06/06/2026
🌼 Buttercup gave us quite a scare today.
At just 7 months old, she suddenly started panting, running a fever, and acting so much like she was in labor that we rushed her to the vet.
Thankfully, the incredible team at Hospital was able to squeeze her in for emergency surgery just two hours before closing on a Saturday!!!!
We are so grateful ❤️
The diagnosis? Pseudopregnancy (false pregnancy).
The cause? Unspayed female cat's body can sometimes go through the hormonal changes of pregnancy even when she isn't pregnant. This can happen after breeding without becoming pregnant, but some cats can also ovulate spontaneously and develop a false pregnancy without ever being around a male cat.
As progesterone and prolactin levels change, a cat's body may begin preparing for kittens that don't exist. She may develop enlarged mammary glands, produce milk, gain weight, nest, or even show signs that closely resemble labor. In Buttercup's case, it also led to mastitis and a fever that required urgent veterinary care. Buttercup has also been a surrogate mom for orphaned kittens, and while she saved their lives by adopting them, nursing may have further added to the confusion her body was experiencing.
The good news? Buttercup was spayed today and is already feeling much better. 🥰
Her story is an important reminder that **spaying is about much more than preventing unwanted litters.** It protects cats from painful and potentially serious reproductive conditions, including false pregnancies, mastitis, pyometra, and mammary disease. Even very young cats can be affected.
Buttercup is so grateful for the team Bridge Park Animal Hospital for taking such wonderful care of her 💙
She is feeling so much better already and on the way to full recovery!
And once she's fully recovered, this baby angel will be looking for her forever home. Trust us, you'll want to keep an eye out for her. 🌼🐱✨