Moderate severity

Hyperlipidaemia (High Blood Fats)

An excess of fats — triglycerides and cholesterol — circulating in the blood. It is often a knock-on effect of another disease such as diabetes or an underactive thyroid, and is usually found on a blood test rather than causing obvious signs at home.

⚠️ Common symptoms

Often noneCloudy or 'milky' blood sample noted by the vetFatty deposits in the eyesSkin nodules (xanthomas)Abdominal discomfortReduced appetiteOccasional nerve problems if severe

Fat in the bloodstream

After a meal it is normal for fats to appear in the blood, but they should clear within a few hours. In hyperlipidaemia they do not: triglycerides, cholesterol, or both, stay abnormally high. The first clue is often visual — a blood sample that looks cloudy or milky instead of clear straw-coloured serum, a sign vets call lipaemia.

Usually a symptom, not the disease

In cats, persistently high blood fats are far more often a consequence of another illness than a problem in their own right. Diabetes mellitus, an underactive thyroid, pancreatitis, obesity and some liver conditions all push lipid levels up. That is why a good work-up looks beyond the fats themselves to the disease driving them — treat that, and the lipids usually follow.

When high fats cause harm

Mild hyperlipidaemia may cause no signs at all. When levels climb high, though, fats can deposit where they should not: as pale streaks in the eye, as firm nodules in the skin called xanthomas, or around nerves, occasionally causing weakness or pain. Very high triglycerides can also inflame the pancreas, creating a vicious circle.

Diet and follow-up

Management combines treating the underlying cause with a low-fat diet, and in some cases omega-3 supplements or medication. Because the blood fats are a window onto the disease behind them, repeat blood tests are an important part of knowing whether treatment is working.

🔍 Causes

Most feline hyperlipidaemia is secondary — the blood fats rise because of another problem such as diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, pancreatitis, obesity, cholestatic liver disease or certain medications. A simpler cause is a recent fatty meal, which is why blood is ideally drawn after a fast. Rarely, cats have an inherited primary hyperlipidaemia.

🛡 Prevention

Keep your cat at a lean, healthy weight, feed a balanced diet that is not excessively high in fat, and have older cats and those with diabetes or thyroid disease checked regularly so any rise in blood fats is caught and the underlying condition managed.

💊 Treatment

Treatment is aimed first at any underlying cause — controlling diabetes, treating hypothyroidism or pancreatitis, or stopping a drug that is raising blood fats. Alongside that, a vet will usually prescribe a low-fat diet and, in primary or stubborn cases, may add omega-3 fatty acid supplements or lipid-lowering medication. Regular blood tests track the response.

When to see a vet: Hyperlipidaemia is usually picked up on routine or investigative blood work rather than at home. See your vet if your cat is unusually lethargic, off its food, losing weight, or if you notice a change in the eyes or unusual lumps in the skin — and always follow up when a blood test has flagged high fats, because the priority is finding and treating the disease behind it.

⚕️ Medical disclaimer

  • This information is educational only and is not a substitute for veterinary advice.
  • Symptoms overlap between conditions — only a vet can diagnose accurately.
  • Never withhold treatment or self-medicate based on information found online.
  • When in doubt, call your vet. Early intervention almost always leads to better outcomes.

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