Editing Openai/694c268e-59c4-8012-af64-ea9054a9b0b6 (section)

=== Assistant: Short answer: yes, it’s possible, but with some important nuance. ===
Short answer: yes, it’s possible, but with some important nuance.

===== Chronic allergies—especially respiratory or environmental ones like litter dust—can cause systemic inflammation over time. In cats, that can lead to: =====
* Fluid retention from ongoing inflammation
* Abdominal “pot-belly” appearance due to gut inflammation or mild edema
* Reduced activity, which can contribute to gradual weight gain
* Stress-related hormonal effects (cortisol), which can promote both water retention and fat gain

So it’s plausible that when he was 16.45 lb, part of that weight was inflammatory water weight, not just fat.

===== The key clues in your case are: =====
* The allergy trigger (litter dust) was removed
* Allergy symptoms resolved
* Weight dropped ~1.8 lb and then stabilized
* He no longer looks bloated

That pattern strongly suggests:
* Some of the prior weight was reversible
* The change wasn’t just normal dieting or muscle loss
* The body “deflated” once inflammation resolved

If it were purely fat loss, you’d usually see:
* A slower, more gradual decline
* Continued loss unless food intake was adjusted

===== To be clear, allergies alone typically don’t cause massive true edema (like heart or liver disease would). This sounds more like: =====
* Mild chronic inflammation
* Water retention + GI fullness
* Possibly constipation or slowed gut motility from inflammation

===== For many adult male cats (especially larger-framed ones), 14–15 lb can be totally normal if: =====
* You can feel ribs with light pressure
* He has a visible waist from above
* His belly isn’t swinging excessively

If he’s maintaining 14.6 lb without effort and looks/acts better, that’s a very good sign.

===== If any of these show up, a vet visit is warranted: =====
* Rapid weight changes going forward
* Distended abdomen that feels firm
* Lethargy or breathing changes
* Loss of appetite or vomiting

But based on what you described, this sounds like a positive resolution of a chronic inflammatory issue, not something concerning.

If you want, you can tell me:
* His age
* Indoor/outdoor
* Food type (dry vs wet)
* Whether he ever had coughing, wheezing, or eye discharge

That would help narrow whether the allergy was mostly respiratory or systemic.