What is tight regulation?
A6.5. Tight regulation refers to using insulin to keep a diabetic cat’s blood glucose levels within normal or near-normal ranges as much of the time as possible. This approach to regulation is very controversial because of the high perceived risk of hypoglycemia. However, it is not merely an exercise in vanity; keeping blood glucose in this range is thought to reduce long-term damage to the organs and nerves. Additionally, some people believe that diabetic cats kept in or near a normal glucose range have a higher chance of achieving diabetic remission, especially if so controlled during their first year after diagnosis. (An alternative explanation, though, is that the cats who achieved remission might have done so under almost any insulin regimen as long as they were fed a low-carbohydrate diet.) The downsides are that heavy monitoring is often required, and that some cats simply cannot be tightly regulated no matter how hard the human tries. If you are interested in this technique, th
