Why Does My Cat Have a Lump on Her Belly After Spay Surgery?

In this guide

Finding a lump near the incision site after your cat's spay surgery is alarming, but in most cases it has a straightforward explanation and is not a sign that something has gone seriously wrong.

The usual explanation: a suture reaction or seroma

The most common cause is a seroma, a pocket of clear fluid that collects under the skin as part of the body's normal healing response to surgery. It feels soft and fluctuant, is usually not painful, and typically shrinks and disappears on its own over one to two weeks as the body reabsorbs the fluid. Less commonly, the body reacts to the internal dissolvable sutures, forming a small firm nodule at the site, which also generally resolves without treatment, though it can take a few weeks longer than a seroma.

When it is more likely to be a problem

• The lump is hot, red, or clearly painful when touched
• There is discharge from the incision that looks like pus, or has an unpleasant smell
• The lump is growing rather than staying the same size or shrinking
• Your cat is licking or chewing at the area excessively, which can also introduce infection
• She seems generally unwell, lethargic or off her food alongside the lump
• The incision itself looks like it is opening up rather than closing

What to do

A soft, painless lump that appears in the first week or two after surgery is worth a quick check-in call to your vet, but rarely needs an emergency visit. Any of the warning signs above, however, particularly heat, redness, discharge or an incision that looks like it is separating, needs prompt veterinary attention, since infections at the surgery site can become serious quickly if left untreated. An Elizabethan collar or a soft recovery suit, both widely available at Indian pet stores, helps stop her from licking or scratching at the site while it heals, which prevents many complications before they start.

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