How did your cat recover from her spaying operation?

[Anne]

I'm looking for stories to work into a special article for World Spay Day. The article will focus on post-op care for spayed females.

I do believe most of us have or had spayed females, and would love to hear about the operation and especially about the recovery process. Stories about complications, or cases where you thought there may be one developing, or just about routine recovery from the surgery.

Also, if you happen to have pictures of your cat after the operation, please do post them here. If it's too graphic (as in the case of complications), please use the Spoiler tag and add a warning so those who choose not to view them can do so.

Thank you!

 

[rosiemac]

At our old vets Rosie's went well, but she had a reaction to the anaesthetic. When l got her home she went hyper by jumping up on the tv and units. It took her three hours to calm down, then she started shivering in her sleep even though the house was very warm. I rang the emergency number and they said it was the anaesthetic and to put a blanket over her. The next morning she was fine

When l took Rosie to get the microchip removed 3 weeks ago l explained to the nurse about Rosie's spay. The nurse said she could have been given Ketamine which can have an effect on animals but they don't use it at the surgery, and she came out of it no problem.

Sophie, no problems

Jack no problems

 

[ananya]

Gucci November 10th 2012.jpg

• ananya
• Feb 12, 2013

Gucci 3 November 10th 2012.jpg

• ananya
• Feb 12, 2013

Gucci was spayed on 10th November 2012. She had no bad complications following the procedure, though the cut was made in her belly rather than the usual place on the side and it was a rather large wound. Gucci is 5 and had never shown any sign of coming into season or pregnancy and seemed to be infertile, though up until then I didn't know the reason why. The vet decided to make a larger incision and in that position, thinking that he may have some difficulty locating Gucci's uterus and ovaries, or if she'd even have them. He did find them but they were mal formed and miniscule and he said almost hyper-plastic. He had never seen anything like them and kept them in a jar!
She went back to have the stitches taken out 14 days later. She was off colour the 2nd day after her op and wasn't interested in eating or going to her litter tray. She seemed very uncomfortable, so we went back to the vet and he gave her another antibiotic injection. She started to pick up quite quickly but was eating far less than usual. (She usually has a rather over hearty appetite) She spent several weeks being rather lethargic. The vet suggested I take her collar off whilst I was with her to watch her as thought this might be dragging her down. She was very good and didn't attempt to interfere with her wound, so she was  completely collar free several days before her stiches came out.
Before her spay Gucci used to enjoy going out for quite large amounts of time and take herself off for walks, but since the spay she has become very much more homely and less energetic. She rarely leaves the garden now when she goes outside and doesn't want to be out for too long - the cold weather doesn't help. I am looking forward to better weather to come in the hope that she spends some more time outdoors as she always enjoyed. She used to enjoy playing with me out in the garden and leaping across the gate posts and chasing twigs and climbing trees which she has done much less of since her spay ... roll on Spring.

Her fur is back this was about a week ago

Gucci 31st Jan 2013.jpg

• ananya
• Feb 12, 2013

She climbed a tree - this was about a week ago too

Gucci up tree 24th Jan 2013-6.jpg

• ananya
• Feb 12, 2013

 

[Willowy]

I have had many cats spayed! Nothing really remarkable, most of them were young and were fine the next day. Pixie pulled a couple stitches out so I had to put a tube sock on her tummy. Sonja was older (the vet said she was about 5) and had a hard recovery. It took her 3 days to even want to move. So from that I learned the lesson that older females need lots of pain meds. Other than those 2 things, everybody has had an uneventful recovery.

 

[lyrajean]

Aya was the first cat I had to get "fixed" on my own. We'd been in the habit of rescuing adults from the HS before so never had the whole kitten spay experience.

Aya was a street kitten I picked up @ the ripe age of 5 weeks. As of about 4 1/2 mos age she really tarted trying to escape the apartment. We had a lot of strays around so I wouldn't have been suprised, but they won't spay before 6 mos. I did schedule the appt. as early as I could and she was done at 5 1/2 mos. 

Aya true to her calico nature has a lot of energy and shall we say spunk.... Torti-tude, whatever...

