Am I Just Overly Worried?

[war&wisdom]

I've posted about Athena before, but I'm still a bit concerned about how round her belly is. She's just about 8 months old, and her belly has basically always been like this. It's bigger after eating, and it often feels taut. I took her to a vet to check it out just before she was spayed at the end of August, and he suggested that her digestive tract might be wider than usual (?). We give her pumpkin once in a while, but she has normal poops, a (more than) healthy appetite, and is affectionate and playful. She's less active than her brother, who's nuts, but she's not at all lethargic -- she's just always been a chiller kitty. What do you all think?

 

[neely]

Athena is a lovely lady. I think you did the right thing by taking her to the vet if her belly concerned you, (better to be safe than sorry). As for her being a chiller kitty this Article may help ease your mind a bit:
Cats As Individuals

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. She looks so sweet! I noticed her paws still look a little big for the rest of her body, so I bet she's got some growing to do yet! Maybe her belly just grew faster than the rest of her - and it will all catch up! As long as she's healthy - who cares?!?!

 

[war&wisdom]

Thank you. I'm a worrier by nature. I hope she grows into her belly... But she does love belly rubs, so I think she appreciates the extra surface area!

 

[war&wisdom]

I'm not sure, guys. Her belly is so big and taut. A recent visitor commented that she looks pregnant, but she can't be, since she was spayed at the end of August.

She acts completely fine, eating, pooping, growing, playing, etc...and I don't have a lot of money to spare, so I don't want to bring her into the vet for no reason. (The low-cost, highly-rated one nearby doesn't take CareCredit, but the high-cost, highly-rated one does.) I'm not sure what to do. It just doesn't seem normal to me.

 

[Jem]

She does look like she still has some growing to do. She might just be getting chubby before she has her growth spurt.

I don't have a lot of money to spare, so I don't want to bring her into the vet for no reason.

Unfortunately the only concrete thing that will be able to tell you if there is something going on with her belly is if you bring her to the vet and tell them to do an ultrasound.

Your first vet visit about her belly did not lower your concerns as they did not look into it further, so this way you can have her checked once and for all and get your mind at ease. It may very well be "for no reason" but if your that worried, no amount of people telling you different will help. Your just going to keep flip flopping between "this is normal" to "this is not right" depending on who's opinion you lean to that day, until she has her growth spurt and slims down (and who knows if that will even happen), or something else happens because your concerns turn out to be something.
Sorry I'm not very helpful, but a distended belly can be nothing or it can be something...testing is the only way to tell FOR SURE.

 

[war&wisdom]

I'm starting to get pretty depressed. My partner is out of work right now, so I can't afford an ultrasound, and the vets in my city don't do financing/payment plans.

 

[Jem]

I'm starting to get pretty depressed. My partner is out of work right now, so I can't afford an ultrasound, and the vets in my city don't do financing/payment plans.

As hard as it is not to, the more you dwell on this the worse your going to feel. You'll start nit picking every little nuance and drive yourself crazy.
I'm sorry you're so stressed about this, but there really not much else I can say to help.
If she is acting, peeing, pooping, eating, drinking and playing normal. If she seems happy and healthy and not in pain (loving you to pet her belly is a good sign it does not bother her), then just wait it out and try not to worry. In the mean time, start putting away a bit of funds, and have her checked out when you have enough, and by then you may find that she is fine, and you can keep that money aside in case of emergency.
Maybe you can ask for vet funds from family for Christmas this year? (sorry, I'm assuming you celebrate Christmas)

 

[war&wisdom]

I have good credit (never miss a bill), so I can fall back on my CareCredit card at the expensive vet if necessary, but I honestly have nothing extra to set aside right now. I've never been in this situation before. I don't celebrate Christmas, since my family is Jewish, but I think that I'll be getting some funds from aunts/uncles as late Hanukkah presents, so maybe that'll help.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Do you have a vet universities nearby that might be willing to perform an ultrasound at a discounted rate? Also, you might try checking for rescue centers, animal shelters, or animal care institutions/charities to see if there is any financial support or lesser expensive ultrasound options.

You made a comment about her belly being 'taut' - is it getting tighter than it was before?

 

[war&wisdom]

No, it's stayed the same basically the entire time we've had her. It's like she's constantly full.

I'm going to try calling around. I've done a bit of research, and there aren't any vet schools that offer services like that.

 

[maggiedemi]

Has she been de-wormed?

 

[war&wisdom]

Several times (and there were never any worms visible). She's also had several fecal samples analyzed. She and her brother had a mild bout of coccidia a couple months ago, but that has apparently resolved (according to two followup fecals).

 

[neely]

Please refer to this Article, scroll down to the bottom where it lists funds that may be able to help you pay for vet bills by state:
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

 

[war&wisdom]

Please refer to this Article, scroll down to the bottom where it lists funds that may be able to help you pay for vet bills by state:
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

Thank you for the link. Unfortunately, there are no resources listed for my state, and none of the national resources apply to my situation.

 

[war&wisdom]

In case anyone's interested, I did bring her to a vet this week (one that's highly-rated, takes Care Credit, and is cheaper than average), and he said she's just a chubby kitten. He could feel adipose, not fluid, and said her kidneys and liver felt great, that she's bright-eyed and well-dispositioned, and that there's no reason to put her or us through any testing.

Unlike most vets I've encountered or heard about on this site, this one specialized in nutrition in veterinary school. He was happy to hear that she and her brother get wet food twice a day in addition to the dry food we leave out while we're at work (long hours), and he was enthusiastic about our attempts to harness train them. We adjusted Athena's diet slightly to ensure that her weight doesn't become a problem as she gets older.

Thanks for the advice, and sorry that I used this board to express my anxieties when there was nothing you all could do. Here are a few recent photos of Athena, who also thinks I'm an overly-anxious mom:

 

[neely]

Thanks for the advice, and sorry that I used this board to express my anxieties when there was nothing you all could do. Here are a few recent photos of Athena, who also thinks I'm an overly-anxious mom:

Please don't feel you have to apologize, that's what we're here for, i.e. help and support. You're definitely not the first and you won't be the last member who is anxious about their cat. I'm glad to hear your vet was so accommodating. Thanks for the pics of Athena, she's absolutely adorable.

 

[Wile]

Glad to hear she is happy and healthy I'm a bit late to the conversation, but seeing her earlier pictures made me think that she might be a bit bloated. Does she fart at all? You could play around with her food and see if there is anything in it that is causing her to bloat.

 

[war&wisdom]

Please don't feel you have to apologize, that's what we're here for, i.e. help and support. You're definitely not the first and you won't be the last member who is anxious about their cat. I'm glad to hear your vet was so accommodating. Thanks for the pics of Athena, she's absolutely adorable.

Thank you.

 

[war&wisdom]

Glad to hear she is happy and healthy I'm a bit late to the conversation, but seeing her earlier pictures made me think that she might be a bit bloated. Does she fart at all? You could play around with her food and see if there is anything in it that is causing her to bloat.

No, she doesn't, and the vet didn't think she was either. He says it's just some chubbiness. But I do give her some plain pumpkin just in case. She loves it! She licks it right off the spoon.