My cat's stomach is swollen during her first heat. Pyometra or worms?

This could be a pyometra. A pyometra is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. With a pyometra, the uterus fills with pus, and that can cause the belly to get big. Have Peekaboo seen by a vet now.

Yes, she is probably coming into heat. I recommend spaying her soon or she will become pregnant if you let her out. Even if she’s indoors all the time, cats will go in and out of heat frequently and that can cause health issues so it’s best to get her spayed to prevent future problems. As far as the diarrhea and swollen belly goes, she may have intestinal parasites. You can bring a stool sample to your veterinarian and they can see what types of intestinal parasites she has and prescribe the correct dewormer for her. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Pumpkin.

There are a few things that could be causing Chunnu's belly to be larger than normal. First, if she is having heart or liver problems, this can cause fluid to backup into the belly. This fluid can usually be diagnosed with x-rays or ultrasound, and if there is a large amount of fluid it can easily be removed. However, the fluid will usually come back in a matter of days or weeks unless we cure the underlying cause. Another potential cause for a large belly is intestinal parasites. I recommend that Chunnu have a good dewormer or have her stool tested by a veterinarian. The other potential cause is that she is gaining weight in fat. As cats age, they started to shift more weight to the belly and can appear bigger there than when they were younger. If she is eating well and her activity is normal, you could just continue to monitor her belly from home, or see your vet for re-evaluation.

Hello. I do not see any evidence of pyometra or enlargement of the uterus. If this were to happen, Snowwhite would also be showing signs of illness, such as lethargy, loss of appetite, increased thirst & vomiting. Gas in the intestines is not always a sign of any particular disease as it can occur with some dietary sensitivities. I would give her more time to see if she comes into heat. If she does not it might be a good idea to consider spaying her as other abnormalities such as cystic ovaries may be at fault. But for now, just give her a few more weeks to see if she cycles again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I see that Princess isn't spayed. I would be concerned that her accidents in the home and her distended belly is due to a pyometra. This is a life threatening infection of the uterus that causes it to become enlarged with pus. I would have Princess seen by a vet immediately. My recommendation would be to have a physical exam, blood tests, a urinalysis, and possibly x-rays to diagnose if she does have a pyometra. If she does, the recommended treatment is spaying her. Please take her into a vet now.

If she has been swollen around her bladder, then this could just be an actually problem like a hernia or something benign like a fat pad. Since she is vomiting and then swelling has been there for awhile now, I would have her checked out at least once to ensure it looks okay. Your vet will be able to tell you whether it is anything to worry with or just to continue to watch. The vomiting could be a complication of a hernia or a different problem like hairballs, eating food too fast, an infection, etc. I hope this helps!

That discharge is very abnormal. My guess is that she may have a pyometra (uterine infection). I suggest you get her to a vet as soon as you can. If you are not near an emergency vet she can likely wait until morning as long as she is eating and drinking OK. If she is acting sick then you need to find an emergency vet right now. This is not something you can treat at home. Best wishes.