I had to drop her off and she stayed overnight. When they came to get her they just threw her in a mesh laundry bag and carted her off. By the time I came to pick her up the next day they asked me if I thought she could be in heat as her uterus was enlarged/swollen as if she was. She'd already been at her stitches, and they told me I'd need to buy a cone or put a baby shirt on her to keep her from ripping them out. I opted for the baby shirt/ace bandage method and stopped at the 100yen store (dollar store) on the way home to buy something to put on her. All I can say was she was having none of that when we got home. I rang the Vet and told them I needed to come back and get the cone of shame. they told me in order to fit it I needed to bring her. Nice way to relax a cat who's had 2 unpleasant cat-box trips in 2 days.

Drove back through the center of town during rush hour with an angry/frightened kitten going "Meow! Meow!" to the Vet office. They took her out back for a minute and brought her back wearing the appropriate size cone in her box. Paid for the cone and left.

No sooner did I get her home than she freaked out about the cone-head-thingie. It took her five minutes of rolling around on my bed to figure how to bunny kick it off. I wrestled her back into it once, this time it took her 30 seconds to un-cone herself. I gave up. Note to the wise, always schedule surgery the day before a weekend or take time off if you can help it so you can be there to keep them from pulling at their stitches, especially if you have a "Miss Attitude" kitty like mine. By Monday I felt comfortable enough to go to work and leave her without worrying too much. By week's end she had pulled out all 3 stitches by herself, but we never had any issues with the wound....

If you are curious in Japan (Okinawa) it costs about 20,000yen for a spay which at that time was about $200 USD. Plus 6000yen for bloodwork beforehand if you so chose.

 

[duckdodgers]

Stella was spayed two weeks ago, and she has recovered very nicely from the procedure at the age of 5 months.  This was also my first time having an animal fixed in my adult life, so I was a bit nervous.  Alafair was done when I was four years old, the dogs were also done under my parents' command, and Jason was neutered as a young kitten at animal control.  I took her to the low cost clinic ($48 as opposed to my vet's $197), but my vet warned me beforehand that they often see patients who are spayed at this clinic coming into the regular clinic because of reactions to the surgical glue used.  The clinic offers free rechecks, but they are only available for such services at 3.00 on weekdays. 

I was instructed to take her food and water away after midnight before the surgery.  I had to drop her off and fill out paperwork at 8 AM sharp, she stayed overnight, and had to be picked up the next day at 7.30.  I was a worried mommy, and when I picked her up I had to rush her home, throw her in her room, and run to school to take a test.  The timing was awful.  I found out when I picked her up that she was in heat (she was showing no signs of it), and  got a lecture about keeping her away from male cats for two weeks.  She tried to lick at her incision, and the clinic recommended keeping an e-collar on her while healing.  They said to limit activity and prevent them from bothering the incision for 10-14 days, and then allow them to behave as normal.  When I went to pick her up from the clinic she was rolling her carrier across the floor (literally- she was pushing on the sides and moved it several feet), so I knew that would be difficult.  She did sleep most of the day upon getting home, but after a few days I gave up on keeping her quiet.  All stitches were internal and sealed with surgical glue, so she did not need to go back to have them removed.  I took the cone off today- 13 days later- and she was very, very happy to be able to groom herself normally!
 

 

[AbbysMom]

When we adopted Abby she had not been spayed yet and the shelter allowed us to take her home on the condition that we brought her back in 5 days to the shelter to have her spayed. They would not allow me to bring her to my own vet at my cost to be spayed. I brought her to the shelter be spayed and then they brought her to the vet they use. When I picked her up at the shelter late that afternoon and opened the carrier at home I realized there was a problem. I was sent home with no care instructions at all, even though I asked for some. Abby had gotten a bit too much anesthesia (in the opinion of my vet) and couldn't stand, was vomiting everywhere, had urinated all over herself, etc. I called my vet's office in a total panic. The vet wasn't there, but the vet tech was great, told me what to do and what to look for. I had to isolate her in one room and withhold food for the rest of the day. Abby wasn't able to hold down food for two days. The vet's office was great and kept calling me to check on her and give advice and she eventually came around and started eating again.

 

[dejolane]

Don't have a long story but my cats recovered within a week are were ok.

dejolane

 

[korina]

Ananya

That was a great post showing why cats should be spayed early.

Its a health risk.

I am sure you can make a logical argument that cats in wild (were they are designed to breed, not in your home or on street) don't live long.

Girls have babies by 9 months.

And if you look at real world breeders, uterine failure is very common (and business killing costly to breeders).

Its about time vets say clearly "Not spaying your female cat will shorten its life drastically"

Also Ananya, don't feel bad about the kitty slowing down, its not the spay.  It's her age.

