The liver is one of the most important organs of the cat's body, and also one of those that, once it becomes ill, should worry us the most. And, when it fails, it is not capable of filtering the necessary amount of substances, both nutritional and toxic, found in the body.
For this reason, liver disease is always a cause for alarm. One of the most common is fatty liver in cats, or hepatic lipidosis. So that you know what it is and what the symptoms are, then I'm going to tell you everything about it.
What is it?
Fatty liver in cats is a liver disease that appears when the normally obese animal eats little or stops eating, and begins to lose weight. When this happens, the body sends the fats it can to the liver to be processed, but as the feline loses more and more weight, the liver receives more and more fat and there comes a time when it cannot synthesize all of them.
Thus, the cat will begin to feel very tired, lacking in energy and inappetence. He will spend much of his time resting, in a corner, not wanting anything.
What causes it?
There are several causes:
- pancreatitis
- Diabetes
- Severe gastroenteritis
- Depression / unhappiness
- He does not like the food that is given to him
- Accident or pain in the mouth
What are the symptoms?
The main symptoms of fatty liver in cats are:
- Anorexia
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- Apathy
If we suspect that the cat is unwell, it must be taken to the vet as soon as possible.
How is it treated?
When a cat has a fatty liver the vet will administer fluids and a liquid feed so that little by little it will recover. And even so, it is normal that after this treatment he refuses to eat, so the professional will put a gastric tube for days or months, during which the animal will remain in the hospital.
Once at home, give him a low-fat but nutritious feed without cereals.
I hope it has been useful to you 🙂.