No More Insulin Injections!? Senvelgo for Cats With Diabetes

What is Feline Diabetes?

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common endocrine diseases in cats, affecting roughly 1 in 100 cats.

There are two types of feline diabetes: insulin-deficient diabetes (IDD) and insulin-resistant diabetes (IRD). IRD is the most common, affecting 95% of cats.

Insulin, produced by the pancreas, works to control blood sugar levels (glucose). However, with IRD, cells of the body become resistant to the effects of insulin, which results in high blood sugar levels. This most closely resembles type 2 diabetes in humans.
Most commonly, IRD is caused by lifestyle factors such as age, obesity, lack of exercise and cortisone steroids. Some breeds are also more susceptible to developing diabetes. In some cases, cats with IRD can go into remission, but still require lifelong management.

Rarer in cats (more common in dogs) is IDD, where the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin levels, often caused by autoimmune conditions or illnesses affecting the pancreas. Similar to type 1 diabetes in humans, IDD is not influenced by lifestyle factors and cannot go into remission even with effective treatment.

What are the signs of Diabetes in Cats?

The common signs of diabetes in cats include:

• Increased Thirst: Cats become more thirsty and drink more water. You may notice them seeking out additional water sources, such as cups and sinks.
• Increased Urination: Urinating more often and in larger volumes. They may start having accidents outside the litter box due to the urgency
• Change in Appetite: Initially, they become hungrier than normal. However, if left untreated, they may lose their appetite as the disease progresses
• Weight Loss & Muscle Waste: Losing weight and muscle mass despite eating enough food. This occurs because their body cannot effectively use glucose for energy, so it breaks down muscle and fat instead
• Lethargy: They feel tired, sleep more, and are reluctant to play or jump
• Poor Coat: A dull, unkempt, oily, and flaky coat due to dehydration
• Vomiting and Diarrhea: These can occur, especially in more advanced, untreated cases
• Change in Stance: In uncontrolled diabetes, cats can develop nerve damage in their back legs. This causes them to walk with their hocks (ankles) close to or touching the ground, rather than standing tall on their feet
• Behaviour Changes: They can become irritable or uncharacteristically aggressive

What if it’s not treated?

If left untreated, diabetes in cats can cause:

• Starvation and Malnutrition: Due to their inability to absorb glucose, the body can’t utilise nutrients effectively
• Severe Dehydration: This can cause kidney failure and other organ damage
• Organ Damage: Chronically high blood sugar levels can damage various organs over time, including the kidneys, liver and nerves
• Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): This occurs when a cat’s body cannot use glucose for energy and begins breaking down fat. This process produces acidic byproducts called ketones. A buildup of ketones in the blood leads to a state of acidosis, which is highly toxic to the body. Left untreated, DKA will cause coma and death

What is Senvelgo?

Released in Australia in 2025, Senvelgo is an oral medication designed specifically to manage diabetes in cats with IRD. It has been available in the US and Europe since 2023.

Importantly, it is not insulin and works differently!

Senvelgo is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, which is a fancy way of saying that it stops the excess glucose from accumulating in the blood and instead is removed through the cat’s urine. The removal of excessive glucose reverses the side effects caused by diabetes.

It also allows the pancreas to recover and return to making more normal levels of insulin, which helps to maintain normal blood glucose levels.

Keep in mind that Senvelgo is only for IRD, and it will not work if your cat has insulin-deficient diabetes (IDD). In which case, treatment will need to be changed to traditional insulin medication.

Click the image to download the complete Senvelgo guide:

How is Senvelgo different to insulin?

Insulin therapy for diabetic cats works by either replacing the insulin their pancreas can no longer produce or supplementing insufficient levels, helping the body’s cells soak up glucose from the bloodstream to bring down high blood sugar. Senvelgo, on the other hand, helps by flushing out the excess glucose through the cat’s urine.

Insulin is administered by injection every 12 hours and is short-acting. Consequently, missed or significantly late doses can cause blood sugar levels to spike, making it crucial that doses are given as close to a 12-hour interval as possible.

Senvelgo, an oral liquid, is given once daily; while it should ideally be given at the same time each day, owners generally have more flexibility with its timing before blood glucose spikes become a concern.

There are multiple key differences between Sevelgo and traditional insulin. From how it’s given, to how it’s monitored:

How to use Senvelgo?

Senvelgo is a honey-flavoured oral solution which can be given with or without food. It should be given once a day at the same time.

The best way to give it to your cat is directly into their mouth. Some cats enjoy the flavour and will accept it straight from the syringe.

If this doesn’t work, you can try mixing with their food. However, if they don’t eat all their food, you will need to give them the medication orally to make up for what they missed. If putting it on their food, make sure no other animals have access to the food.

What can I expect from treatment with Senvelgo?

Blood glucose levels are usually reduced to normal levels within 7 days of starting Senvelgo. Within 30 days, clinical signs of diabetes should improve.

During this time, it’s important to monitor whether your cat is responding to Senvelgo. If they are not responding to treatment and have high levels of ketones in their urine, this could indicate that they have insulin-deficient diabetes (IDD), and a transition to traditional insulin treatment may be necessary.

If your cat has started Senvelgo and is appearing unwell at any stage, you will need to contact your vet immediately.

Long term, you will need to monitor for signs of diabetes. You can check ketone levels in your cat’s urine to make sure Senvelgo is still effective.

Why do I need to check their urine?

Checking for ketones in urine is extremely important for cats starting on Senvelgo because it serves as an early warning sign for the potentially life-threatening condition Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).

When the body doesn’t have enough insulin to use glucose (sugar) for energy, it starts breaking down fat. This fat breakdown produces acidic byproducts called ketones. If ketones build up in the blood, they make the blood too acidic, leading to ketoacidosis.

Urine ketone tests can detect these ketones in the urine before the condition becomes severe, giving a critical window for intervention.

How do I monitor ketones in urine?

You will need to monitor the level of ketones in your cats’ urine to ensure that they responding to Senvelgo. This needs to be checked every 1-3 days for the first 14 days.

• The easiest way to collect and test the urine is by using non-absorbable litter beads (we stock Univet Pearl Litter)
• You can rinse the beads with warm water in between uses and keep using them, however, the beads must be completely dry before reuse
• Once your cat has used the litter tray, the small beads won’t absorb the urine, so you can collect a sample
• Draw up a sample of urine using a syringe or pipette
• Place a drop of urine on the testing squares on the dipstick
• Wait about 30 seconds, then compare the colours on the dipstick to the guide provided on the container
• Record the reading to report to your vet at the next follow-up appointment

Ketones: If this square shows a darker purple colour, which indicates high ketones, please contact your vet immediately

What else can I do to help manage diabetes?

Increase exercise for weight loss and to build muscle strength. While cats are less naturally inclined toward structured exercise, they greatly benefit from increased activity through interactive play, climbing, and environmental enrichment.

Encouraging movement with toys, food puzzles, and vertical spaces like cat trees can aid in weight management and muscle development. Physical activity is particularly important for obese, insulin-resistant cats, as weight loss can improve glycemic control.

Learn more about Senvelgo

If you want to learn more about Senvelgo, visit Senvelgo