Fatty Liver Syndrome, Feline - contd.

ClinicalSigns
Anorexia lasting a week or longer; icterus; weight loss; vomiting; loss of muscle mass; lethargy; and depression. Cats that develop hepatic lipidosis are typically middle-aged, indoor, obese, and have a history of enduring a stressful event such as the introduction of a new pet to the household, boarding, a move to a new environment, or a recent illness.

Symptoms
Cats usually are taken to the veterinarian because they have not eaten for at least a week or more and they may be vomiting, depressed, and listless. Other symptoms include weight loss, decreased muscle mass, and a yellow color in the eyes, ears or mouth. This yellow color is called jaundice or icterus and it usually indicates liver disease, or less commonly destruction of the red blood cells. Cats that develop fatty liver syndrome tend to be obese indoor animals. They may have stopped eating because of a stressful event in the recent past, such as the introduction of a new pet to the house, being placed in a boarding facility, moving to a new environment, or suffering an illness.