Understanding vitamin A toxicity in cats from excessive liver feeding and its serious welfare consequences.
Hypervitaminosis A causes insidious, severe welfare impairment that progresses over years before being recognised. The condition is most commonly seen in cats fed large quantities of raw liver — a diet sometimes chosen by well-intentioned owners seeking 'natural' nutrition. Vitamin A excess stimulates abnormal bone growth and remodelling, particularly in the cervical and thoracic vertebrae.
Early signs include reluctance to groom (particularly the head and neck), stiffness when rising, and a characteristic hunched posture. As cervical fusion progresses, cats cannot lower their heads to eat normally, causing weight loss and malnutrition. Nerve compression from bony growths can cause neurological signs including weakness and pain.
By the time diagnosis is made, the bony changes are irreversible. Pain management with NSAIDs and provision of raised food and water bowls to accommodate the reduced range of motion are palliative. Dietary correction prevents further progression but cannot reverse existing damage.