How to Tell if a Cat Is Spayed

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Look for shaved hair on the cat’s abdomen.

   Try flipping the cat onto her back so you have a clear view of her stomach.
   
   If the cat has been recently spayed, the fur on her lower abdomen area will be shorter than the fur on the rest of her body because vets have to shave this fur off before performing the operation.Note, however, that other veterinary procedures can also require patches of the cat's hair to be shaved and this is not a foolproof way to check if the cat has been splayed.
2. 2

   Step 2: Check for a spaying scar.

   Hold the cat so that she's lying on her back with her stomach up.
   
   Part the fur in the lower abdomen area as best you can.
   
   Once you can see the cat's skin, check around for a scar from the operation.
   
   This may be hard to do because the tools used for spaying today typically leave a very thin scar which can fade and may be hard to see after it has healed.Usually, the scar will be a straight, thin line running lengthwise in the center of the abdomen. , Once a cat is spayed, a veterinarian may give her a small tattoo as an external sign that she has been spayed.
   
   Usually, this tattoo is green, drawn in the shape of a thin line, and is located on or near the scar from the incision.The tattoo should be visible when parting the hair of the abdomen, though you may need to look carefully.
   
   You'll also want to check the cat's inner ear for tattoos — this is a common site for important information to be marked on pets.
   
   In the US, a letter M means the cat has been micro chipped — almost all other tattoos mean the cat has been spayed., Some veterinarians and animal agencies use a practice called "ear clipping" or "ear tipping" to show a cat has being spayed.
   
   In this case, one of the cat's ears (usually the left) has about a quarter of an inch of the tip removed — just enough to give the ear a "flat" tip.
   
   This is done while the cat is asleep from the anesthetic and heals quickly. , Sometimes, a cat may not have any clear physical markings due to spaying.
   
   Bring the cat to your veterinarian — a trained professional in the field of animal medicine will almost always be able to tell if your cat is spayed or not, and, if she can't, she'll be able to order medical tests to find out for sure. , If you are buying the cat from a breeder or from a pet store, the breeder or the pet store worker should be able to tell you if the cat has been spayed.
   
   It is more difficult to get information on a cat from a shelter or a stray, so take the cat to the vet to confirm if you are not sure.
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   Step 3: Look for tattoo markings by the incision scar or on the cat’s ear.

4. 4

   Step 4: Note if the cat has a "clipped" ear.

5. 5

   Step 5: Take the cat to the vet to confirm she is spayed.

6. 6

   Step 6: Ask the breeder or pet store worker if the cat is splayed.

Detailed Guide

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