Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Welfare and Acromegaly Management

Feline acromegaly is caused by excess growth hormone from a pituitary tumour, leading to progressive insulin resistance and organ changes. Management improves welfare for affected cats.

Key Facts

Acromegaly causes insulin-resistant diabetes mellitus requiring very high insulin doses
Affected cats often have characteristic facial and body changes including broad facial features
Pituitary radiotherapy is effective but not widely available
Hypophysectomy (surgical pituitary removal) is increasingly performed at specialist centres
Medical management aims to control diabetes while addressing growth hormone excess where possible

Welfare Considerations

Acromegaly causes progressive metabolic disruption and welfare harm. Specialist treatment options including radiotherapy and surgery offer improved outcomes, but require owner commitment and access to specialist care.

What You Can Do

Suspect acromegaly in diabetic cats requiring high and increasing insulin doses
Seek endocrinology specialist assessment for poorly controlled diabetic cats
Discuss pituitary radiotherapy or surgery with a specialist if available
Maintain consistent monitoring and insulin management for best welfare outcomes