My cat just had kittens. Why is she losing weight with a bloated belly?

If you feel she is not spayed then I would plan on getting her fixed soon. That will help prevent her from getting pregnant in the future and also it will eliminate her risk of developing a condition called pyometra (spontaneous infected uterus). Her belly fat is probably normal, so unless she is considered to be overweight then continue with her normal diet (Hill's Science Diet, Iams, Evo (Innova), adult cat food). Here is a website link to help you determine if she is ideal weight or not https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf OR you can have her examined by your local veterinarian. As long as she is eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normal, then she is likely fine. Just check with your local vet to make sure she is fully vaccinated to protect her from preventable diseases. Best wishes with your newly adopted pet.

It's likely that Princess has hidden the kittens in a safe place rather than eating them. The big belly is probably due to intestinal parasites, which are common in stray cats. Princess will need a deworming treatment from the vet, as will her kittens. I would try to find the kittens, and then bring Princess and her kittens into the vet for an exam and deworming treatment. There is also a chance that her big belly is due to a medical illness, so I would recommend getting routine blood tests and a urinalysis done her on as well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree that a heavy worm burden can cause what you’re describing. In fact, it is the most likely reason. You can try an over the counter cat dewormer from a pet store. Follow the directions exactly in terms of amount and number of treatments. Hopefully, that’s all it takes to get her feeling better. Unfortunately, there are other (much less common) things that can cause large belly, weight loss, and lethargy including: FIP, heart failure, liver failure, cancer, protein problems, etc. So, if the dewormer doesn’t help, you may have to decide if you’d want to take her to the vet for further testing or if you’d like her humanely euthanized, etc. Best wishes and thank you so much for taking care of this stray!

Hi and thank you for your post. A severe roundworm or tapeworm infection could be the cause of the enlarged belly and this may also explain why Millie is hungry all the time. I would have a fecal test run on her to test for intestinal parasites first. I would be concerned the enlarged belly may be due to a tumor or fluid in the abdomen and may want to do an ultrasound to be sure this wasn't the case. I hope this helps! Best of luck to you!

The most common cause is usually intestinal parasite infection. Submit a stool sample to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. Amaru should be dewormed. This will likely need to be repeated in 2, 4 and 6 weeks. An exam can be done to confirm good health or to diagnose and treat any pre-existing conditions. Consider having him tested for FeLV and FIV. This is done with a quick in-clinic blood test. Feed a food quality canned kitten food. If he checks out healthy, discuss an appropriate vaccination plan with your veterinarian.

Wizzy is so cute! He may have intestinal worms causing the swollen belly, those are common in kittens. Give him a deworming treatment. He doesn't need nutritional supplements, his kitten food will provide all the nutrients he needs. To help him wean and to get used to dry food, I would soak a high quality kitten formulated dry food in warm water until soft. Then mix that with kitten formula such as KMR to make a mush the consistency of oatmeal. Over the next two weeks, gradually increase the amount of dry kitten food and decrease the amount of water and KMR you use until he is eating the dry kitten food only. Best of luck.

Hello. It does sound like your cat is pregnant. Female cats often seem to become more affectionate & content when they are pregnant. The hair loss may be related to normal shedding, but often in pregnancy, some hair loss will occur. I would switch her food from a maintenance or adult cat food to a kitten food. Feed her the kitten food for the rest of her pregnancy & while she nurses the kittens. Once the kittens start to wean onto solid food ( at about 3-4 weeks of age ) you can slowly transition her back to her regular adult cat food. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.