Fatty liver disease is the most common form of liver failure in cats. The cat is a carnivorous species, ingesting large amounts of protein in the wild. Being overweight was never in the cards for cats that hunted to survive. However, today’s indoor cats are much more likely to become overweight. Then, if they drastically decrease or stop their food intake, those fat stores are mobilized to be converted to energy to keep the cat alive. However, the feline liver, not being used to handling large amounts of fat, is not able to metabolize it properly and liver failure can result.

The liver’s main jobs are to break down proteins, produce digestive chemicals, aid in metabolism, produce coagulation factors (to aid in blood-clotting), handle the decomposition of red blood cells, and detoxify the body. In liver failure, these are the things that suffer.

How Can I Treat My Cat Who Has Hepatic Lipidosis?

My 12-year-old cat has hepatic lipidosis. My vet said it was curable. He gave me an IV of fluid to give my cat once a day, a vitamin supplement, pills and a capsule to sprinkle on food. My cat is not eating. Is it time to put my cat down, or how much time should I give my cat to respond to medication? I love her very much but I don’t want her to suffer. She has not eaten in more than 5 days.

Hepatic lipidosis (also called “fatty liver disease”) is a liver disorder in which excessive amounts of fat accumulate within the cells of the liver, and the excess fat impairs liver function. Adult cats of either sex can be affected; middle aged to older cats are most commonly affected. Clinical signs of hepatic lipidosis may include vomiting, weight loss, drooling, jaundice (yellow discoloration to the gums, skin and whites of the eyes) and mental dullness. The most consistent sign, however, is poor appetite. Cats with fatty liver disease simply will not eat. Read More…

Fatty Liver Disease in Cats (hepatic lipidosis)

Fatty liver is a condition that is very serious. It can affect any cat, but tends to happen more commonly if a cat has suffered a period of a few days without eating any food. This condition is treatable, but can often take a lot of hard work and time. This article discusses the symptoms and treatment of fatty liver.

Symptoms of Fatty Liver Disease in Cats
Cats with fatty liver can have some of the following symptoms. Read More…

Fatty Liver Disease (aka Feline Hepatic Lipidosis)

It was about 6 months ago that Joplin got Fatty Live Disease (FLD). When I noticed such a huge change in her mannerisms I took her to the vet. Now, I am a biology student and I believe in science and modern medicine. I assumed that taking an animal to the vet meant that you were taking them to someone who was in it for the love of animals, NOT to guilt financially strapped university students into paying hug sums of money for unnecessary care. This was not the case at the Glebe Pet Hospital. I am unsure whether or not I can give names so I’m not going to mention any but I will say that it was a women and that she was awful.

I thought going in that all Joplin had was a hairball that she couldn’t pass. The vet was gentle with her examination, did a thorough job, then turned to me and said that she was really sure that she had FLD. I asked what could be done and she told me the following. Read More…

Home Care of Fatty Liver Disease in Cats

Sometimes force-feeding, fluids, and medications can be administered at home but treatment must be aggressive and the correct amount of food must be successfully ingested if the cat is to survive. There is a short window of time to intervene and reverse the effects of fatty liver disease, so home care must be approached prudently.