Getting Roo neutered.

bubblzmay · Sep 14, 2015

I'm not sure where to post this so please forgive me if this forum isn't the appropriate place. My 5 month old kitten is getting neutered Wed morning & I'm a nervous wreck! This will be my first experience with spay or neutering and I just need some reassurance! I'm scared to death! We have two females also that should be spayed just for their well being in the long run but that is major surgery and I can't bring myself to do that [emoji]128533[/emoji] The boys are getting neutered because they have to in order to avoid kittens or I wouldn't even be able to do that! I love them SOOO much and I'm so afraid of anything going wrong. Am I being overly protective or are my fears warranted? Thank you in advance for any advice or reassurance!

ritz · Sep 14, 2015

I was a nervous wreck too when Ritz was spayed six years ago. But the vets know what they are doing; it is a fairly routine operation for them, especially for male cats. And I got to really spoil Ritz that night.
I recently rescued "Dahalia" from under a car. As soon as she was healthy enough, I got her spayed. She was full of energy almost immediately after her operation.
Spaying cats also improves their overall health; for example, it reduces the risk of cancer.
So rest assured.

stephanietx · Sep 14, 2015

It's much more difficult on us than it is on them. I always anxiously await the call from the vet telling me they're out of surgery and everything went well. Boys tend to recover quicker because their surgery is less invasive, but girls recover in a few days. I'd highly encourage you to get those girls done sooner rather than later because of the health issues that can arise if they go too long without being spayed, not to mention having to endure the heat season. That's a motivator for sure!

fyllis · Sep 14, 2015

BubblzMay said:
I'm not sure where to post this so please forgive me if this forum isn't the appropriate place. My 5 month old kitten is getting neutered Wed morning & I'm a nervous wreck! This will be my first experience with spay or neutering and I just need some reassurance! I'm scared to death! We have two females also that should be spayed just for their well being in the long run but that is major surgery and I can't bring myself to do that [emoji]128533[/emoji] The boys are getting neutered because they have to in order to avoid kittens or I wouldn't even be able to do that! I love them SOOO much and I'm so afraid of anything going wrong. Am I being overly protective or are my fears warranted? Thank you in advance for any advice or reassurance!

I can understand your fears. I had both my boys neutered at 4 months. Keep in mind that the procedure is done under anesthesia, so they feel no pain. Recovery time is about an hour after surgery, but they will be groggy for a while and will need good after care.

The aftercare is pretty much common sense.

(this info is from my personal notes in with my vet records, most of which is written in my own hieroglyphics, so I am ad-libbing and going into a bit of detail to explain it all).

Before I go into explanations, let me say that it is wise ( for all pet owners) to have your vet's phone number, the phone number and address of the nearest 24 hour emergency pet hospital, and the Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) logged into your phone and/or taped to your refrigerator! (I also keep their card in my wallet).

When you pick him up from the vet, place a towel in their carrier to pad it for comfort. Once you get home, place them in a quiet corner and opened the door. Don't try to get him out of the carrier. Just let him stay in where he is comfortable and allow him to come out when he is ready.

Keeker ventured out after a couple hours; Kricket stayed in his carried for almost 8 hours. Thinking about it now, I'm not sure if that was because Keeker was done first and he recovered first, or if they were done at the same time and Kricket just took longer to come out of the anesthesia? Each cat is different and will recover at their own pace.

You obviously want to keep him indoors so you can observe him. Providing a cozy, quiet and private space for them to sleep and recover. Make his a little bed on the floor so if he decides to get up and venture out he doesn't fall or have to jump. Also, be sure the sides are low enough that he doesn't have to step over the edge (just a blanket instead of a bed with sides would be best) - you don't want him to accidentally bump or drag his incision area on anything. Ouch! He's tender.

Place his litter box near where you have his bed for easier access. If you aren't already using a completely dust free litter, you might want to run some newspaper through your paper shredder and use that for a couple days to keep dust from getting in the wound. I use a dust free litter , so I didn't do that. But my sister did it because she quickly discovered Kricket was flinging litter all over her bedroom! (She's very OCD, what can I say? LOL).

