A retained testicle in a cat sits in 1 of 2 places: the groin, where a hand can usually find it in under 30 seconds, or the abdomen, where no hand will reach it and imaging has to do the work. That single fact drives the whole plan, and so do the 3 exam checkpoints below. A testicle you cannot feel is not proof that it is absent, and one you can feel is not proof that it is normal.
The 2 positions and what each one means
An inguinal testicle rests under the skin in front of the pubis, between the abdominal wall and the thigh. It feels like a firm oval of 6 to 10 mm, rolls under the finger, and can slide back through the inguinal ring, which is why it seems to vanish between visits. A recorded note that says 6 mm, left side, reducible is worth more than 3 visits of I think I felt something.
An abdominal testicle never left the cavity. From 8 weeks on it is beyond reach, and it can sit anywhere along a 12 cm path from the kidney to the bladder neck. The higher it sits, the smaller it tends to be.
| Position | Depth from skin or ring | Found by hand | Best confirm at | Recheck every |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inguinal, high | 1 to 2 cm | About 2 of 3 cats | 4 to 6 months | 8 weeks |
| Inguinal, low near the ring | 2 to 4 cm | About 1 of 2 cats | 6 months | 10 weeks |
| Abdominal, mid | 4 to 8 cm | Almost never | 10 to 12 months, ultrasound | 3 months |
| Abdominal, high near the kidney | 8 to 12 cm | Never | 10 to 12 months, ultrasound or hormone test | 3 months |
Checkpoint 1: the 8-week exam
This is the first exam where a count is reliable. Use warm hands, let the kitten stand, and take 30 to 60 seconds per side: run 2 fingers from the pubis toward the flank, then press gently into the groin. Record 4 things: felt or not, which side, size in mm, and whether it stays in the groin when released. Both testicles down at 8 weeks means the question is closed for good.
Between 8 and 12 weeks some kittens are still finishing descent, so 1 missing testicle at 8 weeks is a note, not a diagnosis. Repeat at 12 weeks before anyone starts planning surgery.
Checkpoint 2: 4 to 6 months
Most neuters happen in this window, so this is the checkpoint that changes the surgical plan. One testicle in the groin means a scrotal incision plus a 1 to 2 cm groin incision. Nothing felt at all means a flank or midline approach, 15 to 25 minutes more table time, and a different recovery. A cat booked as a routine neuter and found to have 1 testicle should be rescheduled, not rushed, because the surgeon needs to know before the first cut.
Ask for the count in writing on the discharge sheet. Owners move house, clinics change software, and a note that says 1 testicle, right, inguinal settles 3 future questions in 1 line.
Checkpoint 3: 10 to 12 months
If nothing has been felt by 10 months, imaging is the next step. Ultrasound with a high-frequency probe finds structures of 3 to 5 mm, best when the bladder is full and the cat is still. Sensitivity drops for testicles sitting high near the kidney, which is where a hormone test earns its place: 1 blood sample, results in 3 to 7 days, and it answers whether testicular tissue is present at all rather than where it is.
Why hands miss 1 case in 3
Four reasons cover most misses. Fat: 1 cm of abdominal fat is enough to bury a 6 mm testicle. Hair: a long coat hides the outline even when the testicle is right there. Movement: a 4-month kitten will not hold still for a 20-second exam, and a moving target is a missed target. Sliding: an inguinal testicle that pops back through the ring is absent at the moment you look. Add 1 more that is not anatomy at all: a cat sold as neutered that never was, which turns up with 2 testicles, or 1, at 3 years old.
What to monitor between checkpoints
A retained testicle is not an emergency, but 3 events around it are. Torsion twists the blood supply and gives a cat 24 to 48 hours before the tissue dies; the sign is sudden pain, vomiting, and a firm swelling that appears over 2 hours. An inguinal hernia can trap a loop of bowel beside the testicle, and the sign is a soft swelling that changes size through the day and cannot be pushed back. Tumor risk climbs with age and with retention: a retained testicle that starts to feel larger or harder after 5 years needs a look within 2 weeks, not at the next annual visit.
Weigh the cat at every visit and write the number down. A 300 g loss over 2 months in an older cat with a retained testicle is a reason to move the imaging forward.
When it becomes a same-day problem
- Sudden pain in the groin or belly, with vomiting, in a cat with a known retained testicle.
- A swelling that appears in 2 hours and is firm, hot, or too painful to touch.
- A swelling that cannot be pushed back and the cat stops eating for 12 hours.
- A male cat straining in the litter box with no urine for 6 hours, which is a different emergency and outranks everything above.
That last line matters because the signs overlap: a blocked male cat also has a painful abdomen and vomits. If urine output is in doubt, treat it as a blockage first and read the blockage signs on the way to the clinic.
What it costs to look
An exam with a written count runs 50 to 90 dollars. Ultrasound of the abdomen runs 150 to 350 dollars and takes 20 to 40 minutes. A hormone test runs 120 to 250 dollars plus 3 to 7 days of waiting. Surgery for an abdominal testicle costs 2 to 3 times a scrotal neuter, mostly because of the extra 15 to 25 minutes and the monitoring that goes with it. See the cost tool before you agree to a plan, so the number is not a surprise on the day.
The 5-step version
- Count and record both testicles at 8 weeks, in mm and by side.
- Repeat at 12 weeks if 1 is missing, then again at 4 to 6 months.
- Write the count on the discharge sheet every visit.
- Book imaging at 10 to 12 months if nothing has been felt by then.
- Go the same day for sudden groin pain, a hard swelling, or 6 hours with no urine.
Terms mentioned in this article
Frequently asked
My kitten has 1 testicle at 8 weeks. Is it cryptorchid?
Not yet. Descent can finish between 8 and 12 weeks, so a single missing testicle at 8 weeks is a note to repeat, not a diagnosis. Ask for a second exam at 12 weeks, then again at 4 to 6 months before any neuter is booked. If nothing is felt by 10 to 12 months, ultrasound or a hormone test settles it.
Does a retained testicle need to come out?
That is a decision for you and your vet, and it is usually discussed because retained tissue carries a higher tumor and torsion risk that climbs with age. What matters for planning is knowing where the testicle sits, since an abdominal one needs a different approach and 15 to 25 more minutes of surgery than a scrotal neuter.
Can a cat with cryptorchidism still be healthy?
Yes. Most cats with 1 retained testicle show no signs at all, and the finding is incidental. The reason to keep checking is timing: torsion gives you 24 to 48 hours, and a testicle that starts to enlarge after 5 years needs a look within 2 weeks rather than at the next yearly visit.