Feline Hepatic Lipidosis Explained: An Expert's Guide by JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM, Reviewed by Brittany Kleszynski, DVM on 04/30/2025 and Published on 04/25/2023. Share on Facebook, Twitter, or Email.
A feline's liver takes on a significant workload, playing vital roles such as producing essential proteins and vitamins, removing toxins, and metabolizing fats and carbohydrates. A cat's health can swiftly deteriorate when the liver faces diseases like hepatic lipidosis, a common feline liver disease that, if left untreated, can result in fatal liver failure.
Fortunately, with timely and aggressive treatment, cats can fully recover from hepatic lipidosis and avoid relapses.
What is Hepatic Lipidosis All About?
Hepatic lipidosis, commonly known as fatty liver syndrome, is a common liver ailment in cats. This condition occurs due to the liver being overwhelmed by body fat that accumulates within the liver when a cat stops eating, a situation commonly referred to as anorexia.
Causes of Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats
Underlying medical conditions, including diabetes, pancreatitis, kidney disease, other liver diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, and nutritional deficiencies, are typically the culprits behind hepatic lipidosis. Stress, obesity, and a sudden change in diet also increase a cat's susceptibility to this condition.
Symptoms of Feline Hepatic Lipidosis
Hepatic lipidosis can lead to a cat falling ill rapidly, displaying symptoms like pallor, lethargy, vomiting, constipation, muscle wasting, clotting problems, excessive salivation, a neck bent downward, avoidance of the food bowl, dramatic weight loss, behavioral changes (social withdrawal, depression), and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes, skin, gums). The presence of jaundice indicates severe disease and necessitates immediate, aggressive treatment.
Diagnosing Fatty Liver Disease in Cats
Take your cat to the veterinarian promptly if you observe symptoms of hepatic lipidosis. Your vet will perform a physical examination, take a detailed history of your cat's symptoms, and use bloodwork, abdominal ultrasound, and tissue sampling to make a definitive diagnosis.
Treating Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats
Treatment for hepatic lipidosis in cats must start early for the best chance of a full recovery. Treatment goals include correcting dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, stopping fat mobilization to the liver, restoring normal electrolyte levels, and managing underlying diseases contributing to hepatic lipidosis.
Cats will need hospitalization for at least the initial part of treatment. Treatment typically includes nutritional support, medications, intravenous fluid therapy, and careful monitoring. Nutritional support may involve long-term feeding tubes and a high-protein, calorie-dense, balanced diet.
Cost to Treat a Cat for Fatty Liver Disease
The expenses for treating fatty liver disease in cats can escalate quickly, so be prepared. Expect to pay for medications, hospitalization, nutritional support, feeding tube placement, continued monitoring, intravenous fluid therapy, and any related diagnostic tests.
How to Prevent Hepatic Lipidosis
While hepatic lipidosis is not entirely preventable, you can reduce your cat's risk by monitoring your cat's weight, working with your vet on a weight loss plan if necessary, reducing your cat's stress, managing chronic diseases, making slow changes to your cat's diet, and scheduling regular wellness visits.
- Ensuring a cat's overall health and wellness by maintaining a proper diet and managing chronic conditions, like diabetes or pancreatitis, can help prevent hepatic lipidosis, a common feline liver disease.
- Proactive steps in mental health management, such as reducing stress levels and providing a conducive environment, can also reduce a cat's susceptibility to hepatic lipidosis and other medical-conditions.
- A balanced diet rich in essential nutrients, regular fitness-and-exercise, and proper health-and-wellness care can support a cat's liver function, enabling it to effectively metabolize fats and carbohydrates, produce proteins and vitamins, and remove toxins from the body.
