Hepatic lipidosis is a condition in cats that occurs when there is a sudden change in a cats appetite causing a dramatic decrease in food consumption. There are a number of stressors that can result in a cat not eating (moving, new cat or person in the house, or general illness) or it can be due to an underlying disorder of the liver (such as a tumor). The body can tolerate 2-3 days without food, but if the cat does not return to eating, fatty liver disease will likely occur. As the cat’s system goes into a starvation mode it sends reserve fat stores to the liver to be used for glucose production. The liver becomes overloaded, begins to swell, and fatty liver disease results. The inflammation in the liver can also place pressure on the ducts responsible for transporting bile from the liver into the gall bladder. This causes bile to back up into the bloodstream and will result in a yellow color to the skin, eyes and gums.