I kept my boys separated until they completely healed (recommended because they need to avoid heavy, rough, aggressive activity). If necessary, you might need to make arrangements to have someone take either him or your other cats for a while, or keep him isolated in a private room or even in a carrier for a while. (personally, I think keeping him in a carrier would be adding undo stress, but do what is best for you and your cat). Fortunately, my sister kept Kricket for me and I kept Keeker at home with me.

Also, keep him where he can't get into hard to reach or unobservable hiding places so you can keep an eye on him. Cats will find the craziest places to hide when they aren't feeling well.

Limit food and water to very small portions the first 24 hours to avoid nausea. (Your vet might advise no food at all for 24 hours). Keeker, who is generally always looking for something to eat was sitting at his bowl about 5 hours after getting home and whining, so I gave him a spoonful of canned pate` and he did OK with it.

You will want to examine the incision sites a couple times a day to check for redness (Some deep pink is ok - dark red or purple is not), swelling, unusual odor or unusual drainage (scant amounts of clear or pink tinged drainage is normal; you don't want to see cloudy or pus-like drainage or blood). But do this gently and carefully. Do NOT touch the actual site. Even if you see some slight drainage, don't clean it or otherwise mess with it to avoid introducing bacteria and infection. Note: the testicles will be gone, but the scrotal sac will still be there. It will just be smaller and flat because it is now empty.

Ask your vet to show you the incisions before you leave the office so you know exactly what you are looking at and for.

Other things to look for would be pale gums, high or low body temperature, shivering, instability when trying to walk or stand (walking like a drunk), diarrhea, trouble pooping or peeing (trying to go, but unable to), blood in the urine, irregular or struggled breathing. He should be eating normally by the following morning. (These are just precautionary guidelines of what to look for! Don't panic and expect these to be the norm).

Your vet will probably prescribe pain meds. Follow the directions given. Honestly, after several unsuccessful attempts of getting Keeker to take a pill, I gave up. (He doesn't like to be held or handled on a good day. This was NOT a good day for him!) He was stressing out and getting a bit pissed. He didn't present any pain symptoms at all. You might want to ask your vet to give an initial does right before leaving the office and that should be good.

Don't be alarmed if you don't see any sutures! I couldn't find any and thought Keeker had licked or chewed them off! I even called my sister to see if Kricket still had his and when she told me she couldn't see any either, I called the vet!

He told me that there aren't any sutures. Let me explain:

The testicles are inside the scrotum, so to get to them there is a small incision made in each sac and the testicles are then cut/lasered and removed. Because the incision is so small, no sutures are used. There is a 'skin adhesive' (superglue, if you will) applied to close it up. However, the small 'slits' in the scrotum are left open to heal to allow any drainage and prevent an abscess.

Don't apply any ointments or creams to the incisions. You want them to air dry and your cat might feel compelled to lick the ointment off which could introduce unwanted bacteria.

Oh yea, I'm not sure if this would be a concern for you, but my vet told me that my boys would/could still impregnate a female for up to 4 to 6 weeks (sometimes 8 wks) after being neutered! (I had to pull up all my vet records and notes in another window, sorry). It takes a while for any 'lingering semen' to disipate or die off from the spermatic cords and vas deferens. Testosterone production will drop almost right away, but the hormone will remain in his system for a couple months, so don't be surprized if his bahavior doesn't change immediately after the surgery. If your female goes into heat, don't be shocked if he attemptes to 'service' her because he will still get that urge. It's best to keep them apart until his hormones deplete.

Sorry for the long red, but you seemed very concerned and hesitant. This is a lot of info, but I wanted you to be fully aware of what is going to be happening.

It's really not all that traumatic and both my boys did eceptionally well throughout the entire ordeal. So did I after I learned there weren't any sutures! LOL

You will both be fine! Make plans for a quiet evening for yourself - While your baby is sleeping, have a nice dinner of comfort foods. Then go soak in a warm lavender scented bath and snuggle into the couch with a glass of wine and a good movie or book.

