Kitten after surgery, advice needed

chris0601

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Greetings, I'm not sure if this is the right forum, so I apologize in advance.
I adopted two kittens(male &female) 5 months ago and had them spayed/neutered this weekend.
Sasha needs to wear a cone and I have to keep them separated for 2 weeks; advice from the vet.
The problem, I'm living in a studio apartment and the only way to keep them separated is by putting one in the bathroom...
So far, I'm alternating them and switch then out every few hours.
Monday, I'll have to be back at work and just thinking about locking one in the bathroom for 10 hours, breaks my heart.
I'm hoping someone here has any suggestions.

Thank you
Chris
 

stephanietx

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Honestly, I wouldn't separate them, as I think that would just cause more stress all the way around. I have brought home spayed/neutered kitties (one at a time) and I have left them overnight in a large crate just because they were drowsy and unsteady from the anesthesia.  The next day, they were back in the general population and did fine.  I also never put a cone on my girls after their spay.  I just watched the incision.  As long as they don't pop a stitch, the incision doesn't open up, or become angry looking, red, or weeping, then they are okay.  Kitties are pretty good at self-limiting when they feel pain, so they won't be too rambunctious quickly.  Keep an eye on them over the weekend and see how they do.
 

Kieka

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I haven't coned a cat in 10 years. When Rocket was about the same age she was spayed and she didn't mess with her stitches. Just kept an eye on her and checked the stitches multiples times a day. If you have problems then definite cone but if there is no problem that can elevate stress and slow healing, IMHO.

I'd guess the spereation is to keep the boy from bunny kicking the girl in play? But she'd run or hiss and stop him if tgat happened. My Link is hobbling around with an unbandaged broken leg and Rocket seems very aware that hes hurt. She doesn't go after that leg and he swats her or walks away if he feels shes getting too close to touching it. I agree that cats are pretty good at self regulating injuries and protecting themselves if hurt. Part of the reason I am not a huge fan of giving cats pain medication is because they don't know they are getting it and feel high as a kite so they can hurt themselevs worse (again IMHO, if its needed definite yes but if not its over used). But as young as yours are the boy will probably feel 100% in 48 hours and the girl probably closer to 3-4 days.

Your boy is also too young to be interested in horomones or trying to mate which would be the other reason to seperate until the horomones are out of their systems. I can't think if any other good reason to seperate them. I follow a lot of foster moms online and I can't say I've ever seen kitten isolated after spay/neuter or a cone unless there were complications after the spay.

I agree that there isn't a need to seperate and it will just cause anxiety all around (again slowing healing).

Just keep an eye on them and act if there are any problems.
 
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chris0601

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Thank you for the advise.
I tried to take the cone off of Sasha but she started licking the incision intensively, so I had to put it back on.
Gizmo seems already be back to normal and shows no signs that the surgery slowed him down but he doesn't seem to recognize his sister anymore. He is constantly hissing at her (she's not hissing at him).

I'm more worried about Gizmo licking her incision after I reunite them because he did lick her and any human in sight profoyndly.
 

stephanietx

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The licking is totally normal until she gets the hospital smell off of her.  That area doesn't smell like her, so she's got to lick it to get all the stink off.  Once she does that, she will probably leave it alone.  She probably won't let him lick her incision even if they do groom each other.
 
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