My kitten has a big belly and farts a lot. Should I see a vet?

Hi and thank you for asking this question about your new kitten, Love. Yes, this type of vocalization is very normal in a kitten. They can be very communicative. If her belly seems very full and hard, she may be overeating and getting too much food at one time. Kittens also can have a round belly appearance from having intestinal parasites. I would recommend to take a fecal sample to her first veterinary visit when you schedule one so they can check her for parasites. Ideally you want the sample to be the same day as her appointment. Kittens do much better if they can eat small, frequent meals rather then two larger meals per day. This is because their stomachs are small and cannot hold a large amount of food at one time. If you can feed her 3-4 times/day 1/4 can of kitten wet food or 2-3 tbspns of dry food, this is better than two larger meals and easier for her to digest.

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.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. As your kitty grows, his belly will naturally look a little bigger each day. Cats often have a fat pad around their belly, which when palpated fells like fat that isn't actually in their belly, but on the outside skin area. If Storm's belly is actually big, then intestinal parasites are often the cause at this age; however you will almost always see loose or soft stool associated with this. A fecal exam and appropriate dewormer is the answer to this issue if the case. Based on your photo however, everything seems to look normal for Storm, so its best to palpate his belly or have your vet feel his belly to determine if additional testing and treatment are needed. Best wishes with your fur baby Storm moving forward! Take care.

If he seems to always be hungry and appears bloated then it would be worth making sure he is well up to date on wormer. The fortiflora should help also, and then if it continues to be an issue I would try him on a good for gastrointestinal/digestive issues and see if that helps. Failing that consult your vet in case he has a gut issue.

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!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Fiorre Flamma! I recommend that she be seen by a Vet as soon as possible due to the heavy breathing. She looks pretty sick in your pictures. Possible causes of a bloated stomach in a kitten are: intestinal parasites, constipation, and feline infectious peritonitis. All of these things are treated differently and have different outcomes. The best thing for Fiorre is to see a Vet for an exam and testing. I hope this helps and I wish Fiorre a speedy recovery!