Preventing and Treating Feline Steatitis (Yellow Fat Disease)

1 Preventing and Treating Feline Steatitis (Yellow Fat Disease)

I. What causes feline steatitis

Steatitis is a metabolic disorder, usually from a diet too high in unsaturated fatty acids and lacking vitamin E. Studies show long-term fish or fish by-products and excess fish-oil supplementation easily trigger it; it strikes kittens and obese cats, both males and females.

II. Symptoms

Affected cats are obese, less agile, reluctant to move, and eat less; the belly and back are tender, with hard fatty lumps under the skin. Tests show raised white-cell count and fat that is yellow-brown, granular or nodular, with waxy pigment.

III. Prevention and treatment

Prevention starts with better husbandry: vary the diet to avoid pickiness, and keep unsaturated fat under 2% of the diet. Nuts, avocado, fish, lean meat, cauliflower, chives, carrots, seaweed, kelp, onion, tomato, cucumber, pomegranate, hawthorn, apple, sea cucumber, turtle, and yellow croaker are all rich in unsaturated fat — limit these, especially long-term fish feeding. During treatment, no fish or fish by-products; supplement vitamin E, 30 mg twice daily.

Steatitis is uncommon; just avoid long-term fish or fish products.

More common is the feline lipoma, from heredity, poor nutrition, parasites, slowed metabolism, or obesity — older cats are more prone. To lower risk, balance the diet, keep it light, avoid excess high-fat food, and control weight; if obese, help it lose weight with low-fat cat food and exercise. A lipoma is a movable, elastic, painless lump under the skin, with vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, weight loss, and exercise intolerance. If suspected, see a vet. Lipomas are usually benign and can be managed conservatively if small; larger or multiplying ones need surgical removal.

Steatitis mainly comes from poor diet. Keep the diet balanced — high-quality natural cat food as staple, avoid a single food.