Overweight
and obesity are linked to insulin sensitivity and, subsequently in older cats,
to an increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus. In the experimental cat
population of the Institute of Animal Nutrition of the Vetsuisse Faculty,
University of Zurich, an overweight phenotype in intact cats younger than one year
became evident.
The
aims of the study were to determine whether an association between insulin
sensitivity and body condition score (BCS) or feline body mass index (FBMI) is
already present during young adulthood and to test the hypothesis that the phenotype
lean or overweight is significantly associated with monthly body weight during
the growing period. Forty-one kittens from the breeding colony were weighed
weekly and checked monthly (third to eighth month after birth) for BCS and
FBMI. At eight months, they were classified into an overweight or lean phenotype
based on BCS.
A
significant association between the phenotype and body weight was obvious
during the growing period from the third to the eighth months. At month eight, body
fat content was measured and an insulin sensitivity index performed. Insulin
sensitivity was significantly associated with BCS and body fat content but not
with sex. Our data provide evidence that already in young intact cats, insulin
insensitivity is significantly associated with BCS or a presumed phenotype of
lean vs. overweight.
Source: T. Häring et al., 2012. Overweight and impaired
insulin sensitivity present in growing cats. JAPAN online July 2012. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2012.01322.x