Distended Belly??

[BaileyandKC]

So, my 11 year old male cat who is otherwise a pretty friendly cat has been a bit moody lately, can't figure if it's old age or if something is wrong.
He seems annoyed at me sometimes, even hissing when I pet him. He still comes around, talks, grooms himself etc and we were at the vet in Feb. He's a big cat so I don't know if his belly is fat big or distended?

See the post below too.
http://dreamwriter-thesewalls.blogsp...hat-to-do.html

[wnrhed]

A distended belly is pretty easy to tell by touch. Fat and muscle are squishy and give a little. If you pick him up and he feels like an inflated balloon, then its probably distended. It would feel this way all around the cat too, up its sides as well as underneath it. Id definitely see a vet, but I'm guessing since you already saw one and he thought your cat was just fat, then that's probably what it is. Generally anything that can cause a distended belly will also cause a cat to stop eating and drinking, so pay attention to that as well. Cats get moody in old age, just like people.

[BaileyandKC]

Thanks for replying...I'm a bit dramatic so I tend to over react so I just wanted to see what others thought. He eats just fine though, even takes his snacks and drinks too ...I'll guess he'll just have to be a bit more moody, he hates the car ride to the vet ;-/

Originally Posted by wnrhed

A distended belly is pretty easy to tell by touch. Fat and muscle are squishy and give a little. If you pick him up and he feels like an inflated balloon, then its probably distended. It would feel this way all around the cat too, up its sides as well as underneath it. Id definitely see a vet, but I'm guessing since you already saw one and he thought your cat was just fat, then that's probably what it is. Generally anything that can cause a distended belly will also cause a cat to stop eating and drinking, so pay attention to that as well. Cats get moody in old age, just like people.

[special]

Please take your kitty to the vet, what you describe is a cat in pain. Just because he was fine in February, does not mean he is fine now, that was three months ago, a cat's health can change very quickly.

So get your senior boy in to be checked over, have blood work done and a urinalysis. Don't assume something is because of "old age" for one thing 11 may be senior but it is not that old, for another, there is much that can be done to make a cat comfortable in his "old age".

Vet will want to know if he is eating normally, if he is peeing regularly and if he is having normal bowel movements. Is he?

Welcome to the forum, please let us know what you find out.

[Teresa@Nutro]

I agree with Special, I would take your kitty to the vet.

Here's a link to an article on senior cats from Cornell University. It may be helpful to others with senior cats. The basic message from the article is, "Never assume that changes you see in your older cat are simply due to old age, and therefore untreatable. Any alteration in your cat's behavior or physical condition should alert you to contact your veterinarian".

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/healt..._seniorcat.cfm

Teresa

[BaileyandKC]

Thanks for the reply...It's kinda hard to say for certain if he's going to the bathroom regularly. He goes to the basement where the litter boxes are but he has a brother too. It seems to be the same volume so I believe he is and he eats just fine!

Originally Posted by special

Please take your kitty to the vet, what you describe is a cat in pain. Just because he was fine in February, does not mean he is fine now, that was three months ago, a cat's health can change very quickly.

So get your senior boy in to be checked over, have blood work done and a urinalysis. Don't assume something is because of "old age" for one thing 11 may be senior but it is not that old, for another, there is much that can be done to make a cat comfortable in his "old age".

Vet will want to know if he is eating normally, if he is peeing regularly and if he is having normal bowel movements. Is he?

Welcome to the forum, please let us know what you find out.

[BaileyandKC]

Thanks...looks like a good link...will read it more in depth tomorrow.
Will def. let you all know what the vet says...

Originally Posted by Teresa@Nutro

I agree with Special, I would take your kitty to the vet.

Here's a link to an article on senior cats from Cornell University. It may be helpful to others with senior cats. The basic message from the article is, "Never assume that changes you see in your older cat are simply due to old age, and therefore untreatable. Any alteration in your cat's behavior or physical condition should alert you to contact your veterinarian".

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/healt..._seniorcat.cfm

Teresa

[BaileyandKC]

Bailey is ok! He's been to the vet, had to get sedated for xrays, he wasn't to happy to see the doctor. However, he found nothing wrong with his belly, bladder, nothing. Since he was being sedated anyway, he got some dental work done and he's home and happy. I don't know if the pain meds haven't worn off yet but no pain! He found a kink in his tail, that may be what's causing him pain but there isn't anything to do for it.
Thanks everyone for your responses.

Originally Posted by BaileyandKC

So, my 11 year old male cat who is otherwise a pretty friendly cat has been a bit moody lately, can't figure if it's old age or if something is wrong.
He seems annoyed at me sometimes, even hissing when I pet him. He still comes around, talks, grooms himself etc and we were at the vet in Feb. He's a big cat so I don't know if his belly is fat big or distended?

See the post below too.
http://dreamwriter-thesewalls.blogsp...hat-to-do.html