Feline ascites is generally caused by underlying diseases, including but not limited to kidney failure, malnutrition, and peritonitis. Affected cats often exhibit symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, drowsiness, enlarged abdomen, and difficulty breathing. If you suspect your cat is ill, take it to a reputable veterinary hospital for treatment immediately.
Causes of ascites in cats
Ascites is an abnormal accumulation of fluid in a cat's abdominal cavity, usually caused by underlying diseases such as kidney failure, malnutrition, or peritonitis. This fluid may originate from the cat's blood vessels, abdominal wall, or internal organs.
Under normal circumstances, although some fluid flows into the abdominal cavity, the two maintain a balance through the return flow of fluid through capillaries and other tissues. However, once a cat becomes ill, this balance is disrupted, causing the rate of fluid inflow into the abdominal cavity to exceed the rate of fluid outflow, thus leading to ascites.
Cats that develop ascites often exhibit symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, and drowsiness. They may also frequently squat like a hen, and their abdomen will become noticeably enlarged. In severe cases, the ascites can compress the cat's chest cavity, causing rapid and difficult breathing.
If a cat develops feline ascites, it is essential to take it to a reputable veterinary hospital for proper treatment as soon as possible. This condition cannot be cured by the owner giving the cat medication at home; haphazard medication may hasten the cat's death.