I hope this helped!

bubblzmay · Sep 15, 2015

Ritz said:
I was a nervous wreck too when Ritz was spayed six years ago. But the vets know what they are doing; it is a fairly routine operation for them, especially for male cats. And I got to really spoil Ritz that night.
I recently rescued "Dahalia" from under a car. As soon as she was healthy enough, I got her spayed. She was full of energy almost immediately after her operation.
Spaying cats also improves their overall health; for example, it reduces the risk of cancer.
So rest assured.

bubblzmay · Sep 15, 2015

Thank you so much for your reply! I've been just sick today with worry. I'm having anxiety attacks even. Thank goodness for the rock of our family! My husband!! I'll let everyone know how it went tomorrow sometime. Thank you again!!

bubblzmay · Sep 15, 2015

I'm not sure how to reply to each person who commented individually so hopefully you all will see this. Thank you all so, so much for your reassurance and knowledge! I'm in tears tonight worried about my baby,so your responses have been more helpful than you know! I'll post tomorrow after we are back home and settled to let everyone know how he did. Thank you all again!!

stephanietx · Sep 15, 2015

It's so much worse for us than for them. Keep us posted.

bubblzmay · Sep 16, 2015

I hope I'm doing this right. (Updating everyone at once) Roo is home now in a little cat sanctuary. Last night we disinfected our utility room, put a low litter box in there, his favorite bed and blankets. A bowl of water and dry kibble. He did excellent they said!! As soon as I unzipped the carrier he came out (a little wobbly still) He's wanting out of the room but I'm not allowing that until tomorrow. I have the door cracked a few inches and latched so they can see each other and touch each other but can't get it open. I see nothing at the site, no incision, no swelling, they didn't even shave him. He doesn't even have an arm shaved for an IV. Should I not get my other cats done there because of this? I'd think he should have at least had a fluids IV? AND the site shaved for sanitary reasons? There's not even any iodine or alcohol smell to him. Seems strange but he's OK! Thank God!!

bubblzmay · Sep 16, 2015

Fyllis said:
I can understand your fears. I had both my boys neutered at 4 months. Keep in mind that the procedure is done under anesthesia, so they feel no pain. Recovery time is about an hour after surgery, but they will be groggy for a while and will need good after care.

The aftercare is pretty much common sense.

(this info is from my personal notes in with my vet records, most of which is written in my own hieroglyphics, so I am ad-libbing and going into a bit of detail to explain it all).

Before I go into explanations, let me say that it is wise ( for all pet owners) to have your vet's phone number, the phone number and address of the nearest 24 hour emergency pet hospital, and the Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435)
logged into your phone and/or taped to your refrigerator! (I also keep their card in my wallet).

When you pick him up from the vet, place a towel in their carrier to pad it for comfort. Once you get home, place them in a quiet corner and opened the door. Don't try to get him out of the carrier. Just let him stay in where he is comfortable and allow him to come out when he is ready.

Keeker ventured out after a couple hours; Kricket stayed in his carried for almost 8 hours. Thinking about it now, I'm not sure if that was because Keeker was done first and he recovered first, or if they were done at the same time and Kricket just took longer to come out of the anesthesia? Each cat is different and will recover at their own pace.

You obviously want to keep him indoors so you can observe him. Providing a cozy, quiet and private space for them to sleep and recover. Make his a little bed on the floor so if he decides to get up and venture out he doesn't fall or have to jump. Also, be sure the sides are low enough that he doesn't have to step over the edge (just a blanket instead of a bed with sides would be best) - you don't want him to accidentally bump or drag his incision area on anything. Ouch! He's tender.

Place his litter box near where you have his bed for easier access. If you aren't already using a completely dust free litter, you might want to run some newspaper through your paper shredder and use that for a couple days to keep dust from getting in the wound. I use a dust free litter , so I didn't do that. But my sister did it because she quickly discovered Kricket was flinging litter all over her bedroom! (She's very OCD, what can I say? LOL).

I kept my boys separated until they completely healed (recommended because they need to avoid heavy, rough, aggressive activity). If necessary, you might need to make arrangements to have someone take either him or your other cats for a while, or keep him isolated in a private room or even in a carrier for a while. (personally, I think keeping him in a carrier would be adding undo stress, but do what is best for you and your cat). Fortunately, my sister kept Kricket for me and I kept Keeker at home with me.

