Pregnant cat?

Question
I was told when I got my female cat that she has been spayed or neutered. About a month or so ago I saw her "breeding" with a male cat. It wasn't only that one time that it happened in a two day period. My question is, even though the paperwork says she was fixed, is there a chance that it didn't work and she is in fact pregnant. She was a very small petite cat when I got her and now she is a lot heavier and rounder. I mostly notice it is when she is sitting down. Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Jaymie,

There's a possibility the paperwork is incorrect and she was not actually spayed. In that case, she may be pregnant. If she IS spayed, she cannot be pregnant. During a spay surgery, the uterus is actually removed, as well as the ovaries. So it isn't like when a woman has her tubes tied, and there is the potential for the procedure to fail.

The male may have been mounting her to show dominance. Cats will submit to this to show they aren't up to challenging a cat's position. But there is no penetration involved here. If you're sure breeding is taking place, you should have her checked by a vet. They can confirm a pregnancy, or that she is spayed by the presence of a scar. If she has been spayed, it's possible she is experiencing Ovarian Remnant Syndrome. This is when a cat continues to go into heat because a small piece of ovarian tissue was left in tact accidentally when she was spayed. She can't become pregnant, because steel sutures have been used to close her cervix off. But she will continue to be receptive to breeding until the ovarian tissue is removed.

Good luck!
Jessica