Feline Diabetes Mellitus

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrinopathy in cats. The incidence of the disease is increasing, most likely due to an increase in the occurrence of risk factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity and old age. Exact numbers are difficult to collect and the dark figure is certainly high, but a recent study in an insured cat population in the UK revealed a prevalence of 0.43% (1).

Key Points

• The majority of diabetic cats suffer a type of diabetes similar to human type 2 diabetes.
• Diagnosis is based on clinical signs and persistent hyperglycemia / glucosuria. Initial assessment should not only clarify the severity of the disease but also search for any concurrent disease or other contributing factors.
• Treatment should be initiated immediately after diagnosis. Administration of insulin and the feeding of an appropriate diet are the mainstays of treatment.
• Most cats can be adequately stabilized within the first 3 months of therapy; if clinical signs persist despite therapy a stepwise work-up is recommended.