Kitten very fat/bloated?

[Hubblez]

Hello,

I have a new kitten who is deaf. He went to the vet yesterday for his second vaccination and microchip, the vet commented that he was very fat in his stomach but he had just had breakfast before going there. She gave him a worming tablet anyway and said he was in good health. I've been checking the litterbox for worms and can't see any.

This morning he is still really fat, I hadn't noticed it before as he has long fur so it kind of disguised him, but his belly is giant! And this was before his breakfast. Is it just possible for him to be fat from overeating at this age? (12 weeks) he has 3 meals a day of applaws wet food mixed with applaws biscuits, and finishes the portion. He runs around like a maniac all day with my other cats so gets plenty of exercise and I play with toys with him

He is 1.6kg atm but is a Maine coon x ragdoll so will be pretty big I suppose. Since the vet said he's fine yesterday then is it possible that he's just super fat? Or still could have worms even after the tablet and pooing a few times? Should I put him on a diet? I'm a bit paranoid now! Thanks for any advice

[cozietoesie]

I had a fat kitten once. (The shame of it.) It was all my own fault - I'd had such a rough time with persuading the cat before him to eat (advanced renal problems) that I looked benevolently on as the new kitten noshed his head off. I'd sort of been conditioned to equate eating with health - which of course it isn't always. I soon adjusted him to a normal diet.

Maybe some Maine Coon or ragdoll owners can comment on his age and weight for you.

[Hubblez]

I think I might be doing a similar thing Cozie! I posted a few months ago about my other cat who hadn't eaten for a week and had a seizure (who CHAT saved for me) so maybe I am feeding my new kitten a bit too much

I've just never really seen or heard of a fat kitten before, especially at such a young age! I will be checking the litterbox again for worms in the next few days and then take him back to the vet to double check that it is nothing more serious, hopefully a diet will fix him up though, I was just shocked at the size of his belly this morning so went into paranoid mode

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Applaws will give a feeding guide and just feed him for his weight feeding him regularly. Dieting cats is difficult and should be done very carefully and not at all in kittens.
I would consider his weight appropriate for a male Bengal of his age and pot bellies in young kittens is almost always worms.
They are also like children go out before they go up.
So just make sure you are not over feeding and the don't worry.
I have never meet a truly fat kitten.

[Fluffycloudland77]

He'll go through an all gangly legs phase too before he settles into an adult body.

I get told fluffy cats fat but he's solid muscle.

[cozietoesie]

I didn't think it was truly possible either, Lone - but trust me. He was overweight.

I've never seen a cat who looked less as if he was carrying fat than yours, Fluffy.

[RubbishMantra]

Is he pooing/peeing OK? Is it possible he's eaten something he shouldn't and it's caused a blockage? Kittens will swallow anything, I had to pull a wad of blu-tak out of my kitten's jaws the other day.

[Hubblez]

I was worried about a blockage but he is toileting fine and acting as he usually does, I just can't believe he got so fat so quickly, unless I was just crap at noticing him growing

[cozietoesie]

See how he is in a couple of days after the womer has done its work.

[RubbishMantra]

i think you should post a photo of your chubby kitten for us to coo over!

[Hubblez]

Haha, I (think) I am attaching some pics of him, unfortunately none really showing his fatty belly though, the photo with the pink toy is from yesterday but his fur kinda disguises his fat

[Fluffycloudland77]

He looks fine. I was expecting a circular cat.

Very cute little lad.

[VenusRising]

I thought applause wasn't complete food, but was treat food.

Maybe change him to a complete food. He may be overeating as he's not satisfied and is trying to get the minerals and vitamins he needs, which applause won't provide him with.

Afaik applause isn't meant for day to day feeding. Try kitten food by royal canin.

He's pretty cute! Maine Coons can grow to be quite massive.

[Hubblez]

He feels very circular when I pick him up haha!

Venus, the wet applaws tins aren't complete but the dry is a complete food and so is the pate type of wet which I have too, both types are high quality with high meat content. I could add more dry and lessen the amount of wet though, normally I put half of each and mix it together, rotating between the tin and the pate on different days to give variety, he isn't a fan of dry food by itself

He feels really bloated like wormy bloated more than just fat but still no sign of worms, if he is fat from the food then I must have been giving him giant portions without realising they were giant for him, specially with all the running round and exercise he gets I don't know how he can be so big! Shame I can't really get a pic of his belly, he looks like a mini white whale

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'm not comfortable with dieting a baby animal at all. If he got ill he'd need those reserves of energy to see him through it.

I'd carry on for the time being & wait for him to grow a bit.

[RubbishMantra]

He's beautiful, like a little white lion, complete with mane!

He doesn't look fat in the face or limbs...It does kind of sound like it could be bloating, rather than fatness?

Maybe phone up the vet who saw him, telling them the wormer didn't make a difference?

[RubbishMantra]

Just fed my kitten, and it got me thinking about this thread (again!)... At 13 weeks, I was giving my kitten 200g of Animonda Carny Kitten, mixed with Applaws biscuits over 4 meals a day. Also access to as many biscuits as he wanted. So it doesn't sound like you're feeding him excessive amounts. And, in my experience, it's rare for kittens to overeat - they have tiny stomachs.

If it were me, I'd definitely be giving the vet a ring in the morning.

[Hubblez]

I got some pics showing his belly more but he is crouched down so it makes him look even fatter than he is. It is just his belly, the rest of him isn't fat at all

The wormer might not have worked properly? Though the vet chose it and administered it. I will call and see if I can get an appointment for tomorrow but would have thought if anything was seriously wrong then the vet would have noticed on Saturday

[Hubblez]

another picture

[RubbishMantra]

Hmm, hard to tell from a photo, especially with the amount of floofiness he has going on.

I think you've got the right idea ringing the vets, it will put your mind at rest. I'm sure I worry too much about stuff!

But how cute is the photo of him displaying his belly! He really is adorable.

[Hubblez]

For anyone wondering, we went to the vet last night, he said that my kitten is fine and not overweight or anything either, but did say after eating that he can bloat a lot so I guess that's what it was and his fur just made him look fatter than he was! The previous vet had me worried when she mentioned worms but still have had no evidence of those at all. I was also worried his microchip could have fallen out when playing rough with other cat but nope it is still there (there was some trouble putting it in and so he basically had a giant hole in his neck), so good news all around :) the vet didn't even charge me for the consult!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Good. Worse than baby clinic isn't it?

[wantacatplease]

Oh I want him! Ok? Thanks!

[RubbishMantra]

Pleased to hear your lovely kitten is fine!

[VenusRising]

That's some cute kitty!

At a cat show recently we saw the biggest, fluffiest Maine coon ever - it was simply splendid, like a stripey lion. It won best in show!