Also, keep him where he can't get into hard to reach or unobservable hiding places so you can keep an eye on him. Cats will find the craziest places to hide when they aren't feeling well.

Limit food and water to very small portions the first 24 hours to avoid nausea. (Your vet might advise no food at all for 24 hours). Keeker, who is generally always looking for something to eat was sitting at his bowl about 5 hours after getting home and whining, so I gave him a spoonful of canned pate` and he did OK with it.

You will want to examine the incision sites a couple times a day to check for redness (Some deep pink is ok - dark red or purple is not), swelling, unusual odor or unusual drainage (scant amounts of clear or pink tinged drainage is normal; you don't want to see cloudy or pus-like drainage or blood). But do this gently and carefully. Do NOT touch the actual site. Even if you see some slight drainage, don't clean it or otherwise mess with it to avoid introducing bacteria and infection. Note: the testicles will be gone, but the scrotal sac will still be there. It will just be smaller and flat because it is now empty.

Ask your vet to show you the incisions before you leave the office so you know exactly what you are looking at and for.

Other things to look for would be pale gums, high or low body temperature, shivering, instability when trying to walk or stand (walking like a drunk), diarrhea, trouble pooping or peeing (trying to go, but unable to), blood in the urine, irregular or struggled breathing. He should be eating normally by the following morning. (These are just precautionary guidelines of what to look for! Don't panic and expect these to be the norm).

Your vet will probably prescribe pain meds. Follow the directions given. Honestly, after several unsuccessful attempts of getting Keeker to take a pill, I gave up. (He doesn't like to be held or handled on a good day. This was NOT a good day for him!) He was stressing out and getting a bit pissed. He didn't present any pain symptoms at all. You might want to ask your vet to give an initial does right before leaving the office and that should be good.

Don't be alarmed if you don't see any sutures! I couldn't find any and thought Keeker had licked or chewed them off! I even called my sister to see if Kricket still had his and when she told me she couldn't see any either, I called the vet!

He told me that there aren't any sutures. Let me explain:

The testicles are inside the scrotum, so to get to them there is a small incision made in each sac and the testicles are then cut/lasered and removed. Because the incision is so small, no sutures are used. There is a 'skin adhesive' (superglue, if you will) applied to close it up. However, the small 'slits' in the scrotum are left open to heal to allow any drainage and prevent an abscess.

Don't apply any ointments or creams to the incisions. You want them to air dry and your cat might feel compelled to lick the ointment off which could introduce unwanted bacteria.

Oh yea, I'm not sure if this would be a concern for you, but my vet told me that my boys would/could still impregnate a female for up to 4 to 6 weeks (sometimes 8 wks) after being neutered! (I had to pull up all my vet records and notes in another window, sorry). It takes a while for any 'lingering semen' to disipate or die off from the spermatic cords and vas deferens. Testosterone production will drop almost right away, but the hormone will remain in his system for a couple months, so don't be surprized if his bahavior doesn't change immediately after the surgery. If your female goes into heat, don't be shocked if he attemptes to 'service' her because he will still get that urge. It's best to keep them apart until his hormones deplete.

Sorry for the long red, but you seemed very concerned and hesitant. This is a lot of info, but I wanted you to be fully aware of what is going to be happening.
It's really not all that traumatic and both my boys did eceptionally well throughout the entire ordeal. So did I after I learned there weren't any sutures! LOL

You will both be fine! Make plans for a quiet evening for yourself - While your baby is sleeping, have a nice dinner of comfort foods. Then go soak in a warm lavender scented bath and snuggle into the couch with a glass of wine and a good movie or book.

I hope this helped!

