My new cat's belly is loose after kittens. What should I do?

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

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! A lot of cats have the extra skin that hangs on their belly. Most cats that have this are older than Noushi and have already been spayed or neutered. I think what you are referring to is normal but if you want to post a picture I'd be happy to look. Have a great day!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The extra skin that develops on the abdomen of cats sadly is normal when they gain too much weight after being spayed and neutered. I would try to portion control her food to prevent obesity as that leads to many health conditions. I hope this helps and I wish you and Luna the very best!

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 is not likely to be a retained kitten if she had [a normal delivery](https://www.petcoach.co/article/queening-giving-birth-in-cats) and is behaving normally otherwise (no [vomiting](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/vomiting/), [diarrhea](https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/diarrhea/), [loss of appetite](https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-isnt-my-cat-eating), discharge, etc.). It may be a hernia, but your veterinarian will need to make the diagnosis after a physical exam. If it is a hernia, a repair may be done if you decide to have her spayed. [Spaying](https://www.petcoach.co/article/spaying-ovariohysterectomy-the-benefits-in-cats) would strongly be recommended if she is not breeding stock or a show cat. This would prevent accidental or unwanted litters in the future. Spaying also decreases the risk of mammary gland tumors (breast cancer) and eliminates the risk of a pyometra (uterine infection) later in life.

If Acil came from the shelter, then she probably got treated for worms; which tends to make the abdomen (belly) much less fat looking. That plump little kitten belly is often a sign that they are full of worms. Also, kittens do tend to stretch out and look skinnier as they transition from the cute little fur-ball stage to an adolescent. If she is eating well now and acting like a playful kitten, then there's little reason to worry. If she has a decrease in appetite and other noticeable problems (i.e. sneezing or diarrhea), then I would be concerned and would recommend taking her to the vet. I hope that helps and Acil stays healthy.

This flab under her stomach may be normal, a lot of spayed cats get this fatty area there. Her nipples being more visible could be due to fat as well. A lot of cats gain weight in those areas after they are spayed. You can have her checked out by a vet to be safe.