3 Great Glucose Meters for Cats – Reviews

If your cat has recently been diagnosed with diabetes and you have to give her insulin on a regular basis, your vet might have recommended testing her blood sugar every day or even every several hours. So, if you’re searching for the best blood glucose meter for cats, it’s a good thing you’re reading this post. Based on our research, the first unit that you should consider is the AlphaTRAK 2 Blood Glucose Monitoring System Kit. Having been calibrated for cats and dogs in particular, this test kit can allow you to have peace of mind as it will provide you with accurate results. It’s relatively quick and easy to use. If this one’s no longer available, maybe you should give the UltiCare VetRx iPet PRO Blood Glucose Monitoring System a try. 

Best Glucose Meters for Cats – Reviews

I was honestly disappointed in how many of the blood sugar monitoring systems for pets I came across either weren’t easy to use or didn’t provide accurate results. Eventually, I came up with a list of three that seem to work properly, so these are my picks for the best glucose meter for cats – vet recommendations. 

I’d like to recommend that you talk to your vet first and foremost. Maybe they can recommend a model that you aren’t going to find difficult to use, and that provides reliable data. 

1. AlphaTRAK 2 Blood Glucose Monitoring System Kit

If you have been searching for a glucose meter for cats that actually does the job as it is supposed to, this one should be the first on your list. It’s portable and convenient, and it monitors your feline buddy’s blood sugar. It has been approved to use on both cats and dogs.

Caring for a diabetic feline friend calls for a lot of time and effort, but also a lot of responsibility. Cat guardians might feel anxious as to what they are supposed to do if their pet has been diagnosed with diabetes. A handheld cat glucose meter, such as this one can give you the guidance that you need.

You will only require one drop of blood to get the results in a timely fashion. From what we have noticed, it seems that using this device can be a little challenging if you do not have a lot of experience. 

This glucose meter for dogs and cats comes with an automatic shut-off system. The device turns off on its own after just two minutes, which means that collecting the blood sample has to be done as fast as possible.  

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2. UltiCare VetRx iPet PRO Blood Glucose Monitoring System

This one is a little more affordable compared to the AlphaTRAK glucose meter for cats that we have showcased earlier. It is a complete starter test kit that comes with pretty much everything that you will require so as to keep track of your pet’s blood glucose.

Similarly to the other products described in this article, this one, too, has been specifically designed to be used on cats and dogs. The set comes with the meter itself, a lancing device, test strips, a control solution, as well as gauge lancets. You even get a case for carrying all of your accessories and the meter for when you are on the road. 

It takes just five seconds for the device to provide the results, so it works fast and is generally looked at as being reliable. One thing that we would like to recommend, in this case, would be to avoid testing your cat’s glucose when she’s anxious or right after having a heavy meal. The results wouldn’t be accurate, in this case. 

We couldn’t help noticing that this unit has received mixed reviews, in that while some say that it is not as easy to use as advertised, others describe it as being just that. 

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3. PetTest Advocate Monitoring Glucose Levels Diabetes Testing Tools Starter Kit

If the iPet glucose meter for dogs and cats reviews that you might have stumbled upon haven’t convinced you to try it out, this one might be another product to consider. It is also a complete kit, meaning that you will receive the testing device per se, a number of fifty test strips, and a small towel. 

The kit is specially calibrated for dogs and cats. It takes five minutes for you to get the results of the blood sample that you have collected from your feline friend. There’s no coding key required, and generally, this model seems to be easy to utilize. 

However, as is the case with other products in the same line, there have been some issues reported by those that have invested in it. Even though the majority of the consumer reports that we came across are very favorable, the strips of this blood glucose meter for cats tend to cost a pretty penny. 

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Best Human Glucose Meter for Cats – Reviews

I’m sorry to disappoint you in this respect, but you can’t use a human-grade blood sugar meter to measure your cat’s blood glucose level. 

Unfortunately, these devices are calibrated specifically for people, which means that they would show you incorrect data if you were to use one for a dog or a cat. 

