Species: Cat
Breed: Siamese
Sex/neuter status: Female, entire/not spayed
Age: 6 months
Weight: 2.0 kg
Location: UK
I’m looking for opinions on whether my kitten’s abdomen looks abnormally distended/pot-bellied, and what differentials I should discuss with my vet.
I got her in Feb 2026 and noticed a rounded/pot-bellied abdomen. It has stayed fairly similar in size rather than progressively worsening. Her belly feels soft, not tight, and she does not seem painful generally, though she may bite/play-bite if I touch it. The abdomen seems slightly bigger after meals and can reduce a little after pooping.
She is otherwise very bright and active: eating normally, gaining weight steadily, playful, curious, running/jumping, no hiding/lethargy, pink gums, normal breathing, no open-mouth breathing. She poops 1–2 times daily, currently firm stools, no straining/crying. Peeing normal amounts, no current crying/straining/blood.
She vomits a little roughly once a week, only on an empty stomach. It is usually clear/foamy or brownish watery liquid, sometimes with tiny dark/black specks/grit. No obvious food/hair/string/plastic seen.
Relevant vet history:
\- Feb 2026: vet noted rotund/slightly firm abdomen and “faeces ++”; no fluid thrill. Treated with lactulose/Laxatract and Panacur. Abdomen became visibly smaller after she passed stool.
\- March/April: repeated exams described her as BAR/bright, comfortable abdomen, ideal BCS 5/9, no obvious fluid thrill.
\- Bloodwork 26 Mar 2026: mild changes: high urea 14.7, low creatinine 74.5, total protein high-normal 79.4, albumin normal 29.6, globulin high 49.8, A:G ratio slightly low 0.59, ALP mildly high 80.8. CBC largely unremarkable; RBC slightly low, HCT/Hb within range. Platelet clumps noted but count was within range/minimum value.
\- Faecal screen April 2026: negative for Giardia, Cystoisospora, ova/larvae/protozoa, Salmonella and Campylobacter.
\- She has had Panacur previously, Drontal/Droncit, and Advocate.
Diet: Animonda Vom Feinsten kitten wet food, about 85g in the morning, plus Scrumbles dry kitten food during the day. Occasional plain cooked skinless chicken thigh, GimCat multivitamin paste, taurine paste, and Churu treats. No recent major food changes.
My vet recommended a specialist abdominal ultrasound, but it is expensive, so I’m trying to understand how urgent/necessary it is and whether a lower-cost in-house ultrasound or repeat bloodwork first would be reasonable.
Main questions:
- From this history, what are the most likely causes of a soft, stable pot-bellied abdomen in an otherwise thriving kitten?
- Does this sound more like normal kitten conformation/primordial pouch/gas/stool, or something more concerning?
- How suspicious are the bloodwork changes for FIP given she is active, eating, gaining weight, and has normal albumin?
- Would you prioritise specialist ultrasound, regular in-house ultrasound, repeat bloodwork, or monitoring?
- Could the weekly empty-stomach brown vomit with occasional black grit suggest gastritis/digested blood, or is it more likely bile/food residue?
I understand Reddit can’t diagnose her — I’m just trying to prepare better questions for my vet and decide the most sensible next step.