Insulin for Cats & Other Cat Diabetes Costs

Insulin therapy can help diabetic cats regulate their blood sugar through daily injections. This can be a necessary treatment for a chronic condition that can be very costly. A 10 mL vial of insulin will typically cost between $30 and $100, but depending on the type of insulin your cat needs, costs can be over $300.¹

However, these estimates don’t account for additional expenses — such as specialty diets, accessories, and vet visits your pet may need. In this article, we’ll break down what you can anticipate happening if your cat is diabetic and how much you can expect to pay with a diabetes diagnosis.

MetLife Pet Insurance can reimburse² vet bills for diabetes diagnoses and treatments. Get your free pet insurance quote.

Understanding Feline Diabetes: Causes and Symptoms

Diabetes mellitus — or simply diabetes — is a common endocrine disorder that affects 1 in 300 pets.³ Insulin is a hormone created by the pancreas that helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. A pet diagnosed with diabetes can experience a lot of issues, including high blood pressure and kidney issues.¹

Causes of feline diabetes

Many causes can lead to a pet developing diabetes, so it's important to discuss your individual cat’s medical history with your vet. The main risk factors for a cat becoming diabetic are:³

• Age: Middle-aged to senior cats tend to develop diabetes more than younger cats.
• Sex: Male cats can develop diabetes more than female cats.
• Genetics & Breed Type: Some cats inherit diabetes from their parents, especially certain breeds of cats — including Burmese, Russian blue, and Norwegian forest cats.
• Obesity: Overweight and obese cats can be more likely to develop diabetes.

Keep in mind that cats may have a combination of risk factors that can increase their risk of developing diabetes. For example, male Burmese cats who are obese are generally more at risk than female obese domestic short hairs.³

In rare cases, cancers like pancreatic cancer can cause pets to become diabetic.⁴ Signs of cancer can be detected in routine blood and urine tests. Sometimes, your vet may suggest exploratory surgery to locate cancerous tumors that may be causing diabetes.

However, cancer isn’t a common cause of diabetes in cats. It's more likely a combination of age, sex, and lifestyle that can lead to a diabetes diagnosis.³

Symptoms of feline diabetes

It’s important to try and diagnose diabetes early. Delaying treatment can often lead to serious complications, like organ failure.

Diabetes can be difficult to diagnose early because it often takes several weeks or months to present itself. The most common signs of feline diabetes include:³

• Recurring infections
• Dermatitis
• Neuropathy
• Lethargy
• Sudden weight loss
• Changes in appetite⁵

Even though cats can be elusive, you shouldn’t ignore any changes in their behavior. It’s best to discuss these symptoms with your vet as soon as you notice them.

How Insulin for Cats Is Used

One of the keys to successfully treating and reversing feline diabetes can be to communicate with your vet. Insulin for cats may be given once a day or multiple times a day, depending on the kind of medication you are prescribed, but most cats will require twice daily injections.⁵ The goal of insulin therapy isn’t just to regulate blood sugar.

The other goal can be to mitigate the side effects of being diabetic and send the diabetes into remission.⁵ To do so, pet parents may have to give their cat insulin on a strict schedule.

Types of insulin for cats

First, you and your vet will decide what type of insulin your cat may need. There are three main types of insulin your vet may offer, depending on your individual cat’s condition:⁶

1. Short-acting: These work rapidly and have a brief duration of action, making them valuable for quickly regulating blood sugar levels. Some examples of short-acting insulins are Humulin R and Novolin R.
2. Intermediate-acting: These have a slower onset and longer duration compared to short-acting insulins, provisioning a steady release over time. Examples of intermediate-acting insulin include Humulin N and Novolin N.
3. Long-acting: These have the slowest onset and prolonged duration, mimicking the body's natural baseline insulin release. Lantus^Ⓡ and Levemir^Ⓡ are two examples of long-acting insulins.

Once you’ve chosen the kind of insulin your pet needs, your vet may coach you on how to monitor your cat’s blood glucose levels and how often you should administer the insulin.

Cat Insulin Cost

The cost of insulin depends heavily on the type of insulin your cat needs and how many doses they can need per day. Below are cost estimates for each type of insulin:⁷

As a general rule, long-acting insulins (e.g., Detemir, glargine, and Protamine Zinc)⁶ can cost more than intermediate or short-acting insulin medication. You may also pay more for these prescriptions based on where you live, which supplier you buy the prescriptions from, and the number of vials you purchase.

Talk with your vet about ways to potentially save on insulin. You may also consider exploring cat insurance while your pet is young and healthy, especially if they’re one of the listed breeds at risk for diabetes. Pet insurance could help you cover the cost of cat insulin, along with associated supplies.

Other costs for managing cat diabetes

Feline diabetes should be monitored regularly. Some of the supplies pet parents may have to purchase for diabetes include:¹

• Testing supplies: About $25 – $50 a month to purchase syringes, blood glucose monitors, and testing strips
• Vet visits: Roughly $50 – $100 per visit
• Prescription diet: Around $40 – $80 a month

While this can be overwhelming for pet parents, it's important to work with your vet to avoid potential complications of diabetes, like:¹

• Blindness
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Pancreatitis
• Emergency vet visits

MetLife Pet Insurance Could Help You Save on Cat Insulin

The cost of insulin may range from $30 to over $300 a month, but this disregards the additional cost of syringes, testing supplies, and prescription diets. Cat insurance can help pet parents manage feline diabetes. Pet insurance works by helping to reimburse pet parents for covered and approved veterinary expenses.² Consider getting pet insurance today, so you can return to spending quality time with your feline friend.