Worried about my cat after surgery!!!! Help

My male outdoor cat got in a fight with a stray cat about a week ago. We noticed he had a horrible cut on his face and just watched him for a few days. He recently disappeared for 2 r 3 days and just popped back up today and couldn't close his mouth could barely meow wasn't eating and his face had huge open wound like it got worse. I called my vet and was able to bring him in this morning at 1030. They said his fever was 105.5 and it had turned into a abscess. So they kept him and put him under cleaned and drained it out. The vet called me about a hr and a half later said he was done but it was worse then he thought. His muscle had died in his face due to trauma and they had to remove part of it and all the dead meat and skin around it. They kept him till 4 this afternoon and I was able to to go get him. He's been home now since 4 he's drinking water but not really eating he's still really out of it can't walk r stand up. Should he still be this loopy almost 12 hrs after surgery??? His right front leg is also now 2 times bigger then his left it feels like a bunch of floid. Could that just be from where they might of had his IV r could it be a allergic reaction to something r something I should worry about? He's a older cat so someone told me it maybe take him a little longer to come around and the meds Wear off and him start moving around r trying to eat.

Oh I am so sorry about your cat's injury. It sounds pretty bad. I would keep a very close watch on him for the next few days and do not let him outside again until such time as you are certain he is fully recovered from this surgery and that he is eating well. The swollen leg is not a great sign and I would be calling the vet back immediately to notify them. That does sound like edema and from what I have no idea but the vet needs to be told. AND, yes, 12 hours after surgery he could still be loopy and off balance. Keep him in a confined quiet area and a close eye on him. It sounds like it was very infected since he had a fever also. Since he is older, you may want to try to keep him indoors from now on as this other stray cat is probably still around and they may get into it again. OR build an outdoor attached enclosure if possible? I certainly hope he will recover well from this injury and surgery. Keep us posted.

Thank you so much for responding. His leg went down and he's now moving around walking on it and putting weight. He is doing much better face is already closed up and scanned over. We have him in r back bedroom for now. I'm thinking about letting him out that room and go free in the house with my other 2 indoor cats. They all get along bc he would come in at night to eat and they would all play. Only thing I'm worried about is y the 2 indoor cats don't want anything to do with him right now. Could it be bc I got the vet to bath and flea dip him while he was down and they don't smell his sent r do they know he was hurt and no well? Will they get over being weird around him once I let him out and they see it him?

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It very well could be the vet smell AND the fact that they bathed him as to the reason the other two may not want to interact with him. No worries! The plan would be to keep him in that room for another day or so until you are sure he is feeling better, until you know he is eating well on his own and using the litter box, etc. During this time, rub him down with a couple of your worn socks (I know sounds funny... ) AND a worn t-shirt. Then drop the socks and t-shirt on the floor or on the couch wherever your other two cats hang out. This will get his "new" smell mixed with your smell and the two cats will become desensitized and more readily willing to accept him once he is out of that room. Just something to try. I would not let him outside again IF at all possible. Since your other two are indoor only then I am hoping this guy will adjust to being indoors only as well. It will be safer for him now that he has been so seriously injured plus costing you bucks on his surgery. Saving you money and keeping him safe indoors. I think your other two cats will accept him again as well - and if they want to avoid him at first, then let it be that way. It's alright. There may be some hissing/growling as well and is very common after a cat comes home from the vet after even a short visit and a surgery with an overnight stay, even more so.

I am glad to hear that he is feeling better and that swelling of the leg has come down. phew!!! Let us know how things are going.

He is doing very well but we found out he has feline leukemia and got my other 2 cats tested and they test negative so we went yesterday and got them their feline leukemia vaccines and boosters in 2-3 weeks. I also got my male his rabies shot bc he was due for it. My male is now not eating drinking and is being very very aggressive to the point he bit one of my parents today when they came over. Can it be the rabies r feline leukemia shot making him act out r triggered something? He was a big baby before and loved to be held and cuddle since we left the vet yesterday he's hissing being very aggressive and staying under the bed in the corner against the wall.

I am sorry about the diagnosis of FeLK. It is very likely that the stray cats have FeLK then and this is how your outdoor male cat caught it. It would definitely be for the best now that he is kept indoors only. This is the best option now because he will infect other cats now too. I think your other cat is just stressed out by the vet visit and probably very sore from the rabies shot. Those can be tender for a couple of days and the hissing is very common from them feeling under the weather. Don't worry as he should be back to his loving and cuddly self very soon. :nod: