How to Know if Your Cat Has Fatty Liver Disease

Hepatic Lipidosis--Fatty Liver Disease--can be deadly to cats if not caught early. It is important to know the symptoms so you can take your pet to the vet immediately and have her treated. This cat-specific disease can be treated successfully if it is in the first stages.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. The first thing most pet owners notice is that their cat isn't eating. Unfortunately, the majority of cats that get Fatty Liver Disease are overweight, so many owners don't think much about it. The first thought many people have is that their cat is being finicky. If you've noticed that it's been several days since your pet has eaten, take her to the vet.
2. Has he been laying around more often than usual? Where he used to greet you at the front door when you came home, does he now simply wait for you to find him snoozing on your bed? Lethargy uncharacteristic of your pet is another sign.
3. Keep a close watch. Some owners start to suspect their cat isn't eating, only to walk into the room and there she is, munching away. But, if you've noticed she hasn't been eating, now is the time to keep a close watch. Does she keep the food down? If she's trying to eat, but throwing everything up, it's possible that she's in the first stages of the disease.
4. Look for jaundice. It's the most decisive piece of evidence that you can have in connection to your cat and Fatty Liver Disease. For this, you need to examine her closely. Look inside the ears and around the gums. Are they a healthy pink? If you notice a yellow tinge to these areas, or to her skin, she needs to be taken in to be checked out immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Early detection is the key to helping your cat survive this disease.
• While it's true that most cats who develop hepatic lipidosis are overweight, not all are. Even thin pets can get it.