I have seen the "slowdown" as early as 1 year, and as late as 5 year.

Every cat is different, but they also grow into their frame.  my cat at 3 looked way smaller then she does now.

To OP:

The only worriesom thing for me was the seuter they glued, it seemed to get a bit more swollen over 3 days but that was it.

Also they gave me tiny shots of buprinex for pain (they gave her a 24 hour dose before leaving), my cat couldnt stand it.

Also they wrapped a ace bandage TIGHT around her hand for her IV spot.

Oh, and yes, they put a silly bandana on her, it was cute sure, but I was not ammused.  The kitty is already stressed and now has to deal with looking adorable.  (dont know if this is widespread practice)

 

[tammat]

This is a great thread thanks. I am getting two female kittens in two days time. I know this is a routine surgery but it terrifies me. I've already spoken to a vet nurse and ill be speaking about it to the vet when the girls meet him on Monday. I like the tube sock idea. I'm going to mention this. If I train them to wear it a bit before the surgery then maybe it won't bother them.

 

[nikki9003]

I don't have a long story either, but I did take my new kitty Stella to a mobile spay and neuter clinic yesterday and within 3 hours from drop off, she was picked up and brought home. She did good. She was not prego or in heat as far as I know. She had a flea treatment too, and her vaccines.shes new to our family and I didn't want to have to deal with her meowing when her cycle started. Lol. She pretty much was out of it all the rest of yesterday. Kept me up last night trying to break out of her kennel. And today she's nothing but loves and snuggles for me when I let her come out to stretch her legs for a bit. She's all tuckered out now and sleeping again. She has not, however gone potty yet. So I'm waiting on that. She is eating and drinking tho.

 

[nausheen]

 

[nausheen]

Hi..
This is angel...got her spayed two days ago..since she gave birth -2 and half months ago. .I put a tshirt on her..so that the kittens wean off..but it didn't work..so I added the micropore bandage(the side touching her skin is a cotton gauge) ..so that her nipples r unreachable for the kittens...with 9 cats..including 3 kittens at home..it was difficult to keep her isolated.i just kept her and my other turkish angora...who was spayed d same day as hers one night in a confined room...
The doctor said she had some milk in her breasts..which has to dry off..so he advised. .after two days of surgery to mix 1:1 vinegar and clean water on her nipples to dry off the milk..
She seems to be doing fine...but im not too sure if I want to open up the dressing. .for the vinegar...please advice..

20130818_182054.jpg

• nausheen
• Aug 18, 2013

 

[denice]

I don't have any stories really.  Done at a young age and quick easy recovery.

 

[karkel59]

Does anyone have a picture of cat that has been spayed with a bandage or tube sock on ?

 

[cdcskal]

My kitten just had her spaying surgery.
-Incite to how my kitten, Silver Belle, acted before she got spayed. She was/is very playful and very curious. She LOVES nibbling on EVERYTHING because she is teething. She just recently started to drink out of the sink when I go into the bathroom to bush my teeth.
We, my mother and I, brought her in at 7:30 Am, in a cage to the place. She cried the whole car ride there! I felt so bad. We signed her in and found out that my kitten, Silver Belle, going to be spayed as well as given shots and micro chipped. We then left and picked her up at 5:20pm.

 

[cody white]

My cat Eevee was in heat pretty bad I felt bad because I had no money, yet I had someone help me out thanks to the humane society - Eevee got fixed and she was returned home the next day perfectly fine - though she was sleepy and groggy the first 2-3 days then she started to do more active stuff - til this day she rolls around a lot and likes to rub against my leg - something she hasnt done before prior to getting fixed.  I also had a cat that was feral - got it fixed and now he is friendly and loving.

 

[cody white]

20141022_220525.jpg

• cody white
• Oct 25, 2014

Meet eevee

 

[Anne]

Meet eevee

Welcome to TCS! 

Is Eevee a blue-eyed Calico? That's real special! I'm so glad you had her and the  feral spayed. I hope you'll start an introduction thread in the New Cats on the Block Forum so more members can see her and get to know you and her!

 

[cody white]

Eevee - Is indeed a blue-eyed calico...my old cat that I had for 9 yrs that passed away was a more rare cat he was a boy calico - single colored (white) except 1 paw that was mixed like a calico - RIP 'Blizzard'