What to Look for in a Cat Glucose Meter

If you want to get the best glucose meter for cats, the first thing you should do is to go and have a talk with your vet. Veterinarians can often recommend models that they have found to be the most effective, so that’s why this is the first piece of advice that you should abide by.

However, if you’re looking for a different type of product as you don’t believe that the one you already own is effective enough, we’re here to help. Here are some factors to bear in mind before deciding on a particular unit. 

1. Blood quantity

We might not want to talk about it, but testing your cat’s blood sugar level can only be done by collecting a small blood sample. Just how much blood is needed for every testing? Every glucose meter has a unique blood sample requirement, and you will find the information on this in the instruction manual.

The reason this is the first aspect to consider is that not all cats take well to being stung on a daily basis or even several times a day if their condition calls for it. 

If you manage to collect enough blood right off the bat, you aren’t going to have to put your pet through pain and misery once again. We all know that cats don’t like to be forced to stay put, and this is not the most pleasant activity in the world. 

2. Lancing device

The lancing device is another thing that you should pay some attention to as your pet needs to be as comfortable as possible (if that’s the right word for it!) during the whole testing process. Blood extraction can be painful for animals and humans alike. 

Therefore, you should make sure that the glucose meter for cats comes with a lancer that can extract the blood in a timely fashion and as comfortably as ever.

3. Timing

If you’ve taken the time to go through some of the products that we have showcased in this article, you might have noticed that some cat parents complain about the unit shutting off too quickly. Collecting blood from your feline friend is as challenging as it already is, so the device shouldn’t make things harder for you. 

Timing is also important in terms of how quickly you are going to be able to see the results. The perfect glucose meter for cats can give you accurate results fast, but it should also not turn off on its own too soon. 

Some people might actually find it so challenging to test their cat’s blood sugar level that they might need a helper. Another person can at least hold the cat as you tend to the entire process. 

4. How much do the strips cost?

The cost of the test strips matters a lot in the long run, especially if your cat is suffering from a type of diabetes that calls for several tests every day. Checking your feline companion’s blood sugar is a continuous process, so you will have to replace the strips once in a while.

Most of the products that we have analyzed in our research come with about 50 or 100 test strips included, but these aren’t going to be enough for long-term management. Before you decide to invest in a glucose meter for your cat, make sure that you look at the price of the test strips individually so that you aren’t in for a nasty surprise.

Needless to say, the test strips have to be perfectly compatible with the main unit — otherwise, they aren’t going to work, you aren’t going to be able to insert them properly in the device, or they might simply provide inaccurate results. 

5. Normal glucose levels in cats

In case you didn’t know, your cat’s blood sugar level should be around 80 to 120 mg per dl. Following a rich meal, it can go up to 250 to 300 mg, but if your cat is suffering from diabetes, it can go beyond 400 mg per dl. Some diabetic cats can reach blood sugar levels of 700 to 800mg/dl. Generally, though, they are around 400 to 600. 

FAQs About Cat Glucose Meters

Can you use a human glucose meter for cats?

As we have already noted above, you can’t use a human glucose meter for cats as the values would most probably be incorrect. Ideally, your vet should calibrate the pet-grade device before you use it for some time and you should ask them to do the same whenever you take your diabetic cat in for a checkup. 

How to use a glucose meter on a cat?

Here are the steps that you should ensure to properly test your cat’s blood sugar level.

• Make sure that your feline friend’s ear is warm. If it’s not, hold it between your fingers for approximately one minute. Warming the ear makes it easier for you to draw blood.
• Prick a clean and hairless portion of the ear with a lancet.
• Collect the blood drop that will appear onto the glucose test strip.
• Use a cotton pad to stop the bleeding.
• Insert the sample into the glucometer. 
• Write down the blood sugar level and compare it with the levels that you have reported in the last several days. 
• Make sure to take the notebook where you have jotted everything down to the vet the next time you go in for a checkup with your cat.