Is she really fixed?

Okay, so IB brought home a cat last year, and she got fixed a couple months ago. I've got the paperwork to prove it, she's got the tattoo, I was there when she was dropped off and there when she was picked up. 

She's acting pregnant. She has a slight burro roll of the stomach, she's having rapid mood swings, her appetite has increased, and she's getting jealous of inanimate objects again (stuffed animals, phone, television), and her teats appear to be slightly swollen. Is she pregnant? If she is--what do I do? We can't afford anymore cats!

Can you take her to the vet?  Possibly the one who spayed her to make sure?  It's possible they did it wrong.   Could it be a false pregnancy?

We can't afford to take her to the vet. It's all we can do to keep food on the table (and we'd be having trouble with that but we have plants that grow fruit this time of year on the property). I guess it could be a false pregnancy, is there any way (other than waiting to see if there are kittens) to tell?

Can you call the vet or whoever spayed her and ask if they would look her over.  If it's their mistake they shouldn't charge to take a look.

There is no way to tell other than an ultrsound or x-ray or waiting. Cats do tend to gain weight after they are spayed though.

Handsome Kitty's idea to phone the vet or clinic where you had her done is a good idea. My cat was spayed two months ago and she has put on weight for sure!

Did your cat have an incision scar when you picked her up?

sarthur2 said:

There is no way to tell other than an ultrsound or x-ray or waiting. Cats do tend to gain weight after they are spayed though.

Handsome Kitty's idea to phone the vet or clinic where you had her done is a good idea. My cat was spayed two months ago and she has put on weight for sure!

Did your cat have an incision scar when you picked her up?

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She did, and the tattoo.

Then she is just gaining weight but is not pregnant!

sarthur2 said:

Then she is just gaining weight but is not pregnant!

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Wouldn't she be getting fat all over? And what about the behavior changes?

My cat has gained a fat belly pouch after she was spayed- just on her belly and no where else

Remember that hormones don't stop instantly with a spay. They take a few months to completely stabilise. That could account for the mood swings.

Regarding the pregnancy - has she had access to outside or any sexually mature males? If the answer to those questions is no, there's no way that she's pregnant If, on the other hand, it's a distinct possibility, then your best bet really is to go back to the vet. Most vets will spay and abort the pregnancy in the early stages - definitely a better (and cheaper) option than a second litter.

So, I'm pretty much on the side that she's not pregnant.  During a spay, if you're sloppy, it's possible to leave behind enough tissue for a cat to have subsequent heat-like behaviors, but in order for her to be pregnant, the vet would have had to have left behind a fair amount of ovarian tissue AND the entire uterus.  Is it possible?  Well, anything's possible, but I strongly doubt that happened.

False/hysterical pregnancies are more common in dogs but have been known to occur in cats.  I think that may be what she is experiencing.  I would contact the clinic where she was spayed and tell them you're concerned and would like someone to examine her.  A vet or experienced tech can palpate the abdomen and let you know if there are babies in there.  I used to work at a low-cost, high-volume spay/neuter clinic and we never charged for follow-ups.  You did the right thing getting her spayed and you're concerned, that's all.

It can take a while for hormones to settle after a spay, so some mood-swingy behavior is normal.  Some spayed cats are like that their entire lives.  But if her nipples are engorged and she's showing nesting behaviors, it's more likely a false pregnancy.  Usually in dogs the cure for false pregnancy is spaying.  I'd have to check the literature on whether spayed cats are known to experience false pregnancies.  It's certainly abnormal, but the chances that she's actually pregnant, like I said, are slim.  During a spay the vet removes the uterus (womb), the ovaries, and the fallopian tubes.  Kitty needs all three of those to get pregnant.  So unless there was some vast mistake and they opened her up, didn't do anything, and then closed her, I don't think she is pregnant.

As others said, an increased appetite and fat roll are normal in spayed cats.  Their metabolism decreases and they need less food and more exercise.  Pregnant kitties look fat in the sides, not just the tummy.  I'm wondering if what you are seeing is the 'spay sway'--a roll of abdominal fat that often develops on the underside of the cat following sterilization.

The only way to confirm a false pregnancy for sure would be an ultrasound or radiograph looking for fetuses.  If she is "far along", then palpation is a good bet but not 100%, as depending on the size of the cat and the number of fetuses it is possible to miss them.  For sure though if you're worried throw yourself on the mercy of the clinic who spayed her.  It's their issue if they didn't do it right, and hopefully they're kind enough people to be willing to do an exam or help you out in some way.

My cat looks pregnant around her belly but is not. She had her first and only litter in March (she was a pregnant stray) and was spayed in May. She has ballooned up from chowing down with her kittens and lounging around all day.

But if you have any doubt, go back to whoever did the spay. An x-ray would quickly show what is in her belly and put an end to the soeculation.

Well, I'm guessing it was a false pregnancy. The burro roll disappeared, her appetite decreased (which means less cat food, because she was eating more than the others put together), and her teats are no longer pink. Also, she's no longer getting jealous of inanimate objects (what do you do when your cat is jealous of your phone?). Still--thanks for the help and the support! 

Glad to hear she wasn't pregnant and that you can now use your phone guilt free.

Great news that it was only a phantom pregnancy Hopefully things will be straightforward from now on :cross:

That was interesting. It may have been a last surge of hormones following her spay. Glad there's nothing further to worry over!

When I had Luci spayed she was very moody. I just took it as hormones going crazy. She was spayed in January??? and has since gained weight. She does look like she's pregnant but she's not. Once a cat is spayed / neutered I think their hormones get all out of whack and cause a lot of problems. Given time they will get under control and she will be back to normal. I know Luci did after a few months. She is now not so much a devil-cat but she loves to be loved on (only on her terms) but not often.