Nowadays, many families love keeping pets, the most common being cats and dogs. The healing power of our feline and canine friends couldn’t be better. When we are tired from work, we can imagine a cat acting affectionately towards us, which completely relieves the fatigue of the day. But when the cat is sick, it makes us very worried.

So it’s important to understand common feline diseases in advance. Today, we will talk about what the symptoms of feline ascites look like, helping cat owners gain some experience to better care for their feline masters.

Feline ascites is a chronic viral infectious disease. Since it is contagious, most cats get infected through transmission. Cats of different ages actually have the possibility of contracting feline ascites, with older cats and those under two years old being the most likely. Generally, feline ascites mainly originates from digestive tract infections but can also be transmitted by vectors or vertically. It is a disease with a very high fatality rate in cats. Initially, cats will have poor appetite, lethargy, significant weight loss, accompanied by persistent high fever.

The most obvious symptom of feline ascites is that the cat’s abdomen becomes very enlarged. Actually, when you notice your cat’s belly becoming bigger, don’t panic too much because it could also be due to pregnancy or constipation. But how do you tell if the swollen abdomen is feline ascites? At this point, you can gently feel the cat’s belly. If there is a distinct wave-like sensation, as if filled with water, it is most likely the cat has feline ascites. Moreover, as the cat’s abdomen enlarges, symptoms such as drowsiness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting may also appear.

Usually, it is difficult to tell from the outside in the early stages whether the cat has feline ascites. If the cat contracts it, it will severely affect the normal functioning of internal organs. Therefore, as soon as the cat shows the aforementioned symptoms, it must be taken to the vet promptly. The treatment process is very painful for the cat, so it is crucial to accompany it carefully.