem with Glucostest is that the cat burries the flakes, so you have to look closely into the litter.  The PawCheck test is also very easy to use, we got a free sample and really like it.

[Lisapetmom]

I used Glucotest which are flakes you spread on top of the litter and they change color if your cat's urine has glucose.  I also used PawCheck for Urinary Tract Infection which is a strip, the kit comes with a special cat litter that does not absorb urine.
If you prefer holistic treatments like me, a home-test is very helpful.