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My cat has a firm, round belly but acts normal. Should I worry?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 6 years and 2 months old | 9 lbs

Hi, my cat Buttercup has had a hard, roundish stomach for a month or so. She is fixed, so she’s not pregnant, but I don’t think she’s just fat because her stomach is pretty firm, not squishy. She has been acting completely normal, eating and drinking.

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2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 16th, 2018

Any firm swelling in the belly should be looked at by your vet to confirm this is not an enlarged organ (kidney, liver, spleen, etc). I would have Buttercup examined in the next week or two to confirm and air on the side of caution. Often-times a cat will act completely normal if there is organ enlargement, until things progress, so we want to check this out for sure. I hope that things work out well for your pet Buttercup moving forward. Take care!

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    Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 11th, 2018

    Hello. This may just be an indication of your cat maturing. As long as she is acting perfectly normal I would not be concerned as there are not many things that could account for this in such a young animal. However, if it continues to concern you or anything out of the ordinary develops, I would see your veterinarian. Only with a hands-on examination, & x-rays & blood work if warranted, can anything be determined. I hope all is well with Irie, but use your best judgment to see if she needs to be seen now, or to wait a bit. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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