What is feline diabetes?
The term diabetes mellitus is a medical condition resulting in an excessive amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood. This is caused by a deficiency of insulin, which is a hormone secreted by the pancreas. The symptoms seen in feline diabetes are largely related to the elevated concentrations of blood glucose and the inability of the body to use glucose as an energy source due to the deficiency of insulin. Cat diabetes affects an estimated one in four hundred cats, and is seen more frequently in middle to old-age cats and more common in males than females. What are the symptoms of feline diabetes? The most common symptoms seen in diabetic patients are an increase in water consumption and urination. Weight loss is also a common feature, and an increase in appetite may be noticed in some cats. Recognition of these signs is variable though, particularly because of the life-style of some cats. If a cat spends a lot of time outdoors, it may drink from ponds or pools of water outside rather th
