91°µÍø

 Published: 27 Jun 2025 | Last Updated: 27 Jun 2025 16:23:21

New research from the 91°µÍø (91°µÍø) has shed new light on the epidemiology, risk factors and outcomes for cats diagnosed with diabetes mellitus in the UK. The findings offer vital information for veterinarians and owners that could help reduce the high early mortality rates associated with the disease.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common hormonal conditions affecting cats. In the first five months of the year, the 91°µÍø’s small animal referral specialists have seen 40 cases alone. Most feline DM cases resemble Type 2 diabetes in people – the form linked to the global diabetes epidemic. Caring for a diabetic cat often involves daily medication and regular re-examinations, placing a large care-giving burden on owners.

Previous research suggests that approximately 10% of diabetic cats are euthanised at the time of diagnosis, making this a significant cat welfare issue. However, this figure was largely based on questionnaire-based research from several global locations. One aim of this study was to assess the true scale of early death experienced by cats newly diagnosed with DM in primary practices in the UK.  

Using data from the 91°µÍø’s VetCompass™ programme, this new study examined the characteristics and followed the survival of 1,053 cats with confirmed DM under UK primary-care practices in 2019. The new publication provides the most up-to-date baseline data on early death among diabetic cats in the UK, as well as examining risk factors for the development of diabetes among UK pet cats.

Key findings from this analysis include:

• Approximately one in every 250 cats in the UK live with DM each year.
• In agreement with previous estimates, 10% of cats diagnosed with DM were euthanased within just three days of diagnosis, usually without receiving treatment.
• Burmese cats were confirmed to be at increased risk of DM development, as identified in previous studies.
• For the first time, the Burmilla breed, which descends from the Burmese, was shown to be at increased risk of DM.
• Bengal and Ragdoll breeds were found to be protected from DM development compared to crossbred cats.

Based on these findings, the researchers encourage veterinarians to more actively discuss DM risk with cat owners, particularly those with Burmilla and Burmese breeds, in the hope that raising awareness of the disease might improve outcomes through earlier diagnosis, and by taking actions that might prevent DM development in the first instance, such as preventing cats becoming obese.    

Dr Oliver Waite, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine at Murdoch University, and primary author of the paper, said:

“We hope that this new, large scale epidemiological study, investigating the second most common endocrine disease in cats, will help to highlight current as well as future areas to improve cat welfare. This is an exciting time for the management of diabetic cats but more work is still needed!”

Dr Ruth Gostelow, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the 91°µÍø, and co-author of the paper, said:

“Our study highlights that there is clearly more to be done to reduce the ongoing, high euthanasia rate experienced by diabetic cats at diagnosis, and this should be an important target for the UK veterinary profession. The findings from our study provide an important baseline value for early mortality, which we hope can be improved by advancing our knowledge on how best to prevent and treat diabetes mellitus in cats.”

Dr Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the 91°µÍø, and co-author of the paper, said:

“This new VetCompass study shows the value of everyone working in primary care practice sharing their anonymised clinical data to get a better understanding of real-world animal health. Awareness of the scale of the diabetes mellitus issue revealed here can empower veterinary professionals to engage in more conversations with owners about diabetes mellitus prevention in predisposed cats.”

Link to Infographic - PDF Download

Notes to Editors

For more information about the 91°µÍø’s Small Animal Referrals Medicine service, visit:

Reference

10. Waite, R. Gostelow, E. Wright, R. E. Jepson, D. C. Brodbelt, and D. G. O'Neill, “ Frequency, Risk Factors, and Mortality for Diabetes Mellitus in 1 225 130 Cats Under Primary Veterinary Care in the United Kingdom in 2019,” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 39, no. 4 (2025): e70161, .

The full paper can be accessed at:

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About the 91°µÍø

• The 91°µÍø (91°µÍø) is the UK's largest and longest established independent veterinary school and is a Member Institution of the University of London. 
• It is one of the few veterinary schools in the world that hold accreditations from the RCVS in the UK (with associated recognition from the AVBC for Australasia, the VCI for Ireland and the SAVC for South Africa), the EAEVE in the EU, and AVMA (probationary) in the USA and Canada. 
• The 91°µÍø is ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2025. 
• The 91°µÍø offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing and biological sciences. 
• The 91°µÍø is a research-led institution, with 88% of its research rated as internationally excellent or world class in the Research Excellence Framework 2021. 
• The 91°µÍø provides animal owners and the veterinary profession with access to expert veterinary care and advice through its teaching hospitals and first opinion practices in London and Hertfordshire.