cat isn't acting like her normal self after being spayed

[miraandkilla]

Hi guys! I pray someone can ease my mind here. I feel like I'm losing it and just wish everything will work out. Anyway Tuesday (4 days ago) I took my 2 9month old kittens (litter mates) to be spayed ( both female). Both cats before hand were very loving and my Mira was almost clingy to me, following me around everywhere always wanted to be pet, etc. We take them on Tuesday morning and this is the first time they've been crated and been in a car since bringing them home at 4 months. The 2 were very close. We brought them home same day and kept them separated throughout the night. The next morning (weds) I took Mira out into the living room so she could have her own recovery space. She spent a few minutes beside me allowing me to pet her and love her. Then she vanished underneath the couch where she stayed literally ALL DAY AND NIGHT. I kept a food and water bowl and her litter box right beside the couch so that if she needed anything she would have it close by. I woke up Thursday morning and realized she hasn't touched anything. Throughout the day Thursday I was giving her a lot of attention from underneath the couch and she appreciated my pets, but still didn't want to come out. I was hand feeding her and she would eat but hadn't drank any water or used the litter box yet. So I started making calls to the place we had them spayed. They mentioned that I need to reintroduce her to her sister (who BTW bounced back the very next day). So I decided to pull Mira very gently out from under the couch and bring her into the bed room so I could keep a closer eye on her. Her sister passed by her as I brought her in and didn't notice her. So I got Mira set up in the bedroom, got her to eat a little and finally drink a little. She went an hid under the night stand. So then proceeded to let her sister in. Mira walked up to her sister Killa and killa got a good sniff of her and started hissing and growling at her. I didn't want to put her under anymore stress so I separated them again. Later Thursday night I finally got Mira to come out of hiding for a short bit and she was playing a little bit (nothing rough just some pawing action) and she finally used the litter box! I was so excited and thought she was coming around more. It was time for bed so I left Mira with everything set up around her for easy access and went to bed. Friday morning (3 days after surgery) I went in to check on her and she came right out of hiding without me having to coax her much. She used the litter box ate and drank and I left for work. When I got home I went to check on her and she was out of hiding when I walked in the door (another sigh of relief) but she was still seeming skiddish of her surroundings any noises and she was ready to jump back into hiding. I was spending a lot of time with her trying to get her to be more comfortable but she still seemed slightly depressed. So I decided to get one of her favorite toys and play with her. She seemed to enjoy it a little bit. So I decided to crack the bed room door because her sister was right on the other side and I figured if they could smell each other more and see each other without being able to get to each other they'd be OK. Mira seemed interested in the fact that killa was right there and kept looking through the crack. But killa was still growling and hissing. Finally Mira opened the door and ran out to the living room and killa followed and I was scared they were going to fight. Mira went straight under the couch and didn't move. Today( Saturday 4 days after spay) I woke up and again she had not touched food/water/litter box. I coaxed her out from under the couch. She ate and used the litter box but didn't drink. And after petting and relaxing with her for about 15 minutes she decided to go right back under the couch. I brought killa out in hopes maybe they can just work their problems out and mira can get back to normal. Of course killa started hissing and growling at Mira and Mira doesn't reciprocate at all. She just lays there. Well killa got over mira and went to go eat. That's when Mira decides to come out on her own and go walk by killa. Kills hissed and growled but mira didn't seem frightened and she was just walking around. She walked past me and I pet her and then she sat on the windowsill for a few minutes before retreating back under the couch. She's been there now for a couple hours. I've tried talking her out and trying to reach under to pet her but she doesn't seem interested at all. Won't even come rub her head on my hand. Both of their incisions look good. They both seem healthy but I get the feeling Mira is depressed. I've come to find she really only comes out when I coax her out and I'm sitting right there as she eats and drinks and goes to the bathroom but the second I leave or she feels like hiding she's gone. I'm just really depressed that she's not going to bounce back to her old self and noe she's always going to be the cat that hides. And I miss her jumping up on me and giving me head bumps and following me around everywhere. I don't know how I'll handle it if she doesnt go back to being herself. Please some one tell me they've had something similar happen and it all worked out! I'm sorry this was long I just wanted to give people all the details so there werent any questions or confusion.

