Conference misery::feline_v1

    Yes, most of my neutered males have this in the same area - it seems
    to be a collection of fat - one or two of my chubby boys have 
    larger "lumps" and that is what you see sort of hanging down when
    they are walking - you may still want to check with your vet to
    be sure.
    
    E.T.

    Two of my cats have these fat pouches hanging from the rear end
    of their bellies.  But the base note described the mass as sort
    of hard, and these fatty pouches are soft.
    
    To be safe, I dragged the one with the BIG hanging pouch to the
    vet, terrified that she had something bizarre like a detached
    bladder (?!?).  Well, it wasn't an udder!
    
    Vet chuckled away, and prescribed some reducing diet...more to
    chomp on, but mostly filler and water with all the nutrients.
    They look less like blimps now, but still have the fat pouches!
    

    The lump is hard and is only really noticeable when he is lying
    on back - legs outstretched.  I don't know if you could describe
    it as like a gland or what.  The way it is perfectly centered lead
    me to think that it might be part of him.  A friend said it may
    have something to do with when he was fixed???

    
    
            Sounds suspiciously like male parts or the remains thereof.
    
                                  D
    

    When you say "male parts" - I thought that they just took "something"
    off from the outside and it really doesnt affect anything inside.
    I do know that when I have been feeling "it" he does seem to go
    into a trancelike state, it definetly does not bother him.

    re.  Male "parts" and what they take off
    
    Castration removes the testicles.  They reside 'inside'
    the scrotum.  An incision is made in the scrotum to
    remove the testicles.  The scrotum of course does not
    reside 'inside' the body.  I wouldn't think that any
    mass felt in the abdomen would have anything at all to
    do with castration.
    
    Donna

                <<< YOGI::MISC$:[NOTES$LIBRARY]FELINE.NOTE;2 >>>
                               -< Meower Power >-
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Note 472.10               Alternatives to Castration ?                  10 of 11
VAXWRK::SKALTSIS "Deb"                               34 lines  13-FEB-1987 16:48
                       -< Another vote to have it done >-
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    The July 1984 issue of CAT FANCY had a real good article on what
    is involved in neutering a male cat. Following the form feed, you'll
    find the portion of the article that describes the procedure.
    
    Do get your little guy fixed. My two boys are fixed and they are
    both ultra-affectionate and lovable. I adopted Argus as an adult
    and he was already fixed. I found Panther as a four week old kitten
    and had him fixed at 9 months. The only change in his behavior is
    that he stopped spraying.

    Deb
    
   "Surgical Sterilization
    
    "There are two ways to sterilize a male cat. The most common technique
    is orchidectomy, or castration, in which the male's testicles,
    epididymis and spermatic cord are removed, leaving all other portions
    intact.
    
    "The veterinarian will anesthetize the cat and then surgically cut
    into the scrotum, tie off the spermatic cords and remove them along
    with the attached testicles. Stutures are not used to close the
    skin incision, but rather, it is left open to heal. This differs
    from the female spay in that you do not have to return to the
    veterinarian in order to havce sutures removed.
    .
    .
    .
    "The procedure itself is quick. Skilled practitioners can castrate
    a male in as little as five minutes, excluding preperation, anesthesia
    time and recovery. Usually the cat can be taken to the clinic in
    the morning and picked up that evening, but some veternarians like
    to keep the cat overnight for observation."