Cat Abdominal Atrophy

Feline abdominal atrophy, or atrophic gastritis, is a condition in which the stomach stops functioning normally. In severe cases, this may cause the stomach to stop working altogether. This can cause a cat great discomfort, as it is unable to digest food or pass gas. Although atrophic gastritis is usually treatable with simple changes in diet, it can indicate a serious underlying condition. As such, you should always take your cat to the vet if you suspect it is having stomach trouble.

  1. Causes

    • There are many potential causes of atrophic gastritis in cats. These include ulcers, stress, cancer, metabolic disorders or infection. However, the most common cause of an atrophied stomach is a blockage created by hairballs. Most cats cough or throw up their hairballs, but sometimes they can become lodged in the stomach and intestines. Over time, enough hairballs may gather to create an obstruction. Fortunately, most hairball related atrophic gastritis can be easily treated.

    Symptoms

    • Regardless of the root cause, all cats with atrophic gastritis exhibit basically the same symptoms. These include abdominal pain, bloating, decreased appetite, constipation, vomiting, weight loss and rumbling noises from the stomach. Since cats often hide illness or pain, it may be difficult to identify these symptoms. It is important to take notice if your cat starts yowling loudly or stops using the litter box. In instances where there is a severe obstruction, you may be able to feel the blockage by gently palpitating your cat's stomach.

    Diagnosis

    • Since atrophic gastritis can be easily diagnosed by noting physical symptoms or changes in behavior, your vet will be more concerned with discovering the root cause. He may do a physical exam, blood-work or x-rays to identify or rule out serious illness. If, more likely than not, the problem is hairball related, he will want to determine how extensive the obstruction is before recommending a course of treatment.

    Treatment

    • Treatment of atrophic gastritis depends largely on its underlying cause. Usually, unless there is a serious underlying illness, your cat should recover with a low-fat, high-fiber diet and medication to stimulate the stomach muscles. In extreme cases of obstruction, the vet may perform surgery to remove the blockage.