Ready a space for your cat inside the home away from other animals and people. This will be their recovery room over the following days or weeks. Your cat will be on pain-relieving medicine after the surgical treatment, and the veterinarian might send some at home with instructions on how to administer it to the cat.
You also need to supervise your cat and them from running, jumping, and other physical activities for about two weeks, or whatever your vet recommends.
If you have a feline who goes outside, you should keep them inside for 24-48 hours after the surgery. The anesthesia can dull their reflexes, making the outdoors more harmful.
Cat owners proprietors ought to call their veterinarians if their feline experiences decreased appetite, sleepiness, vomiting, or diarrhea after the surgical treatment.
How to Keep the Laceration From Opening Getting Infected
Cat incision opening might cause medical problems that need emergency attention. Call your vet immediately if you notice:
- Inflammation
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Poor odor
- Discharge
- Opening of the laceration
A small amount of discharge and mild inflammation at the laceration line is typical up to 24 hours after the spay surgical procedure. Continue to give your cat all prescribed medicines. Usually, stitches will remain in place for 10-14 days, which is the amount of time for a cat to recover after spaying.
Do Not Let Your Feline Lick the Laceration
Felines licking their cut is one of the leading sources of infections and premature suture removal. An Elizabethan collar or bodysuit will be needed for your cat after surgery to protect the incision site and prevent them from licking their sutures.
Do Not Let Your Cat Do High Impact Activities
The second leading reason for incision opening is increased activity after surgery. Leaping, running, and playing with other cats are high-impact activities that can cause the stitches to pop. They should only engage in low-impact activities 10-14 days post-surgery.
How To Manage Your Feline's Discomfort After Spay Surgical Treatment
It can be hard to identify if your cat is in pain because they are good at concealing this. Nonetheless, your cat can feel pain from inflammation 5-7 days after the spay surgery. Your vet will give you any required pain relief medications.
Do not stop giving medicine without explicit authorization from your veterinarian. Inflammation and discomfort can cause your cat to lick the laceration and may cause swelling and infection in the area.
Refrain from giving your cat any over-the-counter pain medicines, as many of these products can be hazardous to your pet. Call your vet for suggestions if you are worried about pain and discomfort in your cat.
Most vets do not send out felines home with prescription antibiotics, as an ovariohysterectomy is a sterile treatment. If there is substantial blood loss or your cat is older and/or in heat during the procedure, antibiotics may be prescribed during at-home aftercare to avoid infections.
Do not stop giving antibiotics even if you think your cat feels far better or appears to be back to normal. Giving your cat an entire course of antibiotics is crucial in preventing antibiotic resistance and guarantees that all harmful bacteria are killed.
Using the Litter Box After Spay
Monitor your cat throughout recovery to ensure normal pee and poop. A possible complication of ovariohysterectomy is an injury to the urinary system, so keeping track of peeing for the first 24 hours after surgery is particularly crucial. If you notice that your cat has not urinated in 24 hours, that is a medical emergency. Check with your vet or an emergency facility quickly.
As long as your cat passes urine within the initial 24 hours, you can stop watching their peeing practices very closely.
Irregular bowel movements might occur, but this is expected, and you should not worry too much. Depending on a cat's reaction, the anesthetic can cause diarrhea and irregular bowel movements.
If your cat suffers from diarrhea for more than 24 hours or constipation for more than 48 hours, reach out to your vet to determine what course of action you should take for your cat's care.
What To Feed Your Cat After Spay
Your cat should want food after surgery. However, it may take 12-24 hours for their appetite to return after the effects of the anesthetic and the stress of the process.
It is advised to feed your cat a small amount of food the night after the surgery before returning to the average amount the morning after. Do not change your cat's diet because the food change effects can mask possible problems from the surgery.
Keep feeding your cat according to your vet's guidelines. Some dental medications can cause decreased appetite and nausea or vomiting (such as dental anti-biotics and specific pain medicines). If you are worried about your cat's hunger, please get in touch with your vet.
Other Spay Aftercare Info You Will Need
Call your vet or an emergency center immediately if you see these in your cat. These symptoms can be signs of a significant surgical complication like internal bleeding or urinary system damage:
- Not eating for more than 12 hours after surgery
- Sleepiness or weakness
- White-colored gum tissues
- Stubborn swelling in the belly
- High or low breathing rate
- Numerous episodes of diarrhea and vomiting
- Straining to urinate with no pee production
- No urination within 12-24 hrs after surgery
