REVIEW article
Front. Anim. Sci.
Sec. Animal Nutrition
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fanim.2025.1637154
FROM FAT TO FACTS: THE POTENTIAL OF ADIPOKINE AND INSULIN DOSING IN OBESE FELINE PATIENTS
Provisionally accepted
- University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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The increasing prevalence of obesity in domestic cats is closely linked to the emergence of diabetes mellitus, highlighting the need for early diagnostic tools. Obese cats typically show elevated leptin and reduced adiponectin levels-markers associated with early insulin resistance. Leptin resistance and compensatory hyperinsulinemia further reflect early metabolic dysfunction. These endocrine changes mirror those seen in humans and dogs, suggesting shared mechanisms across species. Incorporating these biomarkers into clinical practice could aid early risk stratification and preventive care. However, standardized reference ranges and cost-effective assays are still needed. This review assesses the predictive value of adiponectin, leptin, and insulin in identifying diabetes risk in obese cats.The emergence of diabetes mellitus is closely associated with the increasing prevalence of obesity in domestic cats, underscoring the necessity of early diagnostic strategies to prevent the progression of the disease. The development of insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction in obese individuals has been linked to the dynamics of insulin and adipokines, particularly adiponectin and leptin. The evidence suggests that obese cats have elevated levels of leptin, which may indicate the onset of leptin resistance, as well as decreased levels of adiponectin, a hormone that is recognised for its insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory properties. Simultaneously, compensatory hyperinsulinemia is observed as an initial indicator of impaired insulin sensitivity. The patterns of these endocrine alterations are consistent with those observed in human and canine investigations, indicating a conserved pathophysiological mechanism that operates across species. The integration of these biomarkers into clinical practice has the potential to improve early risk stratification and encourage preventive care in feline patients. Nevertheless, additional research is necessary to establish standardised reference ranges and develop cost-effective assays. This review evaluates the potential of adiponectin, leptin, and insulin as early biomarkers for the prediction of diabetes mellitus in obese feline patients.
Keywords: Feline obesity, Adiponectin, Leptin, Insulin, Diabetes Mellitus, Adipokines
Received: 28 May 2025; Accepted: 11 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Cernat, Daina and Macri. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sorana Daina, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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