Is a round and swollen belly normal for a kitten?

A round and swollen belly is usually not normal for a kitten. It may be caused by obesity, which requires controlling diet otherwise it can lead to other diseases. It may also be due to overfeeding, causing indigestion or gas. When a kitten has indigestion, its belly will swell up and feel very hard when touched. Gas in the stomach will cause the belly to be elastic. Severe parasite infections can also cause a round and swollen belly, accompanied by symptoms such as weight loss and vomiting. Lastly, abdominal cavity injuries, feline infectious peritonitis, etc., can cause ascites. In this case, the kitten's belly will not only be swollen but also have a clear fluctuation feeling, requiring immediate hospitalization for abdominal fluid drainage and treatment.

Indigestion

Kittens have relatively weak gastrointestinal functions and are prone to indigestion. If a kitten doesn't defecate or has a small amount of feces for several consecutive days, the feces will accumulate in its body. In a litter of kittens, there may be competition for food, and if a kitten eats too much at once, it can cause indigestion or gas.

In this case, due to the swollen belly, the kitten may not be willing to eat much, showing a decrease in appetite. When touching the kitten's belly, you can feel that its abdomen is swollen and hard. If the gas is caused by indigestion, the kitten's belly will be more elastic. Owners can feed probiotics to help the kitten digest and improve feeding habits, sticking to scheduled and quantitative feeding.

Parasite Infection

If a kitten is infected with parasites, it can also cause a round and swollen belly, which is relatively hard. If the kitten has this abdominal distension, it indicates that a large number of parasites are breeding in its belly, and it usually shows symptoms of weight loss. Owners need to take the kitten to the hospital for a stool test immediately. If parasites are confirmed, emergency deworming treatment is required.

Ascites

When a kitten has heart or liver problems, or suffers from infectious peritonitis, it can cause fluid accumulation in the abdomen, making its belly round and swollen. However, it is usually soft and can be felt as a watery fluctuation when touched, with little or no obvious pain. This is very dangerous for young kittens and requires immediate hospitalization for abdominal fluid drainage followed by targeted treatment.