A yellow color is noted in the skin, white part of the eyes, or on the ear flaps. The process of red cell destruction is known as hemolysis. Any disease that causes destruction of liver cells or causes bile to become trapped in the liver can cause icterus. Obstruction of the bile duct. The bile duct carries an important fluid for digestion, bile, from the gall bladder to the small intestine.
Obstruction can occur within the gall bladder or anywhere along the bile duct.
Diagnosis of icterus itself is straightforward. Determining the cause of icterus can be a challenge and usually requires a series of tests. Within each category listed above are several possible causes of icterus. Once the probable cause can be placed into one of these three categories, additional tests are performed to look for a specific disease which is leading to the icteric state. Occasionally, blood is drawn and the serum component is found to be yellow before the cat is visibly jaundiced.