Why is my unvaccinated cat's belly swollen with bad breath and cough?

This does appear to be a repeat question. My top suspicion here is a viral infection such as FIP. Other possibilities are heart disease, a fungal infection, lower airway disease or upper airway disease. I would take Whisker in to the vet right away for testing. Best case scenario is that this a bacterial infection that will respond to antibiotics. Best of luck at the vet.

I understand you are concerned about FIP. The reality is, if you don't have money for a veterinary visit (and in many cases even if you did), FIP is typically fatal and untreatable. The best thing you can do is separate your sick cat from your healthy one and see how things transpire over the course of the next few days. Typically, cats with FIP, regardless of the form, will be inappetant and not wanting to eat anything at all. The worst form of it will cause massive fluid buiid up in the chest / abdomen and result in difficulty breathing. The other form typically produce clinical signs that are both ophthalmic and/or neurologic, plus several other non specific clinical signs (a couple of which include what you are descrbing). Overall, FIP would not be near the top of my list. I would definitely make sure all three cats have been tested for leukemia and AIDS however in order to rule both of these life-threatening conditions. While not as rapidly fatal as FIP, both conditions can carry poor long term prognosis. It sounds like the one cat with a fever and swollen belly might benefit from pain management and a recheck for the presence of worms. While dietary indiscretion could be an issue, it is not likely to cause a fever unless an infectious organism was present in the food. Hope this is more helpful than my previous response.

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!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Tikvichko. I do not recommend fasting a cat for 48 hours. That is a long time for him to go without food. It is unusual for a cat with colitis to have an increased respiratory rate. I would recommend that he has x-rays of his chest to ensure there is not a cause for his rapid breathing. He should have his abdomen x-rays as well if it is swollen. Colitis is an inflammation of the colon where diarrhea is usually the chief complaint. It is treated with a course of antibiotics. From your description, this does not seem to match with his problems. I am concerned there is something more serious going on with him. I think that he should have further testing. I hope this information helps!

Hi there and thank you for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, I cannot legally advise on medication or the dosages of medications over the internet. If Boo is coughing and having trouble breathing, he may have an upper respiratory infection or his symptoms may be caused by another medical condition such as feline asthma. Foul smelling saliva can be related to an oral infection such as a tooth infection or can be related to an upper respiratory infection. I would recommend Boo see his primary care veterinarian for an exam to help diagnose Boo's condition so he can receive the most appropriate treatment. Best wishes to you and Boo!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Based on on your description, there could be many possibilities of these symptoms. I would want to rule out any chest or abdominal disease as the cause by taking x-rays to start with. I would also recommend having his blood tested to check for evidence of systemic disease or infection. I am glad to see that you have an appointment tomorrow with the veterinarian so that these tests can be done. I would be concerned about an intestinal foreign body causing an obstruction or something abnormal in the lungs or chest cavity. I saw a case similar to this a couple of weeks ago that ended up being feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), which is caused from a virus and can be fatal and lead to fluid accumulation in the chest or abdomen. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

I am concerned that Tot is very sick. Her eyes look very irritated and swollen, which could indicate upper respiratory disease or other infection. If she has lost her appetite, then she is much more sick than she has been letting on. This could be a symptom of her disease, or could be caused by the inability to smell. Cats that can't smell their food may not show interest in it. I would have her examined by a vet as soon as possible, so that the cause of illness can be specifically treated.