Kimba and Fatty Liver Syndrome

Meet Kimba! Kimba is a domestic shorthair that came to visit our Cat Specialist Dr Rachel Korman at our Underwood Hospital.

Kimba is a complicated little girl who was treated initially for a fungal infection of her nose after receiving immunosuppressive medications for her skin. Kimba recovered from this, and she later developed a disease called fatty liver syndrome or 'hepatic lipidosis'. This is a disease that is particular to cats as they are very dependent on having large amounts of protein in their diet.

Cat's bodies do not cope well if they go off their food and have reduced protein intake. Their bodies start to mobilise their fat stores for energy, and this gets stuck in the liver. Cats can become jaundiced (yellow) and typically have an enlarged liver. 

'Hepatic lipidosis' can be the only problem that some cats have, whereas other cats may have underlying diseases and develop this disease secondary to that. Kimba had an oesophagostomy feeding tube placed which allowed us to give her all the nutrition and protein that she needed to allow her liver to recover.

Kimba was discharged to go home and is scheduled to come and visit us again soon for her check up!

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