Just spayed cat doesn't want to wake up. Worry?

ziggy'smom

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I took in one of my foster cats to be spayed today. I dropped her and two other cats off at 8am and picked them up at 5pm. They do the spays and neuters sometime in the morning. When I picked them up the other two cats were sitting up in their carriers, very alert. Mama, however, was looking quite groggy and not very happy.
When I got them home Mama went to the litter box and peed a little and then she went to lay down on a blanket in the corner and that's where she has stayed pretty much the whole time. I moved her to a basket once which she apparently didn't like so she went back into her carrier to sleep in there but after a while when another cat bothered her there she went back to the blanket where she is now. The only times she has opened her eyes since she got home is when she's had to. All she wants to do is to sleep. I tried to get her to eat by heating up some canned food in the microwave, to make it a little more stinky, but she didn't show any interest in it.
I've had several other cats spayed or neutered and I know that some are more sleepy and groggy than others but I've never had one be this sleepy so many hours after surgery (it's now 11pm) and it worries me.

The spay/neuter clinic has an emergency number you can call to talk to a staff member and I called them about an hour ago. The lady I spoke to didn't think that I needed to worry as long as her gums remains pink and her insicion looks okay which it does. I'm still worried though. Has anyone else had a cat that just keeps sleeping over 12 hours after the surgery? Should I worry? I basically want to know if Mama is just more sensitive to anesthesia or if her sleepiness could be a sign of something wrong. I'm afraid to go to be in case something would happen to her.
 

gingersmom

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My Ginger slept for almost 3 days after her early spay, and she slept so soundly that she peed herself where she lay.

More than 4 years later, she's going strong, happy and healthy.

Just keep an eye on her. If she were mine, I'd put some wet down for her, for the extra water content and for ease in digestion. Just a thought.
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

My Ginger slept for almost 3 days after her early spay, and she slept so soundly that she peed herself where she lay.
my Java slept so soundly the 1st night that she peed on me in her sleep!
 

merrytreecats

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I had a cat spayed once who was groggy for two whole days. I was beyond worried by then, she was normally a very active cat, but she got back to normal on the third day or so, though she remained a little calmer thereafter. I have to say that was actually a nice change
 

strange_wings

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I wonder what they used, and did they do pre-op blood work?

All my female cats stayed overnight - in fact my vet now prefers to keep males overnight, too. (doesn't affect costs any. $74 for male, $106 for females with blood work)

I've never had them come home the next morning and be very groggy.
Sure they sleep a little more and don't move around as much that first day home, but they're always up to eat and do their regular cat things. Cats brought home the same day as anesthesia (dentals) were groggy but eating by late evening and moving around.
I'd give your vet a call again in the morning just in case, if your cat is still behaving abnormally.
 

otto

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How is Mama this morning? I hope you were able to get some sleep, in spite of your worry.
 

hissy

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I almost lost hurricane charlie after a neuter. He needed a reversal shot. The low-cost spay clinic (not my normal vet) used ketamine. If your vet used this drug, strongly suggest you take your girl in today for treatment.

Good luck-
 
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ziggy'smom

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Mama is doing better today. She's still not a bundle of energy but she's holding her head up and her eyes are open. She also ate some this morning. I think she'll be fine. She just reacted a bit more to the anesthesia than most cats do. I've just never seen a cat be this sleepy after a spay so it really scared me. I finally did get to bed though but I set my alarm for three hours later so I could get up to check on her.

I don't see a problem with the cats being sent home the day of surgery. In most cases staying over night would be unecessary, in my opinion. This place is a low cost spay/neuter clinic that spay and neuter over 100 cats and dogs a day and most of them do just fine going home at 5pm. It wouldn't be possible for this clinic to do what they do at the price they do ($20 to spay or neuter a cat) if they would keep all animals over night and do pre-op blood work on all of them. Pre-op blood work is only required for animals over a certain age that may be more high risk.
Having this clinic that allows more people to be able to spay and neuter their pets makes a huge difference for the overpopulation problem in this area and that saves lives. Despite the high volume they do they do it very well.

I'm a bit of a worrywart so maybe I worried a little too much about Mama last night. But I figure that it's better to worry too much than too little.

Thanks a lot for all the help. It really helped me calm down a bit.
 

at129

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So glad she's doing better! I was in your shoes just a few months ago, and I remember the terrible nagging worry over everything my little gal did (or didn't do). And if she's eating and not showing any negative signs other than sleepiness, it's actually much healthier for her, IMO. My kitty was about 5 months old when she went in for her spay, and she was so hyper, even before the anesthetic fully wore off, that she spiked a dangerous fever from overexerting herself (no infection, just the body's reaction to stressing out her incision too much). How I wish she had just slept!


for Mama for a speedy and comfortable recovery! And for you as well!
 

merrytreecats

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Glad to hear she's perking up! She WILL get back to normal, don't worry I went through this same panic. Little by little. And once she does she may stay slightly more calm than before. Not in a bad way at all, more like she's not as restless anymore, and not going into heat.
 

catkiki

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both my girls were spayed the same day too. Rusty perked up right away but Dusty only wanted to sleep. Dusty is a lot smaller than Rusty even though they were from the same litter. She is just find now.
 
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