Feline diabetes due to Primary Pancreatic Disease
Diabetes mellitus is caused by inadequate synthesis or secretion of insulin.
Endocrine
The endocrine pancreas may not produce and secrete sufficient insulin. In cats amyloid deposition may contribute to the destruction of the islets of Langerhans.
(Dept. of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht.)
Amyloidosis
of islets of Langerhans in a cat, congo red staining (right) and
in polarized light (left), 25X(Dept. of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht.)
Exocrine
Severe inflammation (e.g. pancreatitis) or neoplasia of the exocrine pancreatic tissue can also lead to loss of islet function. In these cases diabetes is usually complicated by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.