How to help a skinny stray cat with a big belly and no money for vet?

Hi Taylor! I'm very glad that you found Lily, what a relief for you! Likely, her stomach problem is related to intestinal worms. That would cause her constipation and a swollen stomach. Lily will need a deworming treatment as soon as possible. I recommend Drontal, which is available by prescription only from the vet. Drontal is my recommendation for Lily because she could also have tapeworms from being outside so long, and OTC deworming treatments do not contain the medication needed to kill tapeworms. In addition, after being missing for so long, she will need a check up from the vet to make sure she is healthy, and the vet can prescribe her the Drontal while at the visit. I would have Lily seen by a vet tomorrow for a health check and Drontal. Tonight, you can give her a teaspoon of canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) mixed in with her food to see if that helps her poop. Please have her seen by a vet first thing in the morning.

Worms can cause abdominal distention. Some pets can also have a very slow metabolism and she may be taking in too many calories. I recommend to have her stool checked for worms and a physical exam. The doctor can calculate exactly how many calories she needs to achieve a healthy weight based upon her body structure of it’s not parasites. I hope this helps.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree that a heavy worm burden can cause what you’re describing. In fact, it is the most likely reason. You can try an over the counter cat dewormer from a pet store. Follow the directions exactly in terms of amount and number of treatments. Hopefully, that’s all it takes to get her feeling better. Unfortunately, there are other (much less common) things that can cause large belly, weight loss, and lethargy including: FIP, heart failure, liver failure, cancer, protein problems, etc. So, if the dewormer doesn’t help, you may have to decide if you’d want to take her to the vet for further testing or if you’d like her humanely euthanized, etc. Best wishes and thank you so much for taking care of this stray!

Hi. I don't see any photos, but it sounds like this little guy needs to be seen right away. Unfortunately there isn't anything you can do at home or with over the counter stuff . He may be constipated, may have worms, or many more. I'd get him checked out !

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. He will need to see a veterinarian to determine if he is overweight or if he is experiencing a medical problem such as parasites or fluid pooling in his abdomen. His veterinarian will examine him and feel his belly. Depending on his exam findings, x-rays may be recommended. I hope this information helps!

I would be more inclined to think that your kitty is obstipated (inability to defecate). As the pet gets backed up there is no where for the ingested food to go, so the cat vomits it back up. Also the stomach will be firm and distended with feces that collect in the colon. Cats that cannot poop for several days will also get full anal glands, this causes irritation of the bum and scooting. Your poor kitty needs to be take to the vet to likely have an enema placed to relieve the impacted feces right away. I would recommend taking kitty in to your local vet by tomorrow at the latest. I would caution against using over the counter enema's because most contain phosphate, and this component is toxic in cats. I would agree that intestinal parasites are still a possibility here, but obstipation would be my first concern. Your vet can easily distinguish which one is the cause of your cats current state by just feeling her belly and doing a rectal exam. I hope your kitty gets better soon!

I'd make an appointment with a vet for Peanut. There could be a medical reason why he is so skinny such as intestinal worms. The vet can diagnose the cause, and can help you get him to gain weight. Best of luck.