If your cat requirements to be spayed, you may be concerned about how she will feel following the treatment and how long it will take her to recuperate. Any good cat owner wants the best for his pet, and by following your veterinarian’s recommendations and learning what to look for, you can ensure that your cat recovers quietly in the comfort of her own home.
Knowing How to Perform a Spay
The more you know about the spaying process, the more you’ll be able to assist your cat in recovering. When your cat was spayed, she will be put under general anesthetic and asleep throughout the procedure. Your veterinarian will compose a small incision in the abdominal wall and remove your cat’s uterus and ovaries. Following that, your cat’s incision will be stitched, and she will be observed as she wakes up from anesthesia.
Your vet may make a decision to keep your cat in the veterinary hospital overnight based on criteria such as your cat’s age, medical history, and any irregularities during the procedure. This allows veterinarians and technicians to keep an eye on your cat and be nearby if she develops any problems. Many cats can go home the same day as their surgery, but don’t be shocked if your veterinarian wants to keep an eye on your cat for a while longer.
Taking Care of Your Cat
After your cat’s spay surgery is completed, your veterinarian’s office will plan a time for you to pick her up. You’ll meet with your veterinarian or a veterinary technician during the discharge. He’ll explain how the procedure went and offer you some discharge instructions on how to keep an eye on your cat for infection, as well as any medicine he thinks he’ll require.
This discharge meeting will provide you with a wealth of information. Take careful notes and ask any questions you may have concerning your cat’s care. It would help if you also inquired about your veterinarian’s after-hours emergency protocol so that you have contact information in case you require assistance late at night.
This is also an excellent opportunity to examine your cat’s incision and snap a picture of how it now appears. Taking daily cat spay recovery photos might help you keep track of your cat’s progress and identify any signs of infection. Your vet may give you an e-collar to keep your cat from licking her incision, and she will show you how to put it on during the discharge.
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The Time for a Cat to Recuperate after a Spay
Your veterinarian would be able to tell you how long it will take your cat to recuperate after her spay surgery. This surgical technique typically takes 10 to 14 days for cats to recover from. During this period, you’ll need to give your cat extra attention and keep an eye on her to make sure she’s healing properly.
Although it may appear to be an extended period, it will pass quickly. You’ll probably notice that your cat is back to her old self in a few days. However, it’s still vital to monitor her incision, food, and behavior to ensure that she recovers entirely and without complications.
Keep Your Cat Quiet
For the earliest few days, your cat may be naturally calm, but you’ll need to look after her to make sure she doesn’t run or jump since this could rupture her stitches, exacerbate the spay site, and cause bleeding. To encourage your cat to be quiet, confine her to a small place such as a bedroom or bathroom. If you have some other pets in the house, keep them apart from your cat so they don’t try to play.
Keeping your cat away from other cats is usually only necessary for a few days, but your veterinarian will advise you on your cat’s specific activity limitations. Make sure to tell everyone else in the home about this, and instruct your kids not to play with your cat while she’s recovering from surgery.
Keep an Eye on your Cat’s Behavior.
Observing your cat after spaying is a vital component of cat aftercare. For a few days past the surgery, your cat may be particularly quiet and reserved. She may lose her appetite during this period, which is most likely due to the anesthetic.
Spayed cats snooze longer and walk more slowly than non-spayed cats. Your cat will leap less, which is good because it will help her stitches stay in place. If she’s on medication, she might appear “zoned out,” but this should go away once she’s off it.
Make Sure Your Cat has her Medications
Follow the directions on your cat’s meds to the letter. Give her pills on schedule and in the correct dosage. If your vet says it’s okay, don’t stop giving your cat their drugs too soon. If you have several cats in the house, give your cat her pills separately so you know she’s taking them and not the others.
Offer Food and Water to the Cat
Food and water should be provided for the cat. As soon as you arrive home from the vet, give your cat a small amount of water in a bit of dish or an ice cube. Your veterinarian will most likely offer you feeding instructions, which you should follow. Consider the following if you did not receive instructions:
- If your cat appears alert and responsive, around 2-4 hours after you return home from surgery, you can give your cat a quarter of its normal meal ration. However, don’t force the cat to eat or drink.
- If your cat can eat, give it another small meal in 3-6 hours if it is still alive. Rep until the cat has consumed the entire piece of food, and then return to the cat’s regular feeding schedule.
- If your cat is under 16 weeks old, give it a small meal (approximately half the usual quantity) as soon as you get it home and relaxed after surgery.
- If your kitten refuses to eat when you get home, try applying a small quantity of maple or corn syrup on their gums using a cotton ball or q-tip.
- After surgery, don’t offer your cat any “special” foods, snacks, or junk food. Because your cat’s stomach may be upset, keep their nutrition as consistent as possible. Milk is indigestible to cats, therefore don’t feed it to them.
Keep the e-collar on.
Make sure your cat is wearing her e-collar if your vet gave it to her. The collar will prevent your cat from licking her wound, which can obstruct its healing process. Your cat may not like the collar, but keep in mind that she will only be wearing it for a brief time.
