Why is my adopted cat's stomach big? Is she pregnant or spayed?

From these pictures it does appear that Coco’s abdomen is slightly distended. However, there can be many other reasons for abdominal distention such as fluid in the belly, heart disease, false pregnancy and/or intestinal parasites. My best recommendation would be to take Coco in the vet to be examined. This would give you a better idea of her overall health and they may be able to determine if she is pregnant. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

"Mama" is a very pretty girl! :) I agree that her abdomen definitely looks enlarged. It's possible that she could be pregnant, but the enlarged belly could also be caused by something else such as an abdominal tumor, heart or liver disease, or FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). Cats are only pregnant for 64 days on average, so if her belly has been swollen like this for more than a few weeks or so, I would be very concerned that something else is wrong. The best way to find out would be to take her to the vet for an exam - he/she can palpate her abdomen and may also recommend x-rays or ultrasound to help determine for sure what's going on.

If you feel she is not spayed then I would plan on getting her fixed soon. That will help prevent her from getting pregnant in the future and also it will eliminate her risk of developing a condition called pyometra (spontaneous infected uterus). Her belly fat is probably normal, so unless she is considered to be overweight then continue with her normal diet (Hill's Science Diet, Iams, Evo (Innova), adult cat food). Here is a website link to help you determine if she is ideal weight or not https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf OR you can have her examined by your local veterinarian. As long as she is eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normal, then she is likely fine. Just check with your local vet to make sure she is fully vaccinated to protect her from preventable diseases. Best wishes with your newly adopted pet.

If Baby Girl was spayed there is no way for her to get pregnant - the ovaries and uterus are removed in a spay surgery. I would recommend having her examined by your vet: it’s possible that she has a medical problem that has caused abdominal distention. It’s also possible that she has simply gained weight since the surgery - spayed cats have a slower metabolism and tend to be less active so they require fewer calories.

Yes it is possible for a cat to get pregnant at the age of 6 months, sometimes even at 4 months. Her nipples are indeed very big and this could point to a pregnancy. If she is gaining circumference and has been for a while, and if she had access to outside when she was in heat, then it is very likely she met a tomcat. You can have her checked by your vet (xrays or ultrasound) to check for pregnancy and also for the number of kittens, which will help determine when she is done giving birth.

She very well may be pregnant. Her belly does look abnormally big there. Watch for signs of pregnancy such as mammary gland engorgement, continued weight gain, increase in appetite. Also you can have her seen by your vet for an exam to check for fetal heartbeats or to identify the fetal skulls, via radiograph (as early as 45 days gestation). If she is suspected to be pregnant then it's also best to feed her kitten food which is going to satisfy her high calorie requirements and ensure she makes a good supply of milk for her kittens. Best of luck with Flash. I hope everything works out well for you both.

You may see swollen, pink nipples, some "morning sickness", increased appetite, weight gain and a distended abdomen. Without a physical exam though, a determination of pregnancy cannot be made definitively. Ideally, she should be examined by a veterinarian. An abdominal x-ray or ultrasound can confirm pregnancy.