Ascites in Cats - Causes and Treatments

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 11 February 2021
Update Date: 5 November 2024
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My Cat Has Ascites
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If you share your life with a feline friend, you are certainly interested in knowing what health problems they may have and what you can do about them. To offer him a good quality of life, you will have to spend time with him for many reasons. Among them, we can highlight the fact of knowing him well and, thus, being able to easily perceive if there is any physical or mental change that could alert you to a possible illness. For example, if you notice that your cat has the swollen and hard belly, it may be ascites or abdominal effusion.

If you have a cat and are interested in knowing more about this condition that affects domestic felines, continue reading this article by PeritoAnimal and get to know in detail the causes of ascites in cats and their treatments.


Ascites in Cats - What is it

Ascites or abdominal effusion it is not a disease in itself but a clinical sign that alerts us that there is a major pathology causing it. This condition occurs when there is a abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, causing a water belly, and it can come from a stroke by osmosis through the blood vessels, lymphatic system or different organs in that part of the body.

Faced with the first symptoms, we must Consulta veterinarian promptly, since severe cases of accumulation of fluid in the abdomen can make breathing difficult and, in addition, be the underlying cause of abdominal effusion, which can be very serious and even cause the animal's death.


Causes of Ascites in Cats

As we've said, abdominal effusion or effusion is a condition in which fluid, known as ascitic fluid, accumulates in the abdomen, causing the cat to develop a swollen and hard belly. This condition that occurs in the abdominal region can occur for a large number of different reasons, so it is essential that a veterinarian perform all the necessary tests to detect the origin of this clinical sign.

Some of main causes of belly water, that is, that cause a bloating or accumulation of abdominal fluid, are as follows:

  • Right-sided congestive heart failure
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP or FIV)
  • Kidney disorders such as failure, infection or stones
  • Liver disorders, especially its inflammation
  • Disorders of blood circulation and clotting
  • Hypoproteinemia or decreased blood protein levels
  • Bleeding tumors or abdominal cancer, mainly in the liver and bile
  • Trauma with rupture of blood vessels and/or internal organs that causes abdominal bleeding
  • Urinary Bladder Rupture

Ascites in cats: symptoms

Before talking about the treatment of ascites in cats, we should know this condition better. So, some other details to remember about this disease include, for example, that as abdominal effusion can be caused by several reasons in addition to those discussed below, some of the symptoms can be specific to each cause, which helps in the differential diagnosis to know the true origin of the condition.


Between the main symptoms of ascites in cats the following are found:

  • inflamed abdomen
  • lethargy and apathy
  • Pain when moving and lying down
  • Weight gain
  • loss of appetite
  • Anorexia
  • vomiting
  • Fever
  • moans and whining
  • Pain and sensitivity to touch
  • Muscle weakness
  • Difficulty breathing

In advanced cases of ascites in cats, swelling of the scrotum in males and of the vulva in females may also occur. Furthermore, if, in addition to inflammation in the abdomen, inflammation can also be observed in the chest, it may be a pleural effusion, ie, an accumulation of fluid in the pleura around the lungs.

Ascites in cats: diagnosis

To diagnose ascites in cats, the veterinarian must perform a physical exam complete and analyze the ascitic fluid extracted previously and thus also find the cause. In addition, there are more tests to be done to make sure not only that it's an abdominal effusion and not something else, but also to see what the reason is. these others tests for ascites in felines are as follows:

  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Abdominal X-ray
  • Urine analysis
  • blood test
  • Crops

Treatment for Ascites in Cats

The treatment of feline abdominal effusion is completely dependent on the underlying disease or problem that caused it. For example, if there is an infection, it should be treated with antibiotics. If the cause is trauma, the possibility of surgery Immediate treatment should be evaluated because of the full risk involved, not just for ascites, and if there is a tumor, appropriate treatment or surgery will need to be considered. However, in any case where there is abdominal edema in cats, the treatment to be followed should be indicated by the veterinary specialist.

Something that is always done to relieve the animal during treatment is empty ascitic fluid, not just a small amount to analyze it, but as much as possible at intervals of a few hours or days, depending on the case. Also, if cats suffering from this condition are hospitalized or at home, they should receive a low salt diet, since it favors fluid retention and, in this case, the effect we are looking for is the opposite. For this reason, in certain cases when the condition of the kidneys allows, the specialist may prescribe diuretics.

Ascites in cats: how to prevent

after meeting the causes and treatment of ascites in catsBesides other details, you certainly want to know how to avoid the bloated belly caused by this problem in your cat. However, the total prevention of ascites is actually not possible, since there are many possible causes for this. Therefore, we can only take a few precautions that help us reduce the risk of this condition in our pet:

  • Follow the cat vaccination schedule
  • Don't let your cat leave the house without any control or supervision on your part.
  • Watch the windows and balconies of the house to prevent falls
  • Do not medicate your cat yourself, always consult the veterinarian
  • Feed your pet some of the best pet food

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Ascites in Cats - Causes and Treatments, we recommend that you enter our Other health problems section.