My spayed cat is showing heat signs. What's wrong and what to do?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Holly cannot get pregnant, but it looks that she is showing ovarian remnant syndrome. This is when a small piece of ovarian tissue is accidentally left inside the abdomen during neutering. If Holly continues to show heat symptoms, she would need another surgery to remove the remaining ovarian tissue from the abdomen.

It can be difficult to know if they've been spayed or not if you don't have any medical records. You can request that the vet shave her belly to look for a spay scar, but they can be very faint if she was spayed at a very young age. If she still has signs of heat, then either she hasn't been spayed or there is some ovarian tissue still present inside her. You can have a hormone test (AMH) done to confirm that there still is ovarian tissue and then you know she needs surgery to remove it. Or the vet can just go to surgery to go look for it.

Hi there, Pringles is so cute and I love her name! My first thought is quite honestly that calico cats have a reputation for being chatty or vocal, and she may just be developing part of her personality at her age. The next thought is that she could have an uncommon condition that is causing her to go into heat despite her spay. Ectopic ovarian tissue (reproductive tissue that grows in an abnormal place) can cause this, as well as exposure to estrogen containing creams for humans. The easiest test to confirm this is a swab of vaginal tissue. Here is a ink to learn more from a website I like: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&catId=102899&id=5998538 If she is showing other signs of in heat behavior, I'd recommend contacting her veterinarian that spayed her. They will be able to guide you through testing and confirming if there is any additional reproductive tissue. If there is, she will need a second spay-like procedure to have that tissue removed as well. This is uncommon, but pets with this condition tend to recover and do well in the long term. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Fiona may be having a hormonal imbalance triggered by the kitten coming in to the house called a false pregnancy . I would check her mammary glands by trying to express them to see if milk comes out. There may not be any milk there but the kitten may nurse on them anyway. If there is milk Fiona and the kitten need to be separated until the milk is gone and the kitten needs to be prevented from nursing off her. If there is no milk in her glands I see no harm in it. I wish you the best!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Trixie. I agree, this does not sound right. It sounds like she is showing heat behaviors, and this can be a sign of an ovarian remnant left behind. I'd have her seen by a vet today or tomorrow for a hormone stimulation test. This will diagnose if she does have an ovarian remnant or not. If she does, she will need surgery to remove it. Best of luck.

It does sound and look like Eevee is in heat. Increased vocalization, ‘presenting’ her genitalia /arching her back, and often increased affection are typical signs of estrus/heat in cats which typically first starts after 6 months of age. Each heat cycle lasts around 5-6 days and unspayed cats typically come back into heat every 2-3 weeks. The ASPCA and many shelters offer low cost spay options such as mobile spay/neuter clinics that may be an option. If not, there is nothing that you need to do other than keep her away from intact male cats unless you want kittens in about 2 months’ time! Good luck!

Hello! That behavior does sound like classic in heat, or estrus, behavior for cats. If Bean bean is acting otherwise normally but overly affectionate and vocal, it is likely only due to her heat cycle. I do caution that keeping cats intact without breeding them can cause a serious uterine infection called pyometra. If Bean bean becomes lethargic, reclusive, uninterested in food, or showing any general signs of illness, such as vomiting or diarrhea, I would recommend taking her into a vet to be seen. She is at a high risk for developing the infection until she is spayed. I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! :)