Should I worry about my 2-week-old kitten's swollen belly button?

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.

You need to take the kitten into a vet immediately, this is a medical emergency. It looks like a herniation of the intestines, which cannot be treated at home. Please take her, your cat, and the other babies into a vet now

I am having some difficulty understanding what you are saying. From the picture, I would be very concerned about more than just Zity's eye. His skin on the face also is not normal. This could be caused by a severe bacterial or fungal infection, viral infection, mites, among a few others. His eye itself looks very unhealthy, and it may have a corneal ulcer, which would need specific veterinary treatment to try to save it. Terramycin will help with minor bacterial infections, which I do not think this is a minor infection. An enlarged abdomen in a kitten can be caused by a severe intestinal parasite infestation, FIP, low blood protein, congenital defect, among a few others. Zity should have both the distended abdomen and the eye/face problems evaluated by a vet as soon as possible.

That doesn't look good. It looks like a hernia (possibly a section of intestines or the omentum) that has come out of the body and is now dried out. The other option is a dried umbilical stump. You really should try to get the kitten to a vet for an exam. It is difficult for me to say what you can do if I'm not sure what is going on. If you try some home treatment and that is a piece of intestines hanging out then you could certainly make it worse. I hope this helps. Best of luck.

Poor baby! He is likely really scared of the new environment and unless you got him from a reputable breeder there is a chance he could be partially feral. Worh time he will likely become more comfortable with you and your other cat but he may never be extremely friendly as that might just be his personality. With his abdomen being swollen, I would definitely have your vet take. Alook st him. Your vet will be able to ensure he is healthy, deworm him if needed and get him up to date on his vaccines. Be patient with him and watch him closely. I hope this helps!

Normally when kittens are born the umbilical cord is tied off at the base where it meets the belly and the remainder is snipped off. The remaining piece will usually dry up and fall off on its own (like you are describing). If you suspect an infection and see signs such as oozing debris from the area, pain around the area, redness, pus forming, etc, then it should be looked at by a vet. Otherwise, keeping the area clean, and dipping it in some iodine may help it to heal and ward off infection. If you're having trouble affording veterinary care this site may help you figure out some ways to make it more affordable: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

Poor kitten! I agree with you that this is concerning - in a tiny newborn kitten like this, a minor wound can cause internal injuries easily because they are so small and fragile. In addition, I would worry about this wound becoming infected and causing additional problems because of this. I would recommend taking the kitten to a veterinarian right away for an exam. Your vet can palpate the abdomen and may also take x-rays or do other testing if needed to determine if there are any serious problems. He/she can also prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection of the wound.