Inflamed Nipples on fixed kitty! :(

gnaomim

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
30
Purraise
4
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
So, Emily strikes again with yet another odd behavior.

The last nipples, close to where the incision site was when she was fixed, have been bald for several weeks. I've been keeping an eye on her and the area and noticed that she's gotten chubby around there too, almost like a mother cat who's nursing, kind of puffy under that area but not anywhere else.
I was looking at her in the sunlight today and noticed that the nipples looked red and, upon inspection, I found that they appear inflamed and hard, reddish and the one looks a bit like it might be infected... about like a small zit with a tiny bit of puss at the top. The other one has a little bit of what looks like dirt around part of it, just a little bit. You'd really have to get close and scrutinize her belly to even see the difference between the irritated nipples and the normal ones. They are barely swolen, hardly noticeable, but I'm still worried.

I don't know if she's been licking herself raw or what. I never see her over-licking down there, at least, it hasn't seemed excessive, yet she's very bald around those two nipples. The other ones get lost easily in the fur.

Has anyone else encountered anything like this? I've never seen anything like this before. Not even in our most neurotic cat, Fae.

P.S. Emily is about 9 months old now.
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
When was she spayed? I would most definitely take her to a vet - that isn't normal and I would be worried.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

gnaomim

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
30
Purraise
4
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
She was fixed at 3 months, when we got her from the shelter. Around mid October. But, yes, she should go to the vet. I just wish I could find a cheaper one, we live in central LA and everything is sky high price-wise. :/
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

gnaomim

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
30
Purraise
4
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
I made the appointment with the vet but my mom suggested that maybe it's just pimples. I guess cats can get zits or impacted nipples or something??? Any one know what this could be?? I can pay for the vet visit but it couldn't have come at a worse time. *sigh* (((I'm going to be eating canned beans for weeks! LOL)))
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Originally Posted by GNaomiM

I made the appointment with the vet but my mom suggested that maybe it's just pimples. I guess cats can get zits or impacted nipples or something??? Any one know what this could be?? I can pay for the vet visit but it couldn't have come at a worse time. *sigh* (((I'm going to be eating canned beans for weeks! LOL)))
Originally Posted by mews2much

Could they have nicked her when she was shaved to be spayed?
If they did it could have become infected.
I have seen it happen before.
Mews2much - I think she was spayed several month ago so I doubt it would take this long to get infected.

I also seriously doubt it is pimples. I think you should take her to the vet ASAP. Just remember that beans are very good for you.
Just think of the good thing you have done for kitty while you are eating the beans and they will taste wonderful.
 

nil4664

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
46
Purraise
2
Location
Northeast Georgia
Well my cat is also odd. She is 10 mo old, spayed at 6 mos. I noticed her sucking at her bottom two nipples a few weeks after spaying. She is definitely acting like she's nursing---paws kneading, purring like crazy, sort of in a trance.


Her stomach down there has been bigger ever since the spay so maybe it's just easier to get to. I notice she does it just before she goes to sleep at night, because she sleeps on the bed near me.

She's doing it less and less. I've just been ignoring it, hoping she will grow out of it. Possibility?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

gnaomim

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
30
Purraise
4
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Yep. Beans it is. LOL

But no, she's not licking or sucking or anything. I've been keeping an extra keen eye on her and she's not been doing anything. I have no idea what to think.... *sigh*
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Originally Posted by GNaomiM

Yep. Beans it is. LOL

But no, she's not licking or sucking or anything. I've been keeping an extra keen eye on her and she's not been doing anything. I have no idea what to think.... *sigh*
She may have tumors. Please take her to the vet asap.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

gnaomim

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2008
Messages
30
Purraise
4
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Originally Posted by Yosemite

She may have tumors. Please take her to the vet asap.
[[[[[If you'll notice, I said I have an appointment scheduled already above. I was simply reiterating how bad a time this is for her to get sick. My boyfriend just lost his job and I can't find a new one and have no car and they do not have a bus system in LA that caters to workers, just tourists so buses are not an option. Everything around us is going out of business and no one is hiring so we're going to be eating really cheap after we pay for her to get taken care of and then pay the overdue bills and then whatever is left can go to food for us. That's all. She's still going to the vet. And don't even say we should find her another home because of financial problems; there are thousands of stray cats in Los Angeles alone, No one would take her and there are very few no-kill shelters because they just don't have room for all the homeless cats: 75% of the cats the go to shelters are put down because they just can't find homes for them, no one wants them. At least we'll make sure she's fed, clean, has toys, and is healthy. Even if we have to suffer.]]]]]
 

yosemite

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
23,313
Purraise
81
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Originally Posted by GNaomiM

[[[[[If you'll notice, I said I have an appointment scheduled already above. I was simply reiterating how bad a time this is for her to get sick. My boyfriend just lost his job and I can't find a new one and have no car and they do not have a bus system in LA that caters to workers, just tourists so buses are not an option. Everything around us is going out of business and no one is hiring so we're going to be eating really cheap after we pay for her to get taken care of and then pay the overdue bills and then whatever is left can go to food for us. That's all. She's still going to the vet. And don't even say we should find her another home because of financial problems; there are thousands of stray cats in Los Angeles alone, No one would take her and there are very few no-kill shelters because they just don't have room for all the homeless cats: 75% of the cats the go to shelters are put down because they just can't find homes for them, no one wants them. At least we'll make sure she's fed, clean, has toys, and is healthy. Even if we have to suffer.]]]]]
No need to get all upset. I'm just saying the cat needs to see a vet sooner rather than later. There are a lot of folks in your position - no job, no money so it is a tough thing to have to spend money on a vet when you can barely afford food for yourself. I think it is admirable that you have made the appointment and are taking care of your cat.

If you or anyone gets to the point that they cannot afford care for their pet then the only humane thing to do is to give it up. There are shelters that are no-kill where animals are not put down but there aren't nearly enough of them and one has to really look to find one. Sometimes the hardest things in life to do are the things that just need to be done.
 
Top