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My kitten has a squishy bump near stitches after spay. Should I worry?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 2 months and 6 days old | 5 lbs

My kitten just got spayed on Monday and she now has a squishy bump on her belly near her stitches should I be worried?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on November 18th, 2016

This sounds like it is likely a seroma (a fluid pocket under the skin), or a tissue reaction to the suture material - both of these are quite common in cats after spay surgery, and should not cause any serious problems. Less commonly, the swelling could be caused by an infection or even a hernia.

If Leia is acting normal (eating and drinking fine, playful, etc.), you can monitor the bump until it's time for her stitches to be removed. Applying a warm compress like a warm wet washcloth to the area 2-3 times a day can help the swelling to resolve faster, as well as restricting her activity as much as possible. If Leia is acting very lethargic or not eating, or if there is any bleeding or yellow-green discharge from the bump, these may be signs of infection - in that case, I would take her to the vet today for an exam and antibiotics or other medication if needed.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 29th, 2017
The bump is right about where the knot of the sutures would be. The sutures are dissolvable, but some types will take a little longer than others to dissolve and will create a little scar tissue. The bump looks far too small to be a hernia and does not appear like a fluid-filled bump.

If you feel the bump and it's rather hard, then it's probably just normal scar tissue that will go down in the next few weeks. If the bump is squishy, then it may be fluid-filled. The fluid could be just serum (normal fluid) or pus if it's infected. The skin does not look infected to me, so I would not worry too much about that yet.

While it would be best to have the veterinarian examine it, I think it's OK to wait a few more days and see if the bump gets smaller. If it swells, turns red or starts leaking pus, then definitely get her back to the vet.

I hope that helps and it clears up soon.
6Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on December 1st, 2019
It could be swelling from the surgery, or it could be an internal reaction to sutures inside. Given that Lily just got spayed, I'd keep an eye on her for now. If this swelling gets worse, the area appears infected (redness, pus, warm to the touch), there is excessive discharge from the incision, she isn't eating, or she's lethargic, have her seen by a vet immediately.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My kitten's spay incision has a pink bump. Should I see a vet?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Monitor for an redness, drainage, increase in swelling or pain along the incision. Not eating or lethargy are also signs to watch for. This may be a suture reaction, an inflammatory reaction to the sutures used. If concerned you may want to call the shelter to find out if their vet or technician offers rechecks of their surgical patients.

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My kitten has a lump after hernia surgery. Is it normal 4 days later?

This looks swollen but it can be a normal reaction to the dissolvable sutures under the skin. If the hernia opened up the swelling would be able to be pushed into the abdomen. If the swelling is firm it’s most likely a suture reaction. Be patient. This should go down a little every day and it may take a week or two to get flat. If it’s not going down or you can push the swelling into the abdomen then please take her for a recheck. If she was too active the inside stitches may have broken and the inside incision opened up. Then it would need to be closed again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Symphony.

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Why is my cat's stomach hard and swollen near spay site, but fine?

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!

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My cat's spay incision has a bump. Is it healing normally?

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Why is my spayed cat throwing up wet food and has a bump?

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Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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