Q: My 10-year-old cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. The vet prescribed a special diabetic food, but my cat doesn't like it. Any suggestions to help get my cat to eat better?

A: In up to 90 percent of newly diagnosed diabetic cats, the diabetes can be reversed with proper management. It is important to follow your veterinarian's recommendations. Most diabetic cats are overweight, so a weight-loss diet and exercise program are critical first steps in reversing the disease.

The best diets for diabetic cats are high-protein and carbohydrate-restricted, such as Purina DM Dietetic Management, Hills M/D and Royal Canin Diabetic. It is very important to change the diet gradually, as cats are creatures of habit and do not like any changes in their routine. To start, a teaspoon or two of the new food may be mixed with the old food at each feeding. Over the next week or two you can gradually increase the proportion of the new food until it forms the bulk of the diet.

If your cat refuses to eat a commercial diet, a veterinary nutritionist can formulate a special homemade diet. The most important thing is to make sure your diabetic cat is eating, because if he does not eat and loses weight too quickly, he may develop fatty liver disease.

Playtime should also be included in your diabetic cat's daily routine for exercise. Even 10 minutes per day will contribute to his well-being and is a fun way to help him live a long and healthy life. A handheld blood glucose monitor can be used to monitor your cat's blood sugar at home and is a terrific way to know exactly how he is responding to his new health regimen.

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Diana Bowen, DVM, MS, DACVIM, is an internal medicine specialist at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, www.sfvs.net.

Have a medical or behavioral question about your pet? Send an e-mail to Ask the Vet at home@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page E - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle