Yes. Glucocorticoids—the corticosteroid medicines used to treat some inflammatory and immune-mediated conditions—are a recognized risk factor for diabetes in cats. That does not mean every cat taking a steroid will develop diabetes. The useful next step is to discuss monitoring with the prescribing veterinarian, not to stop or change the medicine yourself.
How steroids may relate to diabetes in cats
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine lists glucocorticoid use among feline diabetes risk factors and notes that frequent, extended corticosteroid treatment is associated with elevated risk. The available guidance does not give an individual cat’s odds or establish a specific risk for a particular steroid, dose, treatment length, or delivery route. Treat this as a recognized concern to discuss—not a prediction that diabetes is inevitable.
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Steroids can also be prescribed for important medical reasons. Cornell describes corticosteroids as a possible treatment for feline inflammatory bowel disease when dietary changes or metronidazole have not worked. For immune-mediated lymphocytic cholangiohepatitis, prednisolone may be tapered over four to six months, and some cats need a low dose longer term. The veterinarian weighs the expected benefit against potential side effects for the cat’s condition.
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What other factors affect a cat’s diabetes risk?
Risk is not determined by steroid use alone. Cornell lists obesity, increasing age, physical inactivity, male sex, and glucocorticoid use as feline diabetes risk factors. Its 2024 guidance estimates that obese cats are up to four times more likely to develop diabetes than cats at an ideal weight. Cornell also estimates that 1 in 100 to 1 in 500 cats will be diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetime. Those are broad estimates, not a calculation of the added risk for a steroid-treated cat.
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Signs to watch for at home
The common signs Cornell highlights are weight loss despite a good appetite, increased thirst, and increased urination. If you notice these changes—particularly if they persist—contact your veterinarian. Mention the medication your cat takes, when the signs began, and any changes in appetite, drinking, urination, or weight.
How a veterinarian checks for diabetes
Diagnosis depends on more than one number in isolation. Cornell describes diabetes as persistently elevated glucose in both blood and urine together with compatible clinical signs. Because stress at the clinic can temporarily raise a cat’s blood glucose, a single high reading may not settle the question. In uncertain cases, a veterinarian may use a fructosamine test, which estimates average blood glucose over roughly the previous two weeks and is not affected by that short-term stress response.
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What to ask about steroid treatment and monitoring
Monitoring should fit your cat’s diagnosis, medication, treatment course, and other risk factors. Cornell advises close monitoring for cats receiving corticosteroids for inflammatory bowel disease because diabetes and immune suppression are potential side effects. The guidance does not prescribe one screening schedule for every steroid-treated cat.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches- Ask what monitoring is appropriate for your cat and when the veterinarian wants to reassess.
- Ask which changes—such as increased thirst or urination, or weight loss despite a good appetite—should prompt a call or recheck.
- Tell the veterinarian about other risk factors, including weight and activity level, and share any changes you observe at home.
Do not stop, taper, substitute, or change a prescribed steroid without veterinary direction. The underlying illness may still require treatment, and medication decisions should be made with the prescribing veterinarian.
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Does the route of steroid treatment matter?
For feline asthma, Cornell describes corticosteroids as a way to reduce airway inflammation, often alongside a bronchodilator. It notes that frequent and extended oral or injected corticosteroid treatment has drawbacks, including elevated risk of pancreatitis and diabetes. Inhaled medication delivered through a spacer and mask directs medication more toward the lungs. This is a route-of-delivery option for a veterinarian-directed asthma plan—not evidence that inhaled steroids eliminate diabetes risk or systemic effects.
If your cat has asthma, ask the veterinarian whether inhaled treatment is suitable and how to use the prescribed device. The veterinarian should choose the medication and delivery plan; a spacer is not a diabetes-prevention product.
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