# What's up with Ellie's saggy belly?



## weluvcookie (Dec 6, 2005)

I heard that once cats have been spayed, their bellies tend to get saggy. And Ellie's is very saggy and getting more so all the time!  

I don't get the correlation between the two, though. Why should spaying cause bagginess? I understand why mom cats get that way... but Ellie has never had kittens.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I feel that is a complete myth as I have neutered males (NOHING to do with the belly for their operation!) and spayed females who have the saggy belly fur and two (very slim and fit) who don't. 

I think it is related to how they carry their weight. If the cat is very slim, trim and fit, they will not have much of a 'belly'. If the cat has loose skin or carries a little, to too much, weight they will show a 'belly'. Basically, all that saggy belly is, is extra skin.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

I agree with Heidi -- it's just genetics -- a cat's build. I've seen it on males as well as females.


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## Immortal (Mar 28, 2006)

id be tempted to say spayed females dont get as much excersise ect... but then i look at my Suki and she never stops, she is slim dainty and has no belly at all ( and is currently on my knee with muddy feet) where as ****** is the original beanbag cat. She looks as tho she is full of beans and has wayyyy too much excess skin just hanging on her. folds of it. no fat under it... just saggy skin. saggy bag puss. so i think its just think its genetics.


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## weluvcookie (Dec 6, 2005)

Okay, that makes sense. 

Ellie does have extra skin around her neck and shoulders, and she's carrying some extra weight too, methinks. So that explains why her tummy is baggy. She's just got lots of loose skin! :wink:


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## amaranth (Nov 20, 2006)

I've also seen this with my neutered boy, Brady, and he's in excellent shape. He's extremely active, and he only weighs about 7 pounds (at 8 months of age)...Yet, he has also gotten a bit of sagging skin under his belly. I think it's just one of those things that happens to some cats and not others, regardless of gender or weight.


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## zippy96444 (Mar 7, 2006)

WHy dont we start a "Baggy Belly Kitties" thread? Everyone post pictures of their kitties with baggy bellies! Mango's belly really is baggy! I will try and post a picture!


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## zippy96444 (Mar 7, 2006)

My guy didn't get spayed, and he still has a saggy belly! :lol:


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## Auntie Crazy (Dec 10, 2006)

I asked my vet about this just a month or so ago, as I have a male kitty in pretty good shape but with a big 'ole saggy belly. He told me that vets call it a "kitty udder" and that it's where most cats (thought not all, obviously) carry a liitle extra padding.

Even one of my recently rescued male kittens has a tiny little kitty udder - and he's just over three months old! : )


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

My Sam grew to be a large cat after he was neutered at about 3 months of age. Not fat, just an overall very large kitty.  

Does neutering have any affect on a male kitty's size, analogous to the eunuchs of long ago who grew to be very large men? Or is that strictly heredity? 
:catrun


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

gunterkat said:


> Does neutering have any affect on a male kitty's size...


I would have to say no, but many neutered males do get large (fat). 
I had one who was as skinny as skinny could be, and he had the largest belly sway I'd ever seen on a cat. It was just loose skin. He was also very tall. Of my 5 neutered males; all have a tummy, the youngest is the fittest while the others range from 'large' (not weight, but just a huge cat) to medium with a little extra weight.


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## 613flavah (Dec 4, 2006)

Is there a way to get rid of this loose skin? Both my 6 months old have a small "gut"


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## lilaccat3456 (Apr 27, 2006)

I had a vet tell me that ALL cats--housecats and wild cats have this sagginess--it is just the way a cat is and SURE ENOUGH, I looked at some pics of tigers and lions and they have it too!!


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

613flavah said:


> Is there a way to get rid of this loose skin?


I don't think so. Either they will grow into it or it will grow with them.

Cats are very mobile so they need this extra skin. Ever notice how a cat stretched on its back with it's legs spread wide _doesn't_ have that 'gut'? They need that extra skin to move around in...


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