Why is my kitten always hungry, has a hard belly, and meows a lot?

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!

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.

Hello. This could be a behavioral issue, or possibly a medical one. There are some intestinal disturbances that can cause extreme appetite in cats. If this is behavioral, sometimes using the anti-anxiety medication amitryptiline, can quiet some of these extreme urges. But before getting into tests & possible medications, you might try switching your cat to a canned diet. It has been shown that some cats have a longer satiety response with wet diets. You can still offer hard food, but possibly offering this in puzzles can help. Kitty Kongs & treat balls slowly release food as a cat interacts with the toy. Homemade options like milk cartons & carboard rolls with taped ends & holes punched out to retrieve treats can keep your kitties mind busy. Give this a try & then talk to your veterinarian about other options at your next visit. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

Hello, in general kittens this young can be fed whenever they feel hungry. During this time they are growing quite quickly and nurse every 2-3 hours. He may be feeling hungry often because he isn't consuming as much food during his feeding times. If he is on formula ensure you are feeding the recommended amounts, but he can also have more formula if he wants it. Additionally, you may start introducing a little wet food now to see if this helps him feel more full. Alternatively, he may not be meowing because he is hungry, but rather because he wants attention. You can try playing with him or offering toys to see if this calms his meowing. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to discomfort of some sort and that may be why he is not eating as well. I would recommend you consider going to your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They can then check for these and other possibilities so that hopefully therapy can be used accordingly. Best of luck!

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!