Nervous First

I have never had a cat as a pet until I bought Ike a bit back. So far everything is going fine, but as you can understand I am pretty nervous about getting her fixed. Today we got her last rabies shot and I made an appointment for Tuesday to get her fixed.

The only things I really know about this process is what the vet told me today. ("Don't feed her after 7 the day before...") What I am worried about is how I need to treat her the day after, or if there is anything special I can do for her?
It breaks my heart to put her in pain, but I know it's good for her.

Any advise or kind words would help...Thankyou!

Oh she is beautiful.

After the operation just keep her from jumping around too much. Our vet did not give pain meds after the initial ones immediately after the operation. I personally think that's a good thing because if they feel some pain they won't overdo things and possibly open the incision.

The other thing you will be advised to watch is how much she licks her incision. A little licking is not a bad thing, but overlicking can cause her to pull out stitches although there are usually 2 sets of stitches - one inside and one outside.

We didn't use an E-collar on either Bijou or Mika and they were fine. They did lick a little but not excessively.

Just give her lots of love and gentle cuddling.

Yosemite's advice is right on. The main thing is not to let your girl jump excessively. They do things on instinct the same as you and me, so if she is accustomed to jumping up to anything high for food, treats, or relaxation, it would probably be good if you kept your kitty away from that.

I'd suggest getting an e-collar and take it home just in case because if she starts picking at her stitches, you're going to feel you have to do something about it right now. And I think an e-collar is always a good thing to have handy, anyway, but if the modest cost (about $10) is an issue, maybe they'll let you bring it back if you don't have to use it.

Personally, I'd ask for some pain meds to take home. I hate to think of one of my cats being in pain and me not being able to do anything about it. Metacam is a good choice. It's a liquid; can be easily given; and it's an anti-inflammatory.

They are all correct. Licking is not a good idea especially if they use the surgical glue instead of stitches! They can get a very bad infection if the incision opens at all! Lots of love is always the best medicine! They recover quickly and will be back to normal within a few weeks!

Good luck!