Diabetes Mellitus, Feline - contd.
There is no one specific, established cause for diabetes in cats. In many Type I diabetic cats, the deposition of an abnormal protein called amyloid is present in the pancreas, and this protein deposition may interfere with the normal insulin secretion by the pancreas. The cause of this protein deposition is unknown. Many diabetic cats will also show chronic inflammatory changes consistent with pancreatitis. This inflammation can ultimately effect insulin secretion from the pancreas, but its cause has not been determined. Obesity, the presence of infection or other concurrent illnesses, and treatment with drugs known to be associated with insulin resistance, such as some steroids and progesterone derivatives, are also factors that may be involved in the development of diabetes in some cats. Other possible causes include genetic predisposition and immune system mediated destruction of insulin secreting cells in the pancreas. The exact role of many of these factors remains to be elucidated.
