Why is a cat's belly still big after giving birth?

The large belly of a cat after giving birth can be mainly attributed to three reasons:

The uterus has not recovered yet, so it is slightly swollen.
There are still fetuses in the cat's abdomen, which may lead to difficult labor or stillbirth.
High hormone levels in the cat's body.

It is recommended that the owner carefully observe the cat's condition. If the cat shows signs of poor mental and physical condition other than having a large belly, it is necessary to take the cat to the pet hospital as soon as possible for X-ray examination.

Uterus not recovered

Due to the extreme enlargement of the cat's abdomen during pregnancy, the skin's tension is limited, so after giving birth, the cat's abdomen will be in a relaxed state and will not immediately return to its original size. It will usually recover slowly, and no other abnormal symptoms will occur during this period. At this time, the owner just needs to pay attention to supplementing the cat's nutrition and providing a quiet and comfortable feeding environment.

Fetuses remaining in the abdomen

If the cat's belly is still large and it continues to show signs of straining after giving birth, it may be because there are still unborn fetuses in its abdomen. In this case, the cat should be taken to the pet hospital for an ultrasound examination to check if there are still fetuses inside. If the cat is giving birth slowly, a labor-inducing injection can be given to help the cat give birth. If there are signs of difficult labor or stillbirth, a cesarean section surgery will be necessary to remove the fetuses.

Caused by high hormone levels in the body

About 40 days after giving birth, cats will still nurse their kittens. In order to ensure normal milk production, the cat's body still has high levels of pregnancy hormones, which make the belly look a bit big. This is a normal situation and the owner doesn't need to worry too much. However, if the cat's mental and physical condition is poor after giving birth, it is necessary to take the cat for a checkup.

Note: After a cat gives birth, its body will be very weak. The owner should feed the cat more frequently, in small amounts, and ensure that the cat has plenty of water. Also, due to the cat's weakened state after giving birth, it is important to keep the cat warm and prevent it from catching a cold.