A wide variety of hepatic diseases can put your cat’s life in danger.

By Tom Ewing

Situated in the forward area of the abdominal cavity and extending back to the rear of the rib cage, your cat’s liver is by far the largest gland and almost the largest organ in its body (exceeded in size only by the lungs and skin). And because of the many important tasks that it performs, a healthy liver is an indispensable component of the feline anatomy.

The liver is subject to several disorders, all of which must be considered dangerous and requiring prompt treatment.

To say that the liver performs hundreds of different vital functions is “probably underestimating it,” says Deb Zoran, DVM, an associate professor of medicine at Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences. “The liver is the centerpiece for just about everything.…

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