This condition can be caused by a number of circumstances and most of these circumstances require medical attention to correct. If your cat is showing signs of a bloated abdomen, a call or visit to the animal’s regular veterinarian is recommended.
Constipation
Felines who are afflicted with constipation may have a bloated abdomen and may also vocalize when attempting to defecate, vomit, or stop eating entirely. This condition is most commonly caused by dehydration due to low moisture food, although obstructions, endocrine disorders, and behavioral retention may also play a part in its development.
Fluid Accumulation in the Abdomen
Referred to medically as ascites, the accumulation of fluids in the abdomen may come from blood vessels, internal organs, or from abdominal masses, and may be a product of liver or kidney damage. Ascites can develop either slowly or quickly depending on the rapidity of leakage into the abdominal cavity and may be accompanied by difficulties breathing, loss of appetite, fever, and weakness.
Intestinal Blockage
Objects that get lodged somewhere in the gastrointestinal tract and intestinal tumors and masses may interfere with the proper passage of food through the digestive system. This may cause the stomach or intestines to become distended which can sometimes be felt as a hard mass in the abdomen area.
Intestinal Worms
There are several types of intestinal parasites that can cause abdominal distention, particularly roundworm and hookworm infestations. Infestation by these parasites can be quite dangerous, and the symptoms and risks are exaggerated in kittens.
Overeating and Obesity
Obesity can cause the abdomen to appear distended, however, it is pliable and soft in texture as opposed to being hard and tight to the touch. Occasionally cats may eat their food too quickly and become over-full, causing their stomach to temporarily appear bloated, however, this should clear up as the food digests in just a few hours.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can also cause distension of the abdomen due to both the growing kittens and the fluid that surrounds them. Typically, if the animal is far enough along to be visibly bloated, the kittens may be palpated in the abdomen as several small masses.
Pyometra
This illness is a serious and often life-threatening infection of the uterus that is characterized by pus that fills the uterus. Although this condition is more likely to develop in unspayed females over the age of five, it can occur in any unspayed female. Pyometra can be either open, meaning that the pus is able to drain through the cervix, or closed, where drainage is cut off. Closed pyometra is more likely to cause bloating than open pyometra due to the pus continuing to collect in the uterus.