Your male cat looks like he is pregnant. Why?

This is a cross-post from one that I just wrote. I like to refer you to the original post which you can access by clicking on this link. The default position for a cat owner when faced with their male cat companion having a distended abdomen is to call their local veterinarian for a professional diagnosis.

Cat showing abdominal distension due to FIP

The reason is because there are a wide range of conditions which can cause this, the most common of which is probably feline infectious peritonitis, which is a very serious and fatal illness. There are other conditions, even including overeating or constipation or a blockage. It might be cancer or it might be a septic ascites. Ascites is a buildup of fluid on the abdomen. It occurs over a period of time and the most common causes feline infectious peritonitis.

CLICK THIS LINK FOR SOME PAGES ON FELINE INFECTIOUS PERITONITIS

A pretty comprehensive list is as follows:

1. Overeating;
2. Eating fermented foods;
3. Constipation;
4. Worm infestation, in kittens particularly;
5. Cushing’s disease;
6. Bowel obstruction;
7. Bowel obstruction;
8. Bladder outlet obstruction;
9. Abscessed uterus;
10. Acute gastric dilatation;
11. Heart failure and
12. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP).

It is difficult for a non-qualified, in the medical profession, cat owner to talk about medical issues. All I can do is present some basic facts which might help to give some guidance as to what might be done. My reading of cats suffering from a bloated or distended abdomen is that it is possibly serious or even probably serious after you discount relatively straightforward issues such as constipation, overeating and eating fermented foods. Although constipation can be quite serious too (click for home treatment for constipation). The most common reason is the most serious: FIP, which is why I say you have to see a vet without delay.