My cat has a pot belly but acts normal. What could be wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sometimes a pot belly in a kitten can occur from intestinal parasites. However, it appears that your veterinarian has already ruled this out. Sometimes kittens do tend to have a pot belly appearance that it is not associated with anything concerning and it can be normal. If she is otherwise doing perfectly fine, I would not worry much about this. If at any point she developed any gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea, inappetence and/or vomiting, have her evaluated by your veterinarian. Otherwise, enjoy your kitten!

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!

Any firm swelling in the belly should be looked at by your vet to confirm this is not an enlarged organ (kidney, liver, spleen, etc). I would have Buttercup examined in the next week or two to confirm and air on the side of caution. Often-times a cat will act completely normal if there is organ enlargement, until things progress, so we want to check this out for sure. I hope that things work out well for your pet Buttercup moving forward. Take care!

Congratulations on your new kitten and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm glad to hear that he is doing well at home. The enlarged belly can be due to parasites (or worms), which are not uncommon in kittens. He should definitely be evaluated by a veterinarian within the next few days, and it would be very helpful to bring a sample of feces with you in a ziploc bag or disposable container (it shouldn't matter if there is litter in the feces). This will help the vet determine if your kitten has parasites, and if so, which ones they are and the best medication to use to treat them. Unfortunately, some parasites are actually transmitted by fleas, so those will definitely need to be treated as well. While the enlarged belly is likely due to intestinal parasites, it is important to make sure that your kitten does not have a viral or bacterial infection or has ingested a foreign body. These scenarios are unlikely as long as he is active and eating well. The vet will also have recommendations on how to treat the fleas, do a general exam, and make sure that everything else is normal! Good luck with your new kitty!

That could be caused by an accumulation of fluids in the abdominal cavity caused by FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). A check up and single radiograph (or sometimes only clinical examination) could confirm this clinical suspicion and give you treatment options. Unfortunately the prognosis for this disease is poor. Differential diagnosis could be represented by parasite infestation. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. He will need to see a veterinarian to determine if he is overweight or if he is experiencing a medical problem such as parasites or fluid pooling in his abdomen. His veterinarian will examine him and feel his belly. Depending on his exam findings, x-rays may be recommended. I hope this information helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Snowy. I recommend that she sees a veterinarian as soon as you are able. It is worrisome that her belly changed so dramatically in such a short time frame. If there is no chance of pregnancy, I worry about intestinal parasites or even fluid building up in her abdomen. Based on her exam findings, her veterinarian may recommend fecal testing or even x-rays of her belly to determine the cause of her symptoms. I hope this information helps!