Say yes to cheaper van, home and car insurance

A rise in overweight cats is behind an increased amount of feline diabetes, according to new research.

Edinburgh University has reported that one in every 230 cats in the UK suffers from the illness.

This figure is five times the level that was seen in the 1970s and, as a result, may see a similar increase in pet insurance costs due to larger health bills.

More than 14,000 cats were tested as part of the study, which also found that male felines were at a higher risk than females because they did not exercise as much.

"Many cats are now housebound … so they have little to do all day but eat, sleep and gain weight," said Professor Danielle Gun-Moore for the Royal School of Veterinary Studies.

Research from Datamonitor earlier this month has shown that the pet insurance market continued to grow during 2006.

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