Loose Hanging Skin

sakura

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Mattie has loose hanging skin on both sides of her, near her back legs. She isn't overweight at all but it makes her look huge. It's like she needs a tummy tuck


She's had this ever since I adopted her in October 2007. She was already spayed when I adopted her (and was spayed already when the shelter took her in), could the spay surgery have done this? Is this something that happens when a cat has kittens? (I don't think she's ever had them, but ya' never know. They said she was 9-10 months old when I adopted her but my vet guessed she was 1-2 years old).

I don't really have a good picture of it.

I'm not in any way worried or concerned about it. I'm just curious if this is something that might indicate that she's had kittens?
 

aswient

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One of my female cats have that too very loose hanging skin. Shes had it for years, it is from the spay.
 

buzbyjlc10

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Yup sounds like spay sway


I believe it happens because they cut through muscle to spay and then the muscles are more apt to get saggy and lose tone as the cat ages... my uncle's cat is quite old and her spay sway is huge lol

My dog has a bit of a spay sway and the kitty's a boy that just has an empty package... so he's got sway, but it's not from a spay lol
 

missourigrl

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Both of my boys have this. I just assumed it was a product of being neutered. It is quite funny when they walk. LOL.
 

goldenkitty45

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Many spayed cats get this. Doesn't mean they are overweight. Some males will have it too. Some breeds have it as natural. Ocicats are one of those breeds - they are supposed to have extra loose skin - better for jumping and stretching.
 

sweetkara

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I read on some website that the technical term is "pendulous"
and it's totally normal- does NOT mean a cat is overweight or has had kittens.
 
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sakura

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lol, I'm glad there is a name for it


How long after the spay surgery do you normally see it? Right away?
 

sneakymom

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So that's what it's called
.

I've seen it on Sneaky- I just thought it was extra skin from the extra "padding" she has


When he was younger, I really didn't notice it on Mistoflees. Over the last couple of years, I've noticed that he's got it too. And he's NOT overweight.
 

laureen227

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4 girls, 1 boy - 3 w/spay sway [2 girls, 1 boy].
the 2 girls who don't have it are very svelte, tho.
 

mews2much

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Coco has had it ever since she had kittens 6 years ago. She was huge when she was preg though and was fat before that. None of my Cats that were fixed have it. Shadows Meekos and Sashas mom became obese after she was fixed and so did Ash. Is there a reason for that? They weigh way to much and I am afraid they will ecome sick. None of mine did that.
 

yosemite

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Even though it's called a spay sway, a lot of male cats get this also. Bijou has a rather large one and little Mika (our female) is slim and trim.
 

missymotus

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

Even though it's called a spay sway, a lot of male cats get this also
I've actually seen it more on males than females
 

forensic

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Hennessy's got one...

I always figured it would be an advantage if you got bunny kicked in the tummy to have loose skin there. ?
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Forensic

Hennessy's got one...

I always figured it would be an advantage if you got bunny kicked in the tummy to have loose skin there. ?
I've actually heard that it is there to protect internal organs in just such an event but I certainly don't know if that is fact or fiction.
 

shashagirl

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I didn't know there is a name
My husband calls it an utter. Only my girl has it ,and I thought it was because she is overweight.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Shashagirl

I didn't know there is a name
My husband calls it an utter. Only my girl has it ,and I thought it was because she is overweight.
No, it doesn't mean she's overweight. I have to admit that Bijou's certainly does resemble a cow's udder.
 
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sakura

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Originally Posted by Shashagirl

I didn't know there is a name
My husband calls it an utter. Only my girl has it ,and I thought it was because she is overweight.
My SO thought so too. He would always make fun of Mattie for having fat hanging down. She looks larger than she is normally because she has such long hair. Poor baby
 

meowers

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Many spayed cats get this. Doesn't mean they are overweight. Some males will have it too. Some breeds have it as natural. Ocicats are one of those breeds - they are supposed to have extra loose skin - better for jumping and stretching.
And I was starting feel guilty for Holly's little lower belly sway...It all make sense now, thanks!
 

gayef

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Actually, it is a length of skin which allows the cat to expand to their full length when running or stretching ... if you pick up a cat with one hand cradled behind the front "arms" and the other cradled in front of the back "legs" and "park" them out (I suspect horse people will understand what I mean by parking) ... stretching them so that the spine curves inward, you'll see why they need that extra length of skin. It helps them to extend fully.
 
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