Why does my kitten's belly look big when he sits or I pick him up?

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!

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!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kittens often seem to have bloated bellies. Sometimes it is just their immature anatomy, sometimes it is internal parasites, especially roundworms. If she is eating a wet kitten food, she is probably getting a fair amount of liquid every day. You usually will not see such a young kitten drinking water consistently. It would be a good idea to take the kitten to your veterinarian for a fecal analysis & proper health check. They will determine what, if any worms the kitten has, & administer the proper medication. Take care.

Hi and thanks for your posting. Kittens are frequently born with roundworms they get through their mother's during pregnancy and through nursing. A pot belly appearance can indicate an intestinal worm infection. The good news is deworming Meena is not complicated and requires just a few rounds of deworming solution you can obtain from your veterinarian. A fecal test is run before and after treatment to confirm Meena has cleared the infection. During the course of deworming treatment, you may see worms passed in the stool. I would schedule an appointment with your veterinarian soon so she can get dewormed. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the swelling is at the belly button, is soft and non-painful it is likely an umbilical hernia. The herniation is usually fat through the body wall. Sometimes they can be pushed in (but come back out) or are permanently out. We usually fix them easily when they are spayed. Your Vet can examine it soon when you bring her in for her first exam and vaccines. Have a great day! Also feel free to post a picture.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! At almost 9 weeks old feeding her that small of an amount that frequently is not needed. I think feeding her 3 times a day until 4 months old is fine then after that twice daily. At this age she should have started vaccines and had her stool checked for parasites. A big belly can occur after eating (but goes down), from intestinal parasites and if there is abnormal fluid in the belly (from FIP). If Noushmc hasn't been to the Vet she should be seen to start her routine care. I hope this helps and I wish you the best!