My two kittens will be spayed tomorrow. A couple of questions...

happyviking

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Well, my two little kittens, Jasmine and Senja, 5 and 4 mo. old, will be spayed tomorrow morning. I feel a bit nervous for them, but I know they'll be OK. It's just a matter of getting it over with. I guess I just don't like the idea of anybody cutting them open when they aren't sick... But these are irrational thoughts and I know better. There are many reasons they need to be spayed, I know about it all. But it's just that I don't want them to have to go through any trauma................. So silly in a way, I know it's the right desicion! I bet many of you feel the same way, we just want our kitties to be happy and feel good.

I don't know if this is common to do, but I actually wrapped them a "sack lunch"
I put some food for them in a bag, cause I don't know what they would be fed over there, and I figure it's best to let them have what they're used to (Nutro Natural Choice kitten kebbles). After all, when we switch foods at home, we do it over several days, not just all of a sudden.

Again, they will be brought over there in the morning, then stay 24 hours before I can pick them up again. Should I visit them while they are there, or will they be so sleepy they won't know the difference? Is it common for people to visit their cats during this kind of a stay? Is it better for all of us if I don't?

Can we pick them up to hold them at all, after they get back home again? How soon will it be before it's safe for dh and me, and also for my kids to pick them up? They are quite gentle with the cats and know how to handle them, but of course my youngest is only 3 1/2 and so his arms are short.

How long before they'll be bouncing around again?

And also: Do I need any special kind of litter for when they get back home again? We currently use Arm&Hammer crystals.

By the way, we wil NOT be declawing them!!!!!!!!!!!
I know that many people will declaw at the same time as spaying/neutering, but that has never ever been a question, even. Dh and I are both very much against that, just so you all know!!!
Just in case you were wondering....
 

catsrnmom

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Sending healing vibes to your babies tomorrow....When they come home, it takes up to about 5 days before they will be able to be held, and jump, in fact the vet will direct you as to how long...When you drop them off, ask the vet if maybe you could come for a short visit late in the afternoon, just to see them...now they may still be groggy, but if it makes you feel better, I don't think the vet would mind...
 

yosemite

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Aw mom don't worry they will be fine.

I'm sure they will be tender when they come home and I would certainly advocate picking them up very gently and handling them gently as well.

They should be fine in a couple of days. Just keep an eye to make sure they don't lick their incision too much and try to keep them from playing too rough. If they aren't on pain meds, they will know when it hurts and not to play so rough.

PS - give them extra kitty love when you get them home.

PPS - thanks for not declawing.
 

jane_vernon

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You babies will be fine!!!

I suggest maybe not letting the kids pick them up, but patting is fine! (Just so they don't get picked up too often, not that your kids will be rough
)

I personally wouldn't visit, as they may think they are going hom and they won't be - This would more likely lead to the cats getting a little stressed. Best just to leave it until they are ready to come home.

After around 5 days you'll find they are pretty much back to normal!! Cats are really good at getting over things like this so don't worry you babies will be right as rein before you know it!!
 

crittermom

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When Blaze was spayed, they gave us a few papers on how to and what not tos.it says in bold letters
DO NOT ALLOW EXCESSIVE PLAYING,JUMPING OR RUNNING.THIS MAY DELAY THE NORMAL HEALING PROCESS
RESTRICT CAT'S ACTIVITY FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS AND KEEP INDOORS.NO RUNNING OR JUMPING.
My Vet said for me not to let the kids pick her up, as she would be sore and may bite or scratch because of being in pain.I kept her in a crate for about 5 hours because she was really sleepy.I wouldn't let her run or jump either.
Good luck, they'll be fine.
no need to change the litter
 
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happyviking

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Update: I brought both cats in this morning (a 40min drive in the snow) and the first thing the vet told me was "I tried to call you; the vet came in this moring and has been throwing up all night, so I sent him home again...."
So he's sick, the poor man. I guess he NEVER takes a day off, so he must have been feeling pretty crummy....
I was told I could leave the cats there and wait and see what happens, maybe they could be spayed later today or possibly tomorrow. But with such uncertainty, I didn't want them there, confused in a new environment and not undertanding what's going on. So I took them home. They called again, and he has said he won't be in the rest of the day. So we'll see what happens... I ended up feeding them again anyway.
 

catsrnmom

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Oh my, that is hard, but I hope the vet gets to feeling better soon...so maybe next week, your babies will get to do it all over again...how stressful for you and them...
 

consumerkitty

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I'm sending lots of vibes and prayers for your two baby girls! I'm sorry that your vet got sick and that you have to wait.

Originally Posted by HappyViking

Well, my two little kittens, Jasmine and Senja, 5 and 4 mo. old, will be spayed tomorrow morning. I feel a bit nervous for them, but I know they'll be OK. It's just a matter of getting it over with. I guess I just don't like the idea of anybody cutting them open when they aren't sick... But these are irrational thoughts and I know better. There are many reasons they need to be spayed, I know about it all. But it's just that I don't want them to have to go through any trauma................. So silly in a way, I know it's the right desicion! I bet many of you feel the same way, we just want our kitties to be happy and feel good.
That's exactly how I feel. My baby girl is getting spayed tomorrow.
 

stampit3d

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Oh gosh...it`s hard enough to have to take them in the first place...and now you have to do it twice....but I`m sure the vet would have rather been in the operationg room than puking in the bathroom. Bless his heart....and yours and your babies too!
Linda
 

jennyr

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What a hard time you are having! But I wanted to add that different cats take different recovery times - mine varied from a few hours to a couple of days before they were feeling themselves, so don't panic if that happens to yours. Let them make the pace and decide when they feel OK to be petted etc. Keep them calm if you can, but it could be more stressful for them if they are suddenly shouted at for jumping onto beds etc if they feel all right doing it. I would not pick them them up though for a few days. Give them their favourite foods and they will be right as rain in no time!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by jennyranson

What a hard time you are having! But I wanted to add that different cats take different recovery times - mine varied from a few hours to a couple of days before they were feeling themselves, so don't panic if that happens to yours. Let them make the pace and decide when they feel OK to be petted etc. Keep them calm if you can, but it could be more stressful for them if they are suddenly shouted at for jumping onto beds etc if they feel all right doing it. I would not pick them them up though for a few days. Give them their favourite foods and they will be right as rain in no time!
both Cable & Java were pretty groggy the day of their surgery [i took them in in the morning & picked them up the same day] but by the next day, you wouldn't have known they had anything done. i was careful in picking them up, but they were running all over the place like normal.
 
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happyviking

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Originally Posted by consumercity

I'm sending lots of vibes and prayers for your two baby girls! I'm sorry that your vet got sick and that you have to wait.



That's exactly how I feel. My baby girl is getting spayed tomorrow.
How is your kittie doing? How did surgery go?
 
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