What do we do?

Spooky had her dental today. She didn't need any extractions, so no pain meds. She's still wide-eyed and obviously not feeling so great from the anesthesia. But normally she's REALLY lovey when like this. But we let her out of the crate, and she immediate ran under the bed (her safe comfy place). Our bed isn't open - it's enclosed. We cut holes in it so the cats could get in there.

After about 1/2 an hour, she came out, and headed directly to the sheepskin under the couch. I saw then that the vet had NOT removed the bandage taped to her leg!!!!! I think she's freaking about this as she was obviously walking funny. I thought it best to let her be, figuring she'd come out a little later for loves, and we'd get that stupid bandage off of her.

I called dinner after an hour or so, and she stayed put. I put the bowl of wet food in front of her, and she had about three licks. OK - so she still doesn't feel well from the anesthesia.

It's now three hours later, and I went to sit with her. She relocated - to behind the few small container boxes that break up the two sides of under the couch.

When I reach back there, she rubs her head on my hand - but no purr.

So - do I leave her be? Or do I haul her out of there, and get that bandage off of her?

Thank you. I just didn't really want to have to haul her out from under there again.

Ok, since she didn't really eat dinner, I grabbed a packet of junk food, squished the juice out, and mixed it with water. I put that back there for her. She didn't stand up to eat, but licked it up with vigor. We really didn't want her to get dehydrated on top of everything, and that felt great to see her go at it! We didn't want to push it because we don't want her to get sick. So I just petted her some and she was rubbing back. But her eyes are still HUGE and completely dilated, poor baby.

I stroked her leg, and that thing is on there. (They usually remove it before sending her home, though we have had to take them off the other cats before). I just felt TERRIBLE, because to get her in the crate this morning we had to haul her out from under there.

I just kept explaining to her we just wanted to get that icky uncomfortable bandage off, and she let me pull her out without too much struggle. Gary was ready with the manicure scissors, and she didn't struggle and let us cut it off. *phew*

She promptly retreated back to her place of safety back there LOL. I did then put down another small bowl of junk food juice (just squished the juice out), mixed it with a little water again, and she lapped it all up.

So she must be starting to feel better, and now she knows that thing is off her leg. It was on pretty tight - it might have been cutting off her circulation. Do cats have that "fall asleep" thing for a foot like people do? So it may be a little while before she feels like coming out.

She's usually tucked inbetween us right now, curled up on her side with each of us petting her - Gary her nose, and me her tummy with her rolling around to rub her cheeks furiously on our hands.

I have a feeling she needs a little more time. I think that bandage thing really affected her, because she is usually tremendously loving while coming out of the anesthic, and she's such a needy little lover to begin with.

If only Billy would get his fat butt out of the way - he's lying in front of the couch meaning she can't avoid him to get out. He likes to grab at the kitties as they walk by (at three, he's still our youngest kitty).

C'mon Spook - join us in bed!

Thanks for the advice. I'm glad we got it off of there - it was too tight. I'm just upset with myself for not noticing it was on there when she came out of the crate - but I watched her from behind heading to her safe space.

Well, after my last post, I went and got her out from under the couch again, snuggled her between Gary and I, and she purred up a storm while we loved on her. We all fell asleep like that. She was under the couch again this morning, but came for breakfast as usual. She didn't eat as much as she normally does, but she's getting back to her usual self.

to all for helping!

I just wanted to get this on record so I can look it up in the future if I have questions.

Spooky slept curled up on the sheepskin under the couch - at the very back - all day. She did jump up the cat tree in her usual spot when I called them for breakfast, but she wouldn't budge from under the couch for dinner. I put her bowl under there, and she ate all of it. Very strange.

Then after dinner she headed straight under the bed. She stayed there for about an hour, then came up to hang with us for her usual lovin'.

Just wanted this down, because I don't remember her being like this the day after a dental - this way I can look it up however she behaves next time and I start worrying.

(She has really bad plaque problems and had 2 extractions by the time she was 3 or 4. She's 8 this year and now has a total of 4 teeth gone. She needs a dental every six months, even though she LOVES having her teeth brushed and we add food grade hydrogen peroxide to their water).

Good call on asking the vet. I'll do that.

Yup, she's back to her normal self!

I did call the vet, and nothing was different - and, in fact, her teeth weren't as bad as usual. The plaque build-up on one was very bad (Spooky doesn't chew kibble, even the large dental ones she'll just swallow, and the large dental greenies thingies she won't eat), but this dental took less time than usual. Probably just Spooky getting a little older and taking a little longer to recover.