So, Roo is home now. They said he did excellent. He is sleeping heavy and still a little unsteady on his feet. You said this is something to worry about so I'm a little worried. He did just come out of anesthesia when we picked him up. Could it just be that? I'm worried because we live in a tiny town with only one vet and they didn't even give my husband any directions at all. Nothing is on the discharge paper even. Just the cost. He obviously didn't have an IV because he has no shave site. His surgery site isn't even shaved nor does it even have iodine or anything around it. It just all seems so unprofessional really but since this is my first experience I don't really know? Should I be worried that he's sleeping a lot and still a little unsteady? We didn't pick him up until 4:45 so they had probably just done it maybe an hour or so before. He seems alert though, came straight out of the carrier,took a few bites of food,has walked around a bit.Should I just keep it dark and quiet in his room and let him rest a few hours instead of going in every 15 minutes? I'm sorry,I'm just nervous for my baby! Thank you so very much! Ps. I hope I replied to this right. It's confusing! Lol..Thank you again!

fyllis · Sep 16, 2015

BubblzMay said:
I hope I'm doing this right. (Updating everyone at once) Roo is home now in a little cat sanctuary. Last night we disinfected our utility room, put a low litter box in there, his favorite bed and blankets. A bowl of water and dry kibble. He did excellent they said!! As soon as I unzipped the carrier he came out (a little wobbly still) He's wanting out of the room but I'm not allowing that until tomorrow. I have the door cracked a few inches and latched so they can see each other and touch each other but can't get it open. I see nothing at the site, no incision, no swelling, they didn't even shave him. He doesn't even have an arm shaved for an IV. Should I not get my other cats done there because of this? I'd think he should have at least had a fluids IV? AND the site shaved for sanitary reasons? There's not even any iodine or alcohol smell to him. Seems strange but he's OK! Thank God!!

Here is a YouTube video of a neutering procedure. It shows and explains everything.

You'll notice that the cat is anesthetized with gas via a mask and not meds via an I.V. There is a quicker recovery time and the whole ordeal is over within 5 minutes, so there is no need for I.V. fluids. (similar to a tooth extraction).

Also, you will see the scrotal sac on the video and it looks 'bare'. Keep in mind that it is stretched or bulged at this point. After the surgery it will close in on itself and the surrounding hair will hide most of the sac, so it might look as there was no hair removed. Actually, very little hairis removed... they don't do a whole belly shave. Also, the incision is so small (almost like a paper cut), you would have to take a very close look to see it (I don't advise trying. Your boy is tender down there right now). As far as seeing or smelling iodine or alcohol, the area was most likely cleansed with Hibiclens soap which is clear and has no odor.

Both of my boys were done a year ago under the same procedure as seen on the video. There is no reason not to take your other cats to your vet. I hope this helps.

bubblzmay · Sep 16, 2015

Fyllis said:
Here is a YouTube video of a neutering procedure. It shows and explains everything.

You'll notice that the cat is anesthetized with gas via a mask and not meds via an I.V. There is a quicker recovery time and the whole ordeal is over within 5 minutes, so there is no need for I.V. fluids. (similar to a tooth extraction).
Also, you will see the scrotal sac on the video and it looks 'bare'. Keep in mind that it is stretched or bulged at this point. After the surgery it will close in on itself and the surrounding hair will hide most of the sac, so it might look as there was no hair removed. Actually, very little hairis removed... they don't do a whole belly shave. Also, the incision is so small (almost like a paper cut), you would have to take a very close look to see it (I don't advise trying. Your boy is tender down there right now). As far as seeing or smelling iodine or alcohol, the area was most likely cleansed with Hibiclens soap which is clear and has no odor.

Both of my boys were done a year ago under the same procedure as seen on the video. There is no reason not to take your other cats to your vet. I hope this helps.

