Flatulence in Kittens

Causes

• Flatulence in kittens is usually caused by taking in too much air when it's eating. The gas has to go somewhere, and sometimes ends up as flatulence. The extra gas could also be caused by the kitten's diet. Foods that are high in soybean or fiber can cause an excessive buildup of gas in the intestines. Another cause is spoiled food or overeating. According to the experts at Kitten Care, gas can occur when a kitten has a mostly liquid diet because this causes the cat to swallow too much air. If a kitten's digestive track is too slow, bacteria can build up in the intestines and also cause gas. To avoid this problem, don't give your kitten any milk or milk by-products, as cats tend to be lactose intolerant.

More serious conditions

• Some conditions can cause excessive gas in kittens, including malabsorbtion, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal cancer, infections and constipation. Make certain you feed your kitten food specially formulated for a kitten, as adult cat food can cause digestive track problems. If the flatulence continues, even with diet changes, consult your vet because the flatulence could be an indication of a more serious problem.

Symptoms

• When a kitten has a more serious problem than the benign causes of flatulence, it will have symptoms in addition to gas. Other symptoms to watch for include vomiting, diarrhea, a rumbling noise in its stomach (called borborygmus), constipation and abdominal discomfort. If your kitten seems to be in pain when it tries to have a bowel movement or when you press gently on its tummy, it could be a more serious condition.

Diagnosis

• If you suspect your kitten's problem may be more serious than simple flatulence, take your pet to the vet. When there, the vet will want to know everything your kitten has eaten, the amounts, and the frequency of feedings. A physical exam of your kitten will help the vet determine if your kitten has a more serious condition. Depending upon what is found in the physical exam, the vet could order a series of tests, including a blood test, urinalysis, biochemical profile, x-ray and fecal exam.

Treatment

• A vet is likely to ask a pet owner to make dietary changes for the kitten before conducting more invasive tests. Kittens do much better with small, frequent meals, rather than large ones because they are very hungry and tend to eat too much, too fast. To prevent your kitten from eating things it shouldn't, it should be kept indoors where it doesn't have access to spoiled foods. Changing the kitten's diet to low-fiber meals will allow it to digest its food more easily. If these changes do not affect the kittens problem, more tests will likely be done. According to Mike Richards, DVM, oftentimes vets will treat a kitten for coccidia or giardia, even if it's not found in fecal exams as a precautionary measure.