Jaundice in Cats - Symptoms and Causes

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 4 August 2021
Update Date: 6 November 2024
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Icterus (Jaundice) in Cats
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THE jaundice is defined as the yellow pigmentation of the skin, urine, serum and organs caused by the accumulation of bilirubin, both in blood and tissues. It is a clinical sign that can originate from multiple diseases. If your cat has an abnormal coloration in any part of the body, the veterinarian must carry out different tests to be able to establish a differential diagnosis.

If your cat suffers from these changes and you would like to know a little more about their origin, read this article by PeritoAnimal where we explain in detail the most common causes of jaundice in cats.


What is Bilirubin?

Bilirubin is a product that results from erythrocyte degradation (red blood cells) when they reach the end of their life (which lasts about 100 days). Red blood cells are destroyed in the spleen and bone marrow and, from the pigment that gave them their color - hemoglobin, another pigment is formed, yellow in color, bilirubin.

It is a complex process in which hemoglobin begins by being turned into biliverdin which turns into fat-soluble bilirubin. Bilirubin is later released into the circulation, traveling together with a protein until it reaches the liver.

In the liver, the body's great cleansing machine, it transforms into conjugated bilirubin and is stored in the gallbladder. Each time the gallbladder empties into the small intestine, a small portion of bilirubin leaves with the remaining components of bile. Through the action of certain bacteria, bilirubin is transformed into the normal pigments we see on a daily basis: stercobilin (colors the stool) and urobilinogen (colors the urine).


Why does jaundice appear in cats?

By now you've probably noticed that the liver is the key. Jaundice appears when the organism is unable to properly excrete bilirubin and the remaining components of the bile. Determining when this failure is caused is the most complicated task.

To simplify this complex topic we could talk about:

  • liver jaundice (when the cause is in the liver).
  • post-hepatic jaundice (the liver does its job correctly but there is a failure in storage and transport).
  • non-hepatic jaundice (when the problem has nothing to do with the liver, or with the storage and excretion of the pigment).

Symptoms of jaundice in cats

As mentioned at the beginning of the article, jaundice is a clinical sign that indicates that the feline suffers from some health problem. The most obvious sign of this problem is the yellow color of the skin, being more evident in the mouth, ear and areas with less hair.


liver jaundice

Liver jaundice happens when something fails at the level of the liver, that is, when the liver cannot fulfill its mission and is not able to excrete bilirubin that comes to him. Under normal conditions, liver cells (hepatocytes) excrete this pigment into the bile canaliculi and from there pass to the gallbladder. But when the cells are affected by some pathology, or there is an inflammation that prevents the passage of bilirubin into the bile ducts, a intrahepatic cholestasis.

What causes can lead to liver jaundice in cats?

Any pathology that directly affects the liver can produce this accumulation of bilirubin. In cats we have the following:

  • liver lipidosis: fatty liver in cats can appear as a consequence of prolonged fasting in obese cats. Fat is transferred to the liver in an attempt to get nutrients, among other reasons. Sometimes it is not possible to know what this movement is due to and we should call the problem idiopathic hepatic lipidosis.
  • neoplasm: especially in older patients, primary neoplasms are the most frequent cause of liver failure.
  • feline hepatitis: hepatocytes can be destroyed by substances that the cat accidentally ingests and that can lead to hepatitis in cats.
  • biliary cirrhosis: fibrosis of the biliary canaliculi causes an inability to fulfill the mission of transferring bilirubin to the gallbladder.
  • Changes at the vascular level.

Sometimes, there are changes that can cause liver failure at a secondary level, that is, produced by pathologies that have side effects on the liver. We can find, for example, livers affected by neoplasms secondary to feline leukemia. We can also find changes or liver damage caused by feline infectious peritonitis, a toxoplasmosis or even due to diabetes mellitus. As a result of any of these problems, we will see jaundice very evident in the cat.

post-hepatic jaundice

The cause of bilirubin accumulation is out of liver, when the pigment has already passed through the hepatocytes to be processed. For example, a mechanical obstruction of the extrahepatic bile duct, which drains bile into the duodenum. This obstruction can be caused by:

  • a pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas.
  • a neoplasm in the duodenum or pancreas, which compresses the area by proximity and makes it impossible to excrete the gallbladder contents.
  • a break due to trauma to the bile duct, with which the bile cannot be evacuated to the intestine (running over, hit, falling from a window...)

In cases where there is a complete interruption of the flow of bile (rupture of the bile duct) we can see the yellow color of the mucous membranes or skin. There may also be uncolored stools, as the pigment that gives them color does not reach the intestine (stercobilin).

non-hepatic jaundice

This type of jaundice in cats happens when the problem is a excess bilirubin production, in such a way that the liver is not able to expel the extra amount of pigment, although nothing is damaged in it, nor in the transport to the duodenum. It happens, for example, in hemolysis (rupture of red blood cells), which may be due to factors such as:

  • toxic: for example paracetamol, mothballs or onions are substances that cause the breakdown of healthy red blood cells, causing anemia and an overload on the system that is in charge of destroying the remains of these blood cells.
  • Viral or bacterial infections, such as hemobartonellosis. Antigens are deposited on the surface of red blood cells and the immune system identifies them as targets for destruction. Sometimes, no outside help is needed, and the immune system itself fails and starts to destroy its own red blood cells for no reason.
  • hyperthyroidism: the mechanism by which jaundice is produced in cats with hyperthyroidism is not well known, but it may be due to increased degradation of red blood cells.

How do I know what causes jaundice in my cat?

At laboratory and diagnostic imaging tests are essential, as well as the detailed clinical history that the veterinarian will prepare based on the information we provide. Although it may seem irrelevant, we must communicate every detail in detail.

Performing a blood count and serum biochemistry, as well as determining the hematocrit and total proteins, are the beginning of a series of complementary tests.

In cats with jaundice, it is common to find the elevated liver enzymes, but this does not indicate whether the cause is a primary or secondary hepatobiliary disease. Sometimes, an excessive increase in one of them in relation to the others can guide us, but an ultrasound and radiological study should always be carried out (we can detect masses, duodenal obstructions, fat infiltration...). Even before all this, clinical history and physical examination they can allow the veterinarian to find thyroid nodules, fluid in the abdomen (ascites) and even detect possible exposure to hepatotoxic drugs.

We must look at jaundice as a clinical sign shared by dozens of alterations of all kinds, which is why it is essential to ascertain its origin with a complete history, physical examination and laboratory and diagnostic tests.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.