Why does my cat have a swollen and hard belly?

In this article, we are going to explain why a cat has a swollen and hard belly. The seriousness of this situation will depend on the causes that originated it, among which can be found internal parasitosis, feline infectious peritonitis or hyperadrenocorticism, as we will see in the following sections. All these circumstances are going to be more or less probable according to whether we are facing a cat, a cat or a kitten. We will see, too, how to prevent and act before this problem.

My kitten has a swollen belly

Perhaps the most common cause that explains why a cat has a swollen and hard belly is the presence of internal parasites, especially if we are facing a kitten of young age. Thus, if we pick up a kitten we are likely to notice that its belly is abnormally large. In this case, we must go to our veterinarian to prescribe a broad spectrum product to deworm it and, at the same time, we will take advantage to establish a deworming calendar suitable to the characteristics of our kitten.

It is also very likely that we will find cat with swollen belly and diarrhea, caused by the damage of the parasites in the digestive system when the infestation is considerable. Likewise, we could get to observe worms in the feces or blood. The veterinarian can take a sample of these feces and observe it under a microscope to identify the type of parasite present and thus adapt the treatment. It must be borne in mind that it is not always possible to locate the parasite in a single sample, in which case it would be necessary to collect them on several alternate days. In any case, veterinary assistance is needed, as an intense infestation in a kitten can cause profuse diarrhea that dehydrates it and endangers its life.

Swollen, hard belly in cats with ascites

It is known as ascites to the accumulation of liquids in the abdominal cavity. It can have different causes and needs veterinary treatment to identify and treat it. The ascites can explain why our cat has a swollen and hard belly. In the following sections we will see what are the most common causes of ascites in cats.

Big and hard tummy in cats for infectious peritonitis

Feline infectious peritonitis, also known as FIP, is one of the most serious diseases that explains why a cat has a swollen, hard belly. It is a viral pathology that causes inflammation in the peritoneum, which is the membrane that lines the inside of the abdomen, or in different organs such as the liver or kidneys. Being a virus, there is no other treatment than support. Also, there is a vaccine against this disease, very contagious among cats.

In addition to the ascites we can observe other symptoms such as chronic fever that does not send, anorexia, thinning or lethargy. They can also occur respiratory problemss due to pleural effusion and, depending on the affected organs, there may be jaundice, neurological problems, etc.

Swollen and hard belly in cats due to liver tumors

The presence of tumors in the liver It is another cause that can explain why our cat has a swollen and hard belly. This disorder is more common in older cats, which also show other symptoms that are usually nonspecific, that is, common to several diseases and that usually occur when the damage is already advanced.

In addition to abdominal distension, so it seems that the cat has a tummy or large, we can observe anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, increase in water intake and urination or vomiting. It will be our veterinarian who will arrive at the diagnosis. The prognosis is reserved and will depend on the type of tumor.

Bloated and hard belly in cats due to hyperadrenocorticism

Although not very common, this disease could explain why a cat has a swollen and hard belly. Hyperadrenocorticism or Cushing’s syndrome is caused by an excess production of glucocorticoids caused by tumors or hyperplasia. Requires veterinary treatment and follow-up.

Other symptoms that we can see are lethargy, increased intake of food, water and urine in advanced stages, weakness, loss of hair or, above all, extremely fragile skin.

My cat has a hard gut

In addition to the causes already mentioned that explain why a cat has a swollen and hard belly, in cats we can observe this situation if they are in labor, due to the effect of contractions that aim to compress the uterus to facilitate the exit of the kittens. But, also, abdominal distention in cats appears in uterine pathologies to which infections can be associated that will require veterinary treatment. To avoid these and other serious disorders, we recommend sterilization.

This article is merely informative, in .com we do not have the faculty to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in case of any type of condition or discomfort.

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