Why does my cat look pregnant after being spayed a month ago?

Hi there. It is common for females that are spayed to gain extra fat in their abdominal region. If the belly is very hard or she seems uncomfortable I would take her in. Otherwise just remember she doesn't have the extra hormone production she used to-changes are normal. Hope this helps

Hello. After being fixed, there is no way she can become pregnant. She is maturing, & since she needs fewer calories, you may need to cut back on the amount of food she gets each day. You can also increase exercise with feather toys, laser lights, small balls to chase, etc. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi. Without a hands on exam, it’s impossible to definitively determine if this cat is spayed or not. Your veterinarian should be able to determine this by shaving some hair away from the mid abdomen to look for a Spay scar and probably a tattoo that indicates she has been sterilized. Cats are only pregnant for 9 weeks. By 4-5 weeks, it is pretty easy to determine pregnancy during a physical exam. Have your veterinarian examine her and look for the scar and tattoo. Thank you

It sounds as though Knox is exhibiting signs of a false pregnancy. Since she was spayed last month, it is not possible for her to actually become pregnant. Rarely, a portion of ovarian tissue (referred to as ovarian remnant syndrome) can remain after a spay, which then produces hormones and can cause signs of heat and possible pregnancy. I do recommend taking Knox to her vet for an exam and to consider blood hormone levels to determine if ovarian remnant syndrome is suspected. For further reading, take a look at this link: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=3507. I hope that all goes well!

This could be a pyometra. A pyometra is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. With a pyometra, the uterus fills with pus, and that can cause the belly to get big. Have Peekaboo seen by a vet now.

Hello there! There are a couple of things that come to mind with a hardened area at the spay site. The first and most common issue I can think of may be inflammation from a localized suture reaction at the incision site. When Soy was spayed, the vet most likely used a layer of absorbable stitches in her abdominal muscles below the skin. These stitches are meant to absorb over time (anywhere from 90-220 days, depending on the type of suture) and don't usually cause any problem, but sometimes the body's immune system reacts against this foreign material and causes swelling. This is not usually a medical concern unless the swelling is hot, red, or appears to be bothering Soy. If you see any of these symptoms, you should bring her to the vet as this may indicate an infection. It may take many weeks to go away - if you are at all concerned about Soy's well-being, feel free to give the vet that spayed her a call. If Soy will let you, placing a warm compress against the area for 10 minutes a day can also help reduce the swelling. There is also the possibility that this lump is a cyst or tumor, but this is much less likely considering Soy's young age. Good luck, and I hope Soy's lump goes away soon!

This is normal and no cause for concern. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian to confirm no kittens remain to be delivered. It may take some time for Kitty to lose the pregnancy weight or for swelling associated with the pregnancy to resolve.