Diabetes mellitus is an increasingly common condition in cats but there have been few studies on mortality in diabetic cats or in assessing possible associations with other diseases. The authors conducted a case controlled study of 20 diabetic cats each matched to three control animals. Heart failure was the cause of death in six of 14 diabetic cats that have died to date compared to two out of 23 dead controls. The relative risk of fatal heart disease in diabetic cats was calculated to be 10.4 times higher than in the control population.
Journal of Small Animal Practice 49 (1): 17-25.
Abstract reproduced by kind permission of Veterinary Practice magazine