Jennifer Sellers
If you see yellow in the whites of your cat’s eyes, take action immediately. This yellowishing - known as jaundice - could be an indicator of liver disease in cats and must be taken seriously.
What Causes Liver Disease in Cats?
The liver has a lot of jobs to do in a cat’s body. Some of its work includes metabolizing fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and storing vitamins and minerals. They include lethargy, loss of appetite, dehydration, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea, and fever. And because of its numerous tasks, the liver is prone to damage from a variety of systems within the body. Here are some of the more common causes of liver disease in cats:
- - Poisoning
- - Bacterial or viral infections
- - Lymphoma
- - Fatty liver syndrome, which can be caused by rapid weight loss
- - Birth defects
- - Advanced age
- - Heart disease
Symptoms of Liver Disease in Cats
The indicators of liver disease in cats can be a bit ambiguous because they are similar to symptoms of many other diseases and illnesses. In all, it has more than a thousand duties. More symptoms of more severe disease might include seizures, high fever, dark urine and a distended abdomen.
If you notice that these changes in your cat are accompanied by a yellowing of the eyes (and sometimes the tongue, gums or skin), then that’s an indicator there could be a problem with his liver. Of course, any of the other symptoms are still enough to warrant a trip to your cat’s veterinarian. Even if all signs point toward liver disease, your veterinarian can’t provide a definitive diagnosis without a blood test.