My foster cat developed a lump on her tummy. Some pet forums say it could be a case of 'spay sway', where they get a localised pouch of fat in the area where they were neutered.

But the vet thinks it could be cancer and the lump will be removed next week and taken off for analysis. We also discovered she has a heart murmur during the appointment which makes me more nervous about the operation.

I don't know if any of you remember when I posted about my cat Emily, who was put to sleep after the vet discovered an abdominal mess, but I was a wreck. I started fostering to help me get over it, and to help another cat, and I'm fearing the worst is going to happen again.

Does anyone have any advice on how I could better her odds and prepare her for her op. Might it help if I swapped tap water for mineral and fed her chicken and cod instead of sachets - to build her immunity up a bit?

i wont be much help i just wanted to say good luck and try not to worry about the heart murmur too much, did they say what grade it was?
i was once told by a vet (actually more than once, by the same vet) that when a cat gets scared their heart can beat so fast it can causes a false heart murmur...im not saying thats what happened but its just something to remember,
But i do have a cat who has a grade 2 murmur and ive been told recently that she will be fine to go under for a dental that she needs...

could the lump be a hernia? is it near the spay site or near where their belly button would be?

anyway, like i said im not very helpful but i hope everything goes well...and good on you for fostering, its an amazing thing to do and something i dont think i could ever do, i'd have a house full of cats and never be able to let them go !!!

Hi Jerrica, I can't help you either I am afraid. I remember your thread. It was heartbreaking. I hope things go well and that your wee one is really ok and its not cancer. Take care. x

Just over three years ago our much loved cat seemed unwell, was hardly eating and we noticed a swollen tummy. Thinking it was something trivial, such as worms we took her to the vet.

On examination the vet said she thought it was a tumour and she said if there was fluid there it would almost certainly be a tumour. She then proceeded to syringe a lot of what looked like watery blood from the swelling. We were given the option of having an exploratory operation, but decided to let her go.

I have always regretted not, at least, having a second opinion and that we might have been too hasty in having her put to sleep.

I don't think this has been of any help to you, but thought it relevant to your situation.

I wish your cat all the best for the op.

No, she said it almost as an aside 'Oh, and she has a heart murmur', but it wasn't mentioned in her other health checks and she was very nervous so perhaps it's nothing to worry about.

The lump is on the lower right side, which is apparently where the spay scarring would be. That made me hopeful it would be fat, but the vet immediately said 90% of these cases are cancer. I'm sure she knows the difference between fat and a tumour, but maybe it could be a hernia?


Thank you I thought I would have a thicker skin with this girl, we've only had her for six months, but she's been so poorly treated in the past that it doesn't seem fair. Not that it ever is fair for any pet.


Oh, I know. When I lost my last cat I was so upset that I didn't try everything. But the vet told me that by the time they are showing obvious symptoms of illness they are usually suffering. That comforts me a little bit now. The treatments are mostly invasive and painful and making the decision to save them all that is definitely a valid one.

I am going to swap the Whiskas for plain white fish and chicken this week. It may do nothing to help, but it makes me feel a bit more useful! I'm going to run her water through a brita filter.

It's such a shame about your foster cat but I really hope all will turn out well in the end. Have there been any interested potential adopters in the 6 months you've had her? I ask because I adopted 2 of mine more than 2 years ago and some of the cats advertised at that time are still on the rescue website, with their fosterers. Whatever happens, at least your cat has had a settled few months with you.

You may remember that I went ahead with all the possible cancer treatment options for my late Tabitha. I do regret inflicting extra discomfort and indignity on her in her last few weeks because all the treatment turned out to be futile in the end and I really believe she would have lived longer without it. However, that view is with the benefit of hindsight and I too would have felt extremely guilty and regretful if I had given up without a fight, at the time I was just so shocked and panicked that my beloved, cherished cat was so ill. Now I feel differently and I don't think I would follow the same course of action for my other cats if the same case arose. I think you did the right thing. Even if the treatment for my cat had been successful she would probably only have lived another 6 months to a year but, at the time, I had lost my perspective and was just desperate for Tabitha to live as long as possible.

Please update us when you have more news.

Yes, I remember. The things you said were very comforting I suppose whatever an owner chooses, we'll always wonder if we should have made a different choice.

No-one has enquired about her yet. I do think her profile pic looks a bit evil though! (She was sleepy when I took it.) If she bounces back from this I will try and get a better one. She is a bit of a handful, I think her description may include the word feisty. She always wants to know what is happening. If she's not asleep she is avidly watching me or my son. She nips our hands when she is excitable, which I don't really like but I've learnt to just take it! And she has a huge appetite.

Actually that has been a problem. She always wants more food. And my food. The vet asked me to halve her meals this week and it's not going down well. I'm peckish and I'd love to make a cheese and ham toastie right now, but she is sitting in the kitchen hoping someone will open the fridge...

Is it possible that cats can count to three? Because she knows one of her meals is missing! It's a shame because I would like to spoil her (she isn't obese by the way, just has a bit of a rounded tummy) but I have to stick to the vets orders.

Just updating to say that she does not have cancer! When she had her operation the vet found that she had a rupture in her abdomen which allowed something to push through. She's 100% healthy otherwise though!

Thanks for the update - so pleased it's good news

Jerrica that is amazing news. I am so pleased for you all. xx

Excellent news. I'm so pleased for you and your foster. I have been keeping an eye on this thread hoping that all would be well.

One of my cats has just (about 2 months ago) had a cancerous fibrosarcoma removed - found very early fortunately. It was probably a vaccination site tumour - some cats are susceptible to the adjuvants in which the vaccine is mixed.

He's had radiotherapie and now we have our fingers crossed. It's an aggressive form of tumour but we've given him the best possible chance.

I hope your wee one is ok too.

Such good news

I hope he makes a full recovery Normandie