Hypokalaemia in cats causes progressive muscle weakness including the characteristic neck ventroflexion, with welfare impacts from mobility impairment and the underlying causes requiring management.
Cats with hypokalaemia experience muscle weakness that progressively impairs normal activity and function. The inability to hold the head up normally is distressing for affected cats and impairs eating and drinking. Generalized muscle weakness causes difficulty rising from lying, impaired gait, and inability to engage in normal activities including play and climbing. The associated weakness and lethargy cause behavioral changes that reduce normal feline quality of life indicators including social interaction and environmental engagement. The underlying causes of hypokalaemia including chronic kidney disease and anorexia have their own welfare implications that compound the direct effects of potassium deficiency.