My spayed cat's tummy is swollen and bleeding. Is it urgent?

I think there's enough going on here that it would be worthwhile to take her for a recheck by your vet. It's not terrible looking, but there is some swelling along the incision margins and a small defect in the top of the incision. I would expect her incision to look better than this after a week. For now, I don't recommend you do any sort of treatment at home, because this may make things worse. As long as you get her to the vet in the next day or two, she should be fine to wait. I hope that helps and your kitty gets better soon.

I would keep an eye on Mayla's incision for now. If the swelling increases or you see more blood, then yes take her into the vet. I would also put the cone back on her. It seems to help keep her less active, which is vital for her healing. Best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Salem. The swelling is large so I am glad that you contacted her veterinarian. I would give the newly prescribed medications as directed. It is good news that she is eating and acting normal. I agree that she should be rechecked if that swelling has not significantly decreased in the time frame given to you. It is really best if you can find a way to confine her. A large dog crate may work if it is big enough for food, water and a litter box. If she starts to act ill or the swelling increases, then she will need to see an emergency veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

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!

Thank you for the picture, it's very helpful. The bleeding may be due to you cleaning the area, as it should not be washed while healing as that disturbs the scab and the healing process. Also stitches should not get wet. In the picture, the skin around the area does not look red or swollen. Please feel the area, and make sure it does not feel warm to the touch; if it does, that means it is infected and Charlie has to go back to the vet now. When the vet said keep the area clean, it means keep the area dry and away from dirt and debris, not to wash it. Please do not wash it again, pat the area dry, and since there was only a bit of bleeding, just monitor it for now. If you see redness, swelling, pus, the skin is warm to the touch, she becomes lethargic, and/or she has a loss of appetite, she needs to see a vet immediately. I hope this helps!

Some mild swelling is quite common but any pain, discomfort or discharge requires veterinary assessment. Monitor closely, it should reduce in size over 3-5days if fluid build up but may require surgical repair if not resolving

She may be licking excessively which could be contributing to the inflammation. Cats have rough tongues which can traumatize the skin leading to infection. Place an e-collar (cone) on her to prevent licking and have her rechecked by your veterinarian. She may need antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory medications to resolve the issue.