My spayed cat is still showing signs of heat. What should I do?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | 8 lbs
I've had a stray cat now for 2 years. Vet said since she hasn't been pregnant in that time she must be spayed. It still seems like she is going into heat. What should I do? Thanks.
4 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on August 23rd, 2017
It can be difficult to know if they've been spayed or not if you don't have any medical records. You can request that the vet shave her belly to look for a spay scar, but they can be very faint if she was spayed at a very young age. If she still has signs of heat, then either she hasn't been spayed or there is some ovarian tissue still present inside her. You can have a hormone test (AMH) done to confirm that there still is ovarian tissue and then you know she needs surgery to remove it. Or the vet can just go to surgery to go look for it.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on April 27th, 2020
Hello. It is possible that a little bit of her ovary was left behind when Holly was spayed, or a small piece of the ovary fell back into the abdomen during surgery, vascularized & is now active. Even a tiny remnant can cause a cat to show all the classic signs of heat. If he behavior comes and goes, this is an indication that an ovarian remnant is present. There are some blood tests that can distinguish this, or your veterinarian might try to ultrasound her to try & locate if active ovarian tissue is present. In almost all the cats that we have seen with this behavior ( & most were spayed elsewhere ), we were able to open up a cat's abdomen & find a small piece of ovary still present. Once this was removed, all signs of heat completely disappeared. I do not know if this will stop her peeing, but it will clinically stop her estrus displays. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on January 26th, 2019
You should ask about a biopsy but the tissue would be ovarian tissue regardless of whether it is a remnant or ectopic tissue. The difference is the location of the tissue, and there would not be a way for you to know for certain. If you feel like you don’t trust your vet you might want to go elsewhere for surgery. An ovarian remnant is more common than ectopic tissue but I don’t think we know the incidence for certain.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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Published on January 1st, 2020
I would have Phlily seen by a vet for this. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes an ovarian remnant can be left behind, causing the cat to continue going into heat. I recommend an exploratory surgery.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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