Hello! This monday, I noticed that my female cats mammaries were swollen. She turns 1, next month. She has been in heat twice in march and april, after that no visible heat. The mammaries are so swollen that you would almost think she is feeding kittens, but there is no signs of infection and the nippels are normal white color (not red like they usually would be during pregnancy). No milk, body temperature normal. She is oriental shorthair and I also have male oriental shorthair cat, I was planning on breeding them this fall. Homever my male cat has an hormone implant and has not been interested in her because of that. Though implant should stop working around this time scince he has had it for over half an year. Still, like I said, she hasn't had heat after April (which I also find pretty odd). No other signs of pregnancy, she eats well, plays like she normally does, no weigh gain (at least not visible) her stomach is completely flat, no morning sickness. I asked the vet what could cause this and she was thinking of false pregnancy. What do you guys think? The vet told me to just follow the situation. Should I take her to the vet just in case?
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Hormonal problems?
- Thread starter Snuugel
- Start Date
I would get her checked at the vet and ask for an ultrasound. She could be pregnant or it could be a false pregnancy.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thank you for answering! We went to the vet yesterday and they diagnosed her with harmless mammary hyperplasia. Spaying her will help. I said that I'll want kittens from her at least once before spaying (but of course her healt is number 1 priority, if the hyperplasia from some reason gets real bad, I will spay her). I tried to ask the vet what would cause her to not be in heat for such a long time but she had no idea. Any idea what could cause this? She turns 1 next month and she had heat in march and in april and not after that. I told the vet that I'll be back in september if she has not been in heat.
I’m thinking you might want a second opinion from a different vet practice if her mammaries are still enlarged. If they remain this way it could lead to bigger health issues.
I think she has not been in heat because her hormones are out of whack. It’s an abundance of progesterone that causes the hyperplasia.
Here’s an article about the condition:
Feline Mammary Hyperplasia
Do let us know your next steps!
S Snuugel
I think she has not been in heat because her hormones are out of whack. It’s an abundance of progesterone that causes the hyperplasia.
Here’s an article about the condition:
Feline Mammary Hyperplasia
Do let us know your next steps!
S Snuugel
Honestly IMO if spaying her will help with her symptoms I would get her an appointment to do so.
There is an extreme over population of cats currently.
There are no benefits health wise for cats to have a litter of kittens before being spayed.
The risk of not spaying her with feline mammary hyperplasia would be that she gets a severe infection in her mammary glands and has to have a mastectomy.
This isn't worth the risk in my opinion. Please go ahead and set up an appointment to get her spayed for her sake.
I hope she feels better.
There is an extreme over population of cats currently.
There are no benefits health wise for cats to have a litter of kittens before being spayed.
The risk of not spaying her with feline mammary hyperplasia would be that she gets a severe infection in her mammary glands and has to have a mastectomy.
This isn't worth the risk in my opinion. Please go ahead and set up an appointment to get her spayed for her sake.
I hope she feels better.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
Thank you both for answering! I visited another vet in a cat only clinic today with my other cat. I asked the vet about the situation with my female cat and her mammary hyperplasia. She said that spaying is the best option (as you guys said too). I explained her my situation with my cat. She is an oriental shorthair with great genes and I bought her (with higher price) to breed her with my oriental male cat. So you may understand my frustration at this situation. Vet understood my situation and together we decided that we monitor the situation till september. If she has not been in heat till september or if her symptoms change to the worse (at any point) I will get her spayed. All my cats are precious to me, their wellbeing is my number one goal, breeding is just secondary hobby. I hope you all understand that <3
From what I get of it you are genuinly interested in the breed. You may wish to attend a CFA cat show as a guest even, you could get information from experienced breeders there if you are genuinly intrested in responsable breeding. As a reponsable breeder you are doing it for the love and betterment of the breed and there is a real science to it.
As for you cat, if this condition is genetic as some hormonal conditions are then you would be better off not breeding her.
If your male has good genes you could offer a stud service. You could ask for one of the kittens as a condition of the service.
As for you cat, if this condition is genetic as some hormonal conditions are then you would be better off not breeding her.
If your male has good genes you could offer a stud service. You could ask for one of the kittens as a condition of the service.
