More and more cats are being diagnosed with diabetes because they have an unhealthy lifestyle. They eat too much and take too little exercise, with those that are overweight being over three times more likely to suffer from the condition.
A study by Edinburgh University has shown that one in 230 pet cats in the UK is now diabetic, with being male, neutered, overweight, and having reduced exercise among the main risk factors.
The number of diabetic cats in the UK is now nearly five times higher than that recorded in a study carried out in the 1970s in the United States.
Professor Danielle Gunn-Moore, from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the university, said: "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 over eat if they are offered too much tasty food, particularly if they are bored.
"While cats would naturally exercise outside, many cats are now housebound - perhaps because they live in a flat, so they have little to do all day but eat, sleep, and gain weight."
Diabetes in cats is a very serious and often fatal condition.
The research, published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, was based on an analysis of more than 14,000 cats.
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