Managing diabetes' insulin injections for feline health requires awareness and patience.  Insulin needles equate to your cat's life.

Managing diabetes' insulin injections for feline diabetes requires awareness of the actions of all family members to insure that the cat does not receive extra doses.  Over dosage can be fatal! Keep a record of the time insulin needles are given and be sure that your cat gets the insulin required.  As the cat cannot give itself insulin needles, managing diabetes for feline health is your responsibility.  Insulin needles are extremely thin, and the injection almost painless. Get someone to help hold the cat and distract it the first few times.

Managing diabetes for your cat will become second nature as you become proficient with the insulin needles.

Managing diabetes injections for feline diabetes using pre-packaged insulin needles is handled as follows: 

1. Remove the needle guard from the insulin syringe.
2. Right-handed people, hold the insulin syringe in their right hand (opposite for lefties) and pick up a fold of skin along your cat's back or shoulders with the left hand (right hand for lefties). (Use a different area each time.)
3. Push the needle through the skin at about a 45˚ angle.  Do not push the needle right through the fold or into your fingers.
4. Pull back slightly on the insulin syringe plunger insuring the needle is not in a blood vessel. Blood will appear in the syringe.  Administer the insulin by pushing the plunger with your thumb.
5. Withdraw the needle from the cat's skin and replace the needle guard.
6. Reward the cat and record the time of the injection, on your calendar.
7. Place the needle and insulin syringe in a puncture-resistant container.  Follow your local regulations regarding disposal.

Managing diabetes' insulin injections for feline health important tips:

1. Do not shake the insulin vial.  Air bubbles that form will make it more difficult to get an accurate measurement.
2. The insulin should be uniformly cloudy in the bottle when you draw it into the insulin syringe.
3. Insulin is measured in units and the insulin syringes are made in units.  Be sure to use the unit scale.
4. Some vets recommend giving insulin needles under the skin on the sides of the chest and abdomen, since insulin may be better absorbed from these sites.  Ask your veterinarian.
5. If the cat does not receive the entire dose of insulin (some leaked out, the needle went through the entire fold of skin and some insulin was shot into the air) DO NOT GIVE MORE INSULIN wait until the next scheduled dose. Over dosage can be fatal!

Insulin needles, puncture-resistant containers, insulin vials, insulin syringes and all feline health products can be purchased through our pet health link.  Other unique online pet shopping & products are available from our links below.

Article adapted, author acknowledged:

Holly Nash, DVM, MS received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota, and a Master's Degree in epidemiology from the University of Wisconsin.  Dr. Nash has always been interested in the human-animal bond and the education of animal owners, and finds being Editor of PetEducation.com a perfect match.  She is a member of the American and Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Associations, the Society of Aquatic Veterinary Medicine, the Association of Reptilian & Amphibian Veterinarians, and the Association of Avian Veterinarians.  Dr. Nash lhas a dog named Kip and a cat, Eddie.  Thanks to Dr. Nash for her informative article.

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