Symptoms of Feline Liver Disease

Feline liver disease is one of the more serious ailments for cats. If a cat has severe liver problems, it can cause the liver to stop working, which will kill the animal. Many of the symptoms are vague and can be mistaken for other illnesses. If any combination of the symptoms occurs, you should consult a veterinarian immediately.

  1. Visual Symptoms

    • There are a few visual signs that your cat may have a liver disease, including abdominal swelling, jaundice, diarrhea, weight loss, vomiting and epilepsy. A combination of any of these symptoms should alert you to a possible problem.

    Other Symptoms

    • Other symptoms can also occur such as depression, loss of appetite, lethargy or irritability. These signs, when seen together or with any symptoms listed above, can be a sign of feline liver disease.

    Causes

    • Physical problems such as trauma, heatstroke or hernia can trigger feline liver disease. Other causes can include ingestion of medication such as acetaminophen, cortisone or epilepsy drugs since these are toxic to cats.

    Time Frame

    • Feline liver disease takes time to develop outward signs and can take days or weeks to become serious. By the time outward signs begin to show, over two-thirds of the liver has already been affected.

    Seriousness

    • A cat's liver handles a role in digestion, the immune system, elimination of toxins and fluid levels. If a cat progresses to where there are outward signs of feline liver disease, you have only days to treat the illness before the cat's liver shuts down.