Feline Diabetes risk on the increase
A revolutionary new study carried out at the University of Edinburgh has revealed that cats in the UK are starting to suffer from illnesses which would ordinarily only be linked to their owners, and an increasing number are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as a result of feline obesity.
It was discovered that one in 230 pet cats in the UK is now diabetic, with indications that this figure us increasing swiftly. In stark contrast a similar study carried out in the USA during the 1970’s revealed only 20% as many confirmed cases.
The professor controlling the study, Danielle Gunn-Moore commented:-
“The lifestyle of cats, just like their owners, is changing. They are tending to eat too much, gain weight and take less exercise. Unfortunately, just like people, cats will overeat if they are offered too much tasty food, particularly if they are bored and have little else to do.
While cats would naturally exercise outside, many cats are now house-bound — perhaps because they live in a flat or because their owners feel that it is too dangerous to let them out — so they have little to do all day but eat, sleep, and gain weight.”
The effects of feline diabetes are brutal and are in many cases deadly.
Affected animals require insulin injections each day and strict dietary management is required as diabetic cats face increased threats such as urinary tract infections and pancreatitis.
Symptoms of the disease include excessive urination and thirst.
Measures to ensure that a cat doesn’t become affected by feline diabetes include keeping the animal active and thus within recommended weight limits of 11lb’s maximum for the average cat.
To maintain optimum health cats should be offered small meals at regular intervals where possible. Choose a well balanced natural organic diet, which consists of a dried food with more than 26% meat content or wet food which contains more than 80% meat