What are the reasons for a cat's big belly?

The belly refers to the abdomen, and a cat's large abdomen may be caused by excessive eating, pregnancy, indigestion, feline infectious peritonitis, intestinal obstruction, rectal tumors, and other reasons. If the abdominal enlargement is caused by excessive eating and pregnancy, it is a normal physiological phenomenon and generally does not require treatment. If the abdominal enlargement is abnormal and accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite, it is recommended that the owner take the cat to the veterinarian for related checks to identify the cause and treat it.

Excessive eating

If a cat eats too much, it will cause food to accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract and not be fully digested, resulting in a large abdomen, which is a normal phenomenon. The abdomen will return to normal when the food is digested by the body.

Pregnancy

If the cat is a female and pregnant, the gradual increase in the size of the fetus will cause the abdomen to expand, which is a normal physiological phenomenon and does not require medication for treatment.

Indigestion

Mainly caused by long-term excessive drinking and eating and slow gastrointestinal motility, it affects the normal absorption and digestion of food, causing long-term accumulation in the stomach, resulting in symptoms such as abdominal distension and vomiting. It requires medication to promote digestion under the doctor's advice.

Feline infectious peritonitis

This is a viral infectious disease that causes damage to the abdominal membrane, leading to inflammation such as slow abdominal enlargement and abdominal pain. It requires obedience to the doctor's advice to take pet-specific antiviral medication.

Intestinal obstruction

If a cat has intestinal obstruction, it will cause difficulty in passing intestinal contents, leading to severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and indigestion. It also affects the speed of gastrointestinal peristalsis, causing food to accumulate in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in abdominal enlargement. It requires obedience to the doctor's advice for surgical treatment.

Rectal tumors

If a tumor occurs in the rectal area, the tumor's growth may cause the abdominal volume to increase. Treatment options include chemotherapy under a doctor's supervision or surgical removal of the lesion under a doctor's guidance.

During treatment, monitor the cat's physical condition at all times. If the cat experiences severe abdominal pain, refuses to eat or drink, it is recommended that the owner take the cat to the pet hospital for treatment.