My young cat threw up and has a swollen belly. Should I see a vet?

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.

I'm wondering if your cat is spayed or not. If your cat isn't spayed, she could have a mammary tumor. In cats, 90% of these are malignant. She does have to see a vet for this problem, as a malignant tumor could also be causing her to vomit. Please take her into a vet now. Best of luck.

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!

I am unsure if there is one issue responsible for what you are describing with Tommy. However, I am concerned about a large or distended abdomen, particularly with signs of vomiting in a young cat. It is possible there is some sort of obstruction in the intestines or even something else wrong within the abdomen that is causing distention. I worry about Tommy becoming dehydrated and painful with the symptoms you are describing. I recommend having Tommy evaluated by a veterinarian today. They will likely recommend x-rays or an ultrasound to look at the abdomen and help determine the cause of the distention and the vomiting. If there is something causing an obstruction, Tommy may need surgery to remove what every is present. There are many other things that he may benefit from as well, such as a medication to treat nausea and fluids to treat dehydration. It is best that Tommy be examined as quickly as possible.

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!

Poor Beebo! It could be that she is suffering from roundworms again if she's had them in the past, but a pyometra could also be a possibility. Other signs of a pyometra in cats can include vomiting, lethargy, and a discharge from the vulva. If you are really scared she has a pyometra, my advice would be to bring her into a vet right away. A pyometra is fatal without treatment, and time is of the essence for the success of treating them. In my opinion, it's always best to be safe than sorry, and I'd rather have an animal checked out with nothing wrong than not have them checked out and it be something serious. If it would set your mind at ease to have Beebo seen by a vet, I recommend taking her into an ER vet now. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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!