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| PET GAZETTE | SOAPBOX
DIABETES AND CATS:
WHAT’S THE RISK?
Cat’s Whiskers Veterinary Clinic Dr Amanda Nicholls details the risks, complications
and possible ways to prevent the illness
J
ust like humans who are
overweight are at risk of
diabetes, so are overweight
cats. As diabetes mellitus
in cats is more similar to
type two diabetes in humans than type one
diabetes, this means that it tends to be lifestyle
and environment based. However, that being
said, the difference to diabetes in humans is
that human type two diabetes does not tend to
be genetic, whereas diabetes in cats can also
be linked to genetic factors as well as lifestyle
ones. However, the number one reason for
cats to develop diabetes is their weight.
Studies have shown that the most common
form of malnutrition in pets in the UK is
overconsumption of calories, leading to a
higher risk of obesity. In the UK, it is estimated
that 39 to 52% of cats are overweight or
obese. Cats that are overweight or obese
are at higher risk of diabetes and shortened
lifespan. One of the most at-risk groups for
being overweight or obese are spayed and
neutered cats, as spaying and neutering
causes the cat’s metabolism to slow slightly,
which is why understanding how to effectively
manage cat nutrition is so crucial for cat
owners.
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Founder of Cat’s Whiskers Veterinary Clinic,
Dr Amanda Nicholls, who has specialised in
feline medicine, decided to make reducing
obesity in cats a priority after realising that it
was a problem that lacks awareness. After
noticing that many owners don’t know how
to tell if their cat is overweight or obese, Dr
Nicholls wanted to make weight management
an accessible service at Cat’s Whiskers
Veterinary Clinic, to reduce the number of cats
suffering from diabetes and other weight-
related health conditions, which is something
that she would recommend all veterinary
practices offer.
The Swedish University of Agricultural
Science conducted a study on 1,000 cats
looking at the link between weight and
diabetes. The results showed that 45% of cats
surveyed were actually overweight, with only
22% of the owners of these cats aware that
they had a weight issue.
The study used cats of all ages and breeds;
the results showed that British shorthair cats
were most likely to be overweight with this
breed making up 65% of the obese cats in
the entire study. This was followed by Maine
Coon cats with 44% and Ragdoll cats at 39%,
while Birman and Persian breeds were proved
to be less likely to become overweight It was
also found that male cats have a higher risk
of weight problems, accounting for 57% of the
overweight cats in the study. What was also
found was that cats that like their food and eat
more than they need to have a higher risk of
June 2019