Kitten got neutered

Hey guys, 

So gatsby finally got neutered today and im such a nervous wreck trying to make sure he doesnt bump into stuff and honestly his sad little face kills me. 

Any pro tips on how to make this time a bit more comfortable for him. 

Also any suggestions or advice on the recovery time. 

P.s im kind leaning towards buying him a soft e collar any suggestions on that or just keep the regular plastic cone? 

Thank in advance guys. 

Male cats recover from neutering very quickly. It's very minor surgery.   Many of them never have collars of any sort and do just fine. They really only need one if they start to lick the area obsessively - many cats just give a few licks now and then,  which is nothing to worry about.  You can get the more comfortable cone if you like, but it might not be necessary.  On the other hand, it's nice to have one on hand so you can look at it as an investment.

In terms of pain:  When my Milo was neutered, I was horrified that the vet didn't give him any pain killers but the vet insisted he wouldn't need them. He was a bit subdued for a day or so but seemed to be completely back to normal within 24 hours.   That's pretty typical though some cats might take longer.

One thing you might notice is that Gatsby has little or no appetite for the first day after recovery. This is because the anesthesia can cause nausea but it should go away.  If he doesn't eat after 24 hours, you will have to begin enticing him by tempting him with especially tasty food and by hand feeding.

As far as trying to keep him from bumping into things:   The dizzying effects of the anesthesia don't last more than a few hours - if he's really stumbling around a lot, you might consider confining him to the bathroom or a cage for a bit.  I've not read of this being a common problem, but every cat is different.

And finally, I know it's easy to feel guilty when they look sad or uncomfortable.  Odds are that what you're interpreting as sadness is really just feeling a bit uncomfortable from the residual anesthesia and the surgery. Remember that his life will be much easier now and that you've actually given him a gift.  

Thank you so much for the advice/ suggestions. 

Seems like i either have a kitten that gives zero meows or a kitten that is super strong.

My mom did me a huge favor and picked him up while i'm at work. 

Soon as He got home he started running around and bumped into the sofa alot because he wants to go under. 

Mom put out his food bowl and he immediately started wolfing down his food and water (hes 5 months but hes close to 9 pounds) 

My mom is trying to keep him as calm as possible but hes acting like nothing happened 

 Super cat i guess

Cats have a wonderful recovery system. I had my cat Buzz neutered last week and felt the same as you. By the following day he was fine just licking himself now and again. No collar needed. Just make sure he drinks. margd has summed it up.

The boys seem to bounce back as soon as the anesthesia wears off and are often a bit hyper and very hungry after having had to fast before their surgery. It's the girls that are tender and have to be closely watched so they don't overdo it and rip open their incisions or lick them too much.

Morning guys. 

So Gatsby seems to be doing ok except with the cone. Last night he had me up till 2am because he would bump himself really hard on corners and not to mention him trying to jump on his cat tree. Felt so bad for him. 

I've been reading that as long as he doesnt lick obsessivly that he should be ok without the cone. 

Finally took off the cone this morning and he seemed happier but i got a bit paranoid that he went to use the bathroom and afterwards started to "bathe" himself and when he got to the area that he was licking. 

I left him without the cone since i work from 8am-4:30 and i should be home by 5pm but im not sure if thats a good thing bad thing. 

Hopefully he just cools out a bit and just goes to sleep,  

Seems to be eating a bit more which i can only assume he thinks hes not going to being eating like yesterday   

Also drinking lots of water, but then again he loves to drink water!   

Hopefully when i get home (Its 10:18am right now in LA ) nothing terrible has happened. 

Thank you again guys 

He sounds as if he is doing fine. He's bound to be licking himself so dont be too concerned as long as its not obsessive. Another day or so and he'll be back to normal.

This is good news.  Sounds like Gatsby is doing great.     (Sorry.  Couldn't resist)   Please let us know how he's doing when you get home. 

Hey guys, 

Oh, my.  Gatsby is too adorable for words!  That sweet face.  That big fluffy tail!  I think I'm in love. I certainly understand why all the female cats are paying him visits.

 Great news that he sailed through being neutered so effortlessly.  And the fact that you're already seeing improvements is wonderful. 

Aww!! Thank you

Yeah my little guy gets compliments especially his tail. My mom says he almost looks like a tiny fox lol