My cat's belly is bloated and distended. What are the possible causes?

There are many different issues that could be causing her abdomen to swell, ranging from fluid build up to organ enlargement or tumours. Unfortunately there is no way to shed any light on what is causing it without taking her to a vet for a thorough examination. They may need to run some tests also.

Hi there. The spleen is a lymphatic organ, somewhat similar to lymphnodes. It can enlarge with many different types of problems such as feline leukemia virus, FIV, FIP, and even cancers like lymphoma. If blood work has not been done yet then I would recommend blood work and an ultrasound of the abdomen. I would encourage you to discuss doing an ultrasound guided needle aspirate of the spleen with your veterinarian. This may help determine what the underlying problem is. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the X-rays, I can see that Mara's abdomen appears to be filled with fluid. It is obscuring his liver and intestines from being seen and there may even be a small amount in his lungs. Unfortunately it is impossible to tell what the fluid is from the x-ray alone. His blood work shows some abnormalities with his electrolytes, which may be if he is not eating or from fluid in the abdomen. Mara also has a high white blood cell count, these are the cells that are responsible for fighting off infections and increase if there is one present. Your vet can run some additional diagnostics, and perform a tap and remove the fluid as well as a blood test to determine if Mara is infected with FIP, a mutated form of a common virus that cats are exposed to. I hope this helps!

If his stomach seems significantly bloated it could be a sign of ascites or fluid in the abdomen. I think it would be best to see a vetas soon as you can and an emergency visit might be the best option. They may recommend blood work and x-rays after a physical exam.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Common causes for a pot belly include intestinal parasites, organ enlargement and abdominal fluid. Unfortunately, this can also be caused by feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which can be deadly. The fact that Muffin’s spine has become more prominent is also cause for concern as it indicates weight loss. I recommend having him seen by his vet as soon as possible - they can perform bloodwork, x-rays and an ultrasound if necessary to determine what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment. I hope all is well and that Muffin gets well soon!

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to say what the cause of the rounded abdomen may be without examining Binx first. If she is not spayed and has interacted with a male cat, she may be pregnant. Other options include a parasitic infection, mass or tumor, or abdominal fluid due to Feline Infectious Peritonitis or another cause. A good exam with Binx's veterinarian is needed soon in order to determine the cause of the rounded abdomen. It is good to hear she appears normal otherwise, but I would take her in to see her vet to have her evaluated.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know what you are referring to by swelling up. If you mean that her belly gets distended then that could be normal to some extent after eating. If this appears to be severe or marked, then she should be evaluated by a veterinarian as other possibilities would have to be considered. However, of this happens just after eating then I would be suspicious that this is due to that and not anything serious. Good luck and have a great day!