Expert: Ali - 2/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: My cat is 18 months old and has recently gone through heat once.  Since then, she has small lumps on her belly.  Can you tell me what they might be?

ANSWER: Melissa,

I suspect that your cat has gone through heat cycles more than once, if she's had any access to intact male cats the lumps you describe may be an early indicator of pregnancy. Your vet would be able to tell you for sure. There are so many homeless cats and kittens in the world who need love, attention and a permanent home, which is why spaying and neutering pets is extremely important both to prevent unwanted babies and to ensure good physical and mental health further down the line. If you want to watch kittens grow up you may want to consider volunteering at the local animal shelter to play with the cats and kittens or even provide a foster home where young kittens can grow strong and healthy enough to be adopted into new forever families. Spaying your kitty will prevent serious future health and behavioral problems. Cats that have been spayed don't tend to get breast cancers or infections, their reproductive system is also protected from potentially life threatening tumors and infections by a simple spay surgery. Cats that have been spayed/neutered also tend to be far less likely to develop serious behavioral problems related to hormones - using urine/feces to mark their territory, wandering, fighting or even aggression towards people in extreme cases are things that you can see in unsterilized cats. I would be more than willing to offer information about local resources that can help with the cost of veterinary care if you have financial concerns about providing this basic health care for your kitty.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My cat is an inside cat who has never been outside.  Could the lumps be something else?

Answer
Melissa,

If this kitty's symptoms can't be explained by pregnancy then I would be concerned about any number of health issues. Some of the issues are fairly minor and reasonably inexpensive to treat while other possibilities are more serious and they would likely cost more to treat. Your kitty is fairly young so her symptoms may be pointing towards something like false pregnancy which is fairly simple to treat although it can recur if the cat isn't spayed promptly. I would also have concerns that the swelling you're describing could be the early warning sign of a cancer or systemic infection that needs urgent medical care. I would also like to take this opportunity to tell you that having your kitty sterilized is very important, it prevents some common, but serious medical and behavioral issues as well as controlling the population of unwanted pets that end up as strays, in shelters/rescue groups or even being put to sleep because there simply isn't enough space to keep them until their forever family comes to adopt them. I'm concerned that the symptom that you describe is really quite vague and there's potentially something serious going on with her health that your cat is still able to hide. Cats do a great job of hiding illness or injuries which means that by the time you know that they're sick/injured they are often sicker/more seriously hurt than they look.

Routine preventative vet care is important, it actually saves you money in the long term because medical conditions such as cancer/infections of the breasts and reproductive organs and behavioral issues like using urine or feces to mark their territory outside of the litter box are far less likely to develop. I can't offer specific medical advice I'm not a veterinarian and even if I was I certainly wouldn't make a diagnosis over the internet. As I mentioned in my last answer I keep a list of resources and charities that are willing to help pet parents that can't afford veterinary care out financially, however I need a general idea of where you are in order to pass them on as the list is extensive and it would take several pages to provide the entire list every time that someone was in need. I don't need anything detailed in terms of location, a province, state or city is all that's required and that can be given by way of asking another question and choosing the "keep this question private" option. I would really like to help you and your kitty out, however at this point I just don't see how I can be of further assistance because the issue you are consulting me about is obviously an assessment and possibly some medical treatment, this requires the expertise of a qualified veterinarian.