Thank you so very much! I'm not good with this site yet and just now found this post. I had sent you another reply about all these same things before I found this. I apologize! I am still concerned about his sleeping and unsteady walk. It's not constant, just every few steps hell lose just a hair of balance and then regains it. Thank you again! You are awesome!!!!!

bubblzmay · Sep 16, 2015

Oh my! I'm not a guy and I couldn't watch this. I watched the first one get done and am having a bit of anxiety issues! Lol.. Time to go watch cute kitty vids now!! Thank you though for sharing this. It definitely answered a lot of my questions and concerns. Have a great evening!

kittyluv387 · Sep 16, 2015

I thought that if you let a female cat go in heat too many times without breeding her it puts the cat at a high risk of pyometra? An infection of her uterus? Someone please correct me if im wrong.

bubblzmay · Sep 16, 2015

stephanietx said:
It's much more difficult on us than it is on them. I always anxiously await the call from the vet telling me they're out of surgery and everything went well. Boys tend to recover quicker because their surgery is less invasive, but girls recover in a few days. I'd highly encourage you to get those girls done sooner rather than later because of the health issues that can arise if they go too long without being spayed, not to mention having to endure the heat season. That's a motivator for sure!

Yeah,about that anxiously awaited call. We specifically asked the reception to call us as soon as Roo was out of surgery and they never did. Needless to say,by the time 4:30 rolled around (The time they said to pick him up) we were a nervous wreck!! Also,when my hubbs got there, they were busy with another animals human and we had to wait on word even longer! Alls well though but that wasn't very cool on their part [emoji]128533[/emoji]

fyllis · Sep 16, 2015

I apologize, I maybe should have more clear. He will be unsteady on his feet for a little while after he fully wakes up. He's in kind of like a 'hangover' right now. And you said he was walking and even ate a few bites. IF he had been seriously wobbly, unable to stand, falling over and remained in a stuper, then he would have needed to be checked by the vet. But from what you describe, he is doing great!

Cats (like people) will react differently when coming out of anesthesia. That could be due to many things like the anesthesia used, how long he was under, his weight and age,or his tolerance to the drug.

My two boys were very different. Keeker was awake, walking around, meowing for food, and using his litter box within a couple hours of being home (at 5:00 P.M.). By 8:00 P.M., he was pretty much back to 'normal' - not his hyper-self running and jumping - but active, alert and hopping up on the couch and interacting.

Kricket, on the other hand, slept almost continuously until the following morning. He was awake and alert and did walk around a bit I (his water and litter box were next to his bed), but preferred to 'sleep it off' completely. He is normally more laid-back and less energetic than Keeker, so his inclination to sleep didn't worry me. My sister actually had him at her house and we exchanged reports over the phone. He was up and exploring her house, eating, drinking and using his box early the next morning and was climbing on furniture before noon.

Stop worrying. (I gather it is your nature to worry, right? LOL) Easier said than done, I know! But yes, allow him to rest undisturbed and wait for him to come out when he is ready. Put yourself in his... booties. If you just had surgery, would you want to be bothered every 15 minutes? Or would you just want to rest and allow your body to recover? There is your answer! He needs rest to heal. Tomorrow is another day and you will both be better!

nansiludie · Sep 16, 2015

kittyluv387 said:
I thought that if you let a female cat go in heat too many times without breeding her it puts the cat at a high risk of pyometra? An infection of her uterus? Someone please correct me if im wrong.

Yes. It does. I had a stray that came along with it, its much more expensive and a riskier surgery because by the time you notice the cat is ill, she's in bad shape. I strongly suggest you get the females spayed as soon as you can. Personally, I have had all my females spayed first to prevent any oops, litters. Cats can be awful tricky going about the kitten business.

It is bad because the uterus itself fills with pus and if its a closed infection, the uterus can rupture. If its open, whereas the pus can drain, its still bad but not as bad as a closed infection.

nansiludie · Sep 16, 2015

Another thing I'd like to add, I had a 5 month old kitten if I should call him a kitten, end up fathering a litter. I think you might try to get the girls spayed as soon as you can, if you are worried the girls might be pregnant, the Vet should be able to feel the females bellies and tell if there are any little ones or not. It does depend on if and how far along they are.

stephanietx · Sep 16, 2015

None of my cats have come home with a shaved arm for fluids for a spay or neuter. I wouldn't let that keep you from taking your girls there for their spays.

How's he doing now? I keep mine contained overnight the first night they come home, then they have free reign the following morning. You know, after they sleep off the anesthesia.

fyllis · Sep 17, 2015

Hoping things are going well for you today!

How are you and your cat faring?

Getting Roo neutered.

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