Watch for Symptoms of Discomfort
It helps if you also kept an eye out for any symptoms that your cat is having difficulty recovering from the following surgery. She may be lazy for up to 12 hours after the spay, but if the lethargy persists or worsens after that time, contact your veterinarian immediately. After the first day after surgery, your cat should regain her appetite, so if she doesn’t resume her regular feeding habits, contact your veterinarian.
The following are a number of the most common indications of postoperative pain in cats:
- Attempts to flee or persistent concealment
- Sadness or drowsiness
- Appetite loss.
- A hunched position
- Abdominal muscles tense
- Growling
- Hissing
- Nervousness or anxiety
Walking with a slumped posture, meowing abnormally, or bleeding from the suture region are symptoms of difficulty. If you have any worries about your cat’s recovery, contact your veterinarian or, if the problem happens after hours, your local emergency veterinarian.
Limit Your Cat’s Movement.
Make sure your cat doesn’t jump about, play, or move around too much for the first week after surgery. The surgical site may become irritated or infected as a result of this.
- Get rid of any cat trees, perches, or other furniture that your cat would like to leap on.
- When you cannot oversee your cat, confine it to a small room, such as the laundry room or bathroom, or confine it to a kennel or box.
- If there are any stairs, consider carrying your cat up and down them. Going upstairs and downstairs with the cat is unlikely to hurt the incision or operation site, but it’s a reasonable precaution to take.
- Recognize that cats in discomfort, such as those who have just had surgery, may attempt to flee. Keep a close eye on your cat, particularly during the first 24-48 hours after surgery.
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Keep an eye on the Suture Site
You’ll also need to check your cat’s suture site frequently to make sure it’s healing correctly. The incision on your cat should be neat, with the edges touching. It’s typical for the suture to have a mild, reddish-pink tint, and it may get a little redder as it heals over the next few days.
If your cat has fair skin, you may notice bruising at the suture site a few days following surgery. This is very normal. For up to 24 hours following surgery, fresh incisions may flow a small amount of blood.
If the site continues to flow blood or other fluids after 24 hours, contact your veterinarian. If the skin around the wound expands, turns abnormally red, or has a foul odor, you should contact your veterinarian.
Keep in Contact
If you have concerns regarding your cat’s recovery, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. You’ll want to stay ahead of any potential problems, such as infection because it’s more challenging to treat a disease after it’s been present for a few days.
The best method to aid your cat’s recovery is to follow your veterinarian’s instructions and keep a close eye on her, especially on the days after her surgery. While a spay is a frequent and relatively minor treatment, things can still go wrong, so make sure your cat gets any necessary follow-up care.
Maintaining the Safety and Comfort of Your Cat
You can buy a cat bed for your cat to rest in after being spayed to ensure she’s safe and comfortable. The Calming Round Pet Cat Bed is composed of faux-shag material to keep your cat warm, cuddly, and comfy, and its donut form is ideal for a cat who wants to curl up. It also includes a non-slip bottom to keep it from sliding about on hardwood floors, and it’s machine clean and dryer safe.
Your cat may also appreciate having her own private space, which allows cats to rest and play on their own. It’s made of wood pillars, which makes it more durable than a pop-up wired playpen. Your kitty can sleep on top of it or inside it, whatever is more comfortable for her.
Avoid Lifting your Cat Unnecessarily
Lifting your cat should only be done when essential. If you lift or move your cat too much, you can easily rip the surgical incision. Avoid exerting pressure on the scrotum in male cats (under the tail). Avoid placing pressure on the abdomen in female cats (and male cats who have had surgery for undescended testicles).
If you need to lift your cat, try the following method: With one hand, cup your cat’s hind end and the other, hold your cat’s torso slightly beneath the front legs. Gently lift the cat’s body.
Every Morning and Night, Check the Incision site
Check your cat’s incision site every morning and night for the next 7-10 days after surgery. To assess how your cat is recovering, compare its appearance to the incision site on the first day following surgery. If you detect any of the following, contact your veterinarian:
- Redness. Initially, the incision may be pink or light crimson around the borders. With time, the redness should fade. It may be a symptom of an infection if it gets worse or the incision turns dark red at any point.
- Bruising. It’s typical to have some minor bruising that becomes purple as it heals. However, if the bruising spreads, worsens, or becomes severe, or if new bruising appears, you should seek medical attention right once.
- Swelling. Swelling around the incision site is expected during the healing process, but you should contact your veterinarian if it persists or worsens.
- Discharge. When you carry your cat at home, you may notice a small quantity of light crimson discharge surrounding the incision. This is common, but if the discharge lasts longer than a day, the number of discharge increases, the discharge is red, or the discharge is green, yellow, white, or foul-smelling, your cat should see a veterinarian.
- The wound edges are separated. The scrotal incisions in a male cat will be open, but they should be minor and close quickly. Stitches may or may not be visible on a female or male cat who has had abdominal surgery. If the cat’s stitches are visible, they should be left alone. The wound margins should be kept closed if the cat does not have visible sutures. Take the cat to your veterinarian straight away if they start to separate or if you find anything protruding from the wound, such as suture material.