 

[little cutie66]

I feel so bad for Mira, the only thing I can think of is maybe she's in pain and that's why she's hiding. I would call the vet if this still goes on. She's still afraid and confused. Also maybe if you put a little baby powder on both cats so they have the same scent so they won't fight. Good luck and let us know.

 

[miraandkilla]

Thanks for the quick response. I'm trying really hard to avoid a vet if possible. I know she took the spay incident really bad. Worse than killa. So after all this I would really hate to load her back in a crate (which she absolutely despises) and take her to another vet. I keep reading everywhere that it may take a "FEW"days to get back to normal. But it doesn't say what a few days is? I don't know a timeline for how long this could go on with nothing actually being wrong. I have heard that maybe one of her stitches are pulling or read somewhere that parts of the ovaries could have been left behind and that can cause pain until fully healed. I mean she seems like a healthy cat as far as eating goes. And when she does drink and use the litter box. And when I pet her and she purrs and she doesn't walk funny or anything. So I'm hoping it'll just take a little more time for her to come back around.

 

[alic23]

Hi MiraandKilla, sorry to hear Mira is not feeling her usual self after the spay operation.
Since it's been 4 days after the op maybe give her a little more time. As Littlecutie says she was probably in pain (particularly the first couple of days after the op) and as you can imagine very very frightened, as you said they aren't used to going to the vets and they get put under general anaesthetic, come round extremely groggy and in pain and poor Mira doesn't know what's happened and is scared, hence the hiding.

Hope it's nothing more serious than that i.e. the stitches aren't infected, you say that it looks ok, you do right to keep an eye on the stitches/sutures. Do you have a follow up appointment at vets so they can assess how well they are healing?

When my two kittens went for their spay and neuter my female kitten Tinkerbell got a couple of day's extra pain meds and follow up just cos her op was a bigger op than the male kitten's neuter op.

My bf's brother is a specialist cat vet and he recommended that they are kept separate straight after the op as they might not recognise each other when they are groggy from the anaesthetic, so you do right with a slow re-introduction a few days later and play it by ear according to how well they re-integrate.

Tinkerbell went the other way slightly in that she was super affectionate the night after her op and cuddled and slept right next to my face and she doesn't normally. She was also in lots of pain (and was very vocal about it) whenever she licked near the operation wound site and just was not herself for 2 days. She also did not wee for about 24 hours and no poop for 2 days, even though her appetite was normal. I rang the vet as was worried she wasn't going to litter tray, they said it was normal she won't go for a wee because of dehydration and stress but to call them if she hadn't gone in 36 hrs. I would say after maybe 3 or 4 days Tinkerbell was back to normal (or nearly normal), i hope this helps, no 2 cats are the same but it might provide a bit of reassurance that Mira's behaviour is from stress and fright of the op. Think of it this way, she went through the equivalent of a human female going through a vasectomy operation, and Mira wasn't even prepared for it mentally, so she would need time to settle and calm. I do hope she feels better soon and that she comes out of hiding soon. Keep giving her lots of love and space when she needs it and fingers crossed she will be ok very soon. Monitor her eating, litter tray, alertness and weight and i would call your vet if you are worried. Hugs to both your kitties x

 

[miraandkilla]

No, no follow ups. We got them spayed at the Delaware humane association. So there was no overnight stay and no pain medication for home. So yeah I'm just hoping she'll readjust. I just don't want to push her . I don't know when she wants space if she's hiding all the time. And thank you!

 

[miraandkilla]

Update: as of right now: she has been out wandering a little bit more. She's slinking around and is very interested in what Killa is doing. But as soon as killa notices her she of course hisses. I had them nose to nose over a little piece of turkey with no aggression until Mira got it then killa got mad. But I think its progress hopefully. She did run back under the couch but I'm hoping she's just feeling more comfortable.

 

[little cutie66]

I think so, she doing better, just give her a lot of love

 

[miraandkilla]

She just laid in my arms and let me pet her and she fell asleep for about 15 minutes [emoji]128513[/emoji] thanks guys!

 

[alic23]

Yay!
Really pleased, and here's to Mira and Killa being friends again. Great news x

 

[little cutie66]

I am so happy, family back together