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Burmese cats at higher risk of type 2 diabetes

Burmese cats

A new study by West Australian diabetes researchers has found that there are six genes that put Australian Burmese cats at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to other cat breeds.

According to Professor Grant Morahan from WA’s Centre for Diabetes Research, which is supported by charity Diabetes Research WA, said that Burmese cats in Australia are more at risk of type 2 diabetes than American Burmese cats, or other cat breeds in Australia.

The eight-year research project investigating the genetic makeup of these cats has discovered six genes that are over represented in Australian Burmese cats with type 2 diabetes, and some of these genes are also involved in human diabetes.

The discovery paves the way for vets to be able to arrange genetic testing, and work with owners to help prevent high-risk cats from developing the condition. Cat breeders can also use the information to breed low-risk cats.

Cats with type 2 diabetes tend to develop it later in their lives and experience health impacts similar to humans with the condition. Symptoms include inadequate insulin secretion and impaired insulin action, and they are more at risk of obesity and physical inactivity.

On top of the harmful health effects, which can lead to these cats dying prematurely, this can also prove costly for owners so knowing if a cat is at higher risk allows vets and owners to pay closer attention to early intervention strategies such as weight control and diet changes, and medication can also be introduced if needed.

Early diagnosis of diabetes and quick implementation of tight blood sugar control can lead to remission rates in more than 80 percent of cases, compared to 30-40 percent if tight blood sugar control is delayed.

Australian Burmese cat breeders can also use this discovery to reduce the breed’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

More than 100 Australian Burmese cats were involved in the project, with their genetic information compared to the genetic information of 84 American Burmese cats.

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