Newly-neutered kittens licking themselves

Hi all!

These are my first kittens in 13 years, and the first I've had to have neutered in even longer (the last one was spayed a few weeks before I got her). Little Oscar and Oliver got neutered this morning. They are all well and good, except they keep licking themselves.

We tried putting paper plates over there heads, which worked for about five minutes for Oscar. Oliver took about an hour to get it off, but ultimately, he did also. I don't have any e-collars and not really sure they'd keep them on. Oscar especially - the little dude just runs into and through everything he can until the thing comes loose. 

I know having an e-collar is ideal. That will not happen before tomorrow though. So my question is - how bad is it that they lick themselves? We've had probably a dozen or more neutered males in my life, but don't think we ever had collars for any of them. And I can't imagine that they all abstained from licking themselves.

They aren't going bonkers licking themselves. It's more like they will be doing something and like licking their paw and then it's like the realize, "oh yeah..." they start licking down there. Then go on about their business.

Actually, I'm amazed just how much like themselves they are. I was expecting them to be all groggy. Ha! 

Aldona

I have never used e-collars on boys (and very rarely on girls) after neutering.  For cats, the current e-collars are torture devices.  The new inflatibles aren't bad, but sharp claws can destroy them so claws in the BACK must be clipped as well as the front. 

A little licking is normal.  Excessive licking can open the wound.  I prefer giving them extra attention as they are usually very clingy and want nothing more than to be held on the couch while I do some serious catching up with things I recorded on the DVR.  Just watch the area and make sure it doesn't become inflamed, and try to distract them by giving them special food or treats if they seem to get overly interested in licking.

The licking is normal because they are trying to get the hospital smell off of them and get to smelling like themselves again.  As long as the incisions aren't bleeding, open, or looking red and angry, they'll be okay.

I got these guys neutered at a spay/neuter clinic, so part of the "package" was a full-on nail trim. So they are good in that department! I did a quick check on both boys today (much to their delight). Oliver looks pretty good. Oscar looks like it has a wee bit of blood on it. But, I don't know if that was already there (it could even be a scab). It's not oozing or anything, it is just a spot of red there. I'll have to do another check later.

Thank you for the realistic answers. I know what is "ideal" but then there is "realistic". Like, trying to keep these guys isolated, that's the ideal scenario but just not realistic in my house. And I don't think we ever isolated anyone after being spayed or neutered before (we always had multiple cats). Almost everywhere I look, it says "get e-collar". Just for the little bit of licking. 

I've had 5 cats spayed or neutered in the past 15 years and with each one, I was never given pain meds or a collar.  I've also never had to confine any of them, except if they came home very groggy and then I put them in the large wire dog crate we have just because they were so loopy.  Kitties are very good at limiting their activity when they don't feel well, so I don't worry too much about them being too rambunctious.

Oscar was a bit wonky yesterday. I was actually worried for awhile because he was not acting like himself at all. He was all twitchy (not sure how else to put it), had this thumper thing going on with his leg. And he was very clingy, wanting to go under my legs, under my arms, under... anything he could get under. This guy is NEVER clingy. Talked with a friend yesterday (she's a vet tech) who made me feel better. Couldn't call my regular vet since they are only open in the mornings on Wednesdays, and he didn't start acting weird till the afternoon. Of course. He seems much more like himself today though.

I think I only once ever put a cat in an e-collar (and I've had LOTS of cats over my life), and that was when he had surgery to remove a tumor from his ear. He wanted to scratch it which of course was NOT a good thing, so in the collar he went. We've not had a lot of new-comers in the last ten years, but before that I swear we seemed to get new kittens at least every two years. Not because we were looking either, they just seemed to land in our laps! And I don't think we ever put anyone spayed/neutered in a collar before either. But, this was the first time I ever took kittens to a neuter clinic rather than the regular vet too.

In my considerable experience, almost all the boys get clingy for 24-48 hours after a neuter and then act normal again.  The girls are more likely to just sleep.

It seemed like my guy was extremely hyper when we brought him home.  I think it was just his reaction to the anesthesia.  That's the only thing I could think of to explain it.  Once it worked its way out of his system, he calmed down considerably.  How's he doing now?  Is he better?

I've definitely had considerable experience, but it's been so long since I've had kittens, and even longer since I've had to go through the neutering of one. 1999 was the last time I think, with my little ol' man Lucky. And his situation was much different unfortunately, so the neutering was the least of his issues at that point.

Oscar is definitely doing better. Which makes this mama very happy. Soooo happy about that. Both he and Oliver seem so much... happier? I dunno if that's my imagination or not though. Projecting my relief of the surgery being over on them!