Can a cat have an udder?

white cat lover · Dec 1, 2005

Can a cat have an udder?

We have always laughed about Twitch having an udder. We didn't notice it until after she got spayed, so that might be the reason she has one. Let me see if I can explain this better. The hair on the underside of her belly back byu her hind legs grows straight down. It never lays flat, but rather always sticks out funny. This is where she got spliced open(I don't know how else to say that) to get spayed.

Anyone know anyting about this?

lionessrampant · Dec 1, 2005

It sounds to me like...Spay Sway! I don't know that much about it, but I know Gayef can tell you about it. Or you can do a search in the forums. From what I hear, it's normal. I'm not sure if it goes away after a while or it's normal for it to stick around, but I know such a thing exists.

Sorry I couldn't have been more help!

white cat lover · Dec 1, 2005

Thanks lioness! I was just curious at to what exactly causes spay sway(or as we call it, an udder). My dad is the one who calls it an udder. She does look like she has an udder just like a cow! lol

turtlecat · Dec 1, 2005

Spay Sway! Alright, here's the lowdown. There are chiefly 2 ways of sewing a kitty up after a spay, one, where they are sewn with dissolving thread in one layer, and then the skin is sewn together seperately, cats who get this procedure done have a reinforced healing point and are not subject to the spay sway. The typical (and less expensive) procedure only has one layer of stitches, and therefore the healing point is weaker, and they develop a crease. it's not noticable initially, however, when a cat is spayed, they gaint he obligatory ounces and it gets stored on either side of the incision in the case of this method, because there is not reinforcement in the subdermal layer.

Does that help?

laureen227 · Dec 1, 2005

Originally Posted by lionessrampant

It sounds to me like...Spay Sway! I don't know that much about it, but I know Gayef can tell you about it. Or you can do a search in the forums. From what I hear, it's normal. I'm not sure if it goes away after a while or it's normal for it to stick around, but I know such a thing exists.

Sorry I couldn't have been more help!

Pixel still has hers, & she's been spayed for 7 1/2 years... the other 2 don't, but are still quite young [Cable 1 1/2 years, Java 11 months]. Mouse had one, too. i'm thinking it comes with age.

missymotus · Dec 1, 2005

Mister, Missy and Scampi all have pooches the others don't.
If it's called spay sway does that mean that males don't usually get it? Mister developed his after being neutered.

yosemite · Dec 1, 2005

Originally Posted by missymotus

Mister, Missy and Scampi all have pooches the others don't.
If it's called spay sway does that mean that males don't usually get it? Mister developed his after being neutered.

So did Bijou - he has a lovely little pouch!

lionessrampant · Dec 1, 2005

Originally Posted by Yosemite

So did Bijou - he has a lovely little pouch!

Leo has always had a bit of a pouch, but he was also neutered before he came to me. I wonder if his procedure had anything to do with his little pouchy!

coaster · Dec 1, 2005

turtlecat's explanation is the first I've seen for this phenomenon, and it makes sense to me, but it doesn't explain why some males have this, too. I've heard this "udder" referred to as a "fat pad" and as a "fat sack"

pushylady · Dec 1, 2005

Pushkin has an udder too. But that's 'cos he's a wee fatty. When he runs, his udder flops from side to side! But we don't care, 'cos to us he's udderly beautiful!

:

MoochNNoodles · Dec 1, 2005

Oh Gosh! Udderly beautiful!

Mooch and Noodles both have them. They were cut open on thier sides though, not thier belly. All of my other cats have had it too!

agent_haun · Dec 1, 2005

Poodle kitty has an "udder" too.

My male cat Flibbo does too though. Is it just beause hes a bit chubby, or something like that?

white cat lover · Dec 1, 2005

That was an excellent explanation turtlecat. I know that Twitch only had one set of stitches because she decided to take them out herself early. She had healed enough that the vet didn't have to fix anything, thankfully. Twitch's udder flops from side to side when she runs, too! It is funny to watch.

lj_cox · Dec 2, 2005

That's not an udder, that's their dust ruffle! (It's to keep their back paws warm when they sit down.

) We've had a couple of cats with that.. floppy tummy area effect. Very funny to watch at a run. I was very interested to read the explanation vis the stitches.

Linda C.

laureen227 · Dec 2, 2005

Originally Posted by lj_cox

That's not an udder, that's their dust ruffle! (It's to keep their back paws warm when they sit down.

) We've had a couple of cats with that.. floppy tummy area effect. Very funny to watch at a run. I was very interested to read the explanation vis the stitches.

Linda C.

well, Pixel's 'dust ruffle' doesn't have any fat in it - it's just skin. it'll be interesting to watch Cable & Java, since their spays were done by different vets...

renny · Dec 2, 2005

I was wondering about this same thing. Lucky (my girl) had her spay, no dust ruffle (or maybe it's hidden in all that fur. But my skinny boy Rambo had his surgery and POOF gigantic ruffle of all skin. It's pretty funny looking cause it's so big and he's so lean....if he's stalking i call him my swifter cause it cleans the hardwood as he passes! LOL

jamasmom · Dec 2, 2005

Both Jazz a Boo and Maggie May have a dust ruffle. Jazz is thinner so it's easier to see and very funny to watch when she runs

. Maggie is a bit bigger so you don't' see her dust ruffle unless she's running away from the vacuum cleaner

eilcon · Dec 2, 2005

Spay sway, dust ruffle and udder - I love it!

Katie, who's 12, still has hers - it always jiggles when she run! Gracie's isn't noticable, but Claire's got it!

laureen227 · Dec 2, 2005

Originally Posted by jamasmom

Both Jazz a Boo and Maggie May have a dust ruffle. Jazz is thinner so it's easier to see and very funny to watch when she runs

. Maggie is a bit bigger so you don't' see her dust ruffle unless she's running away from the vacuum cleaner

yep, that's usually when i see Pixel's, too!

Can a cat have an udder?

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