Do you take feral in for neuter even if you trapped a day in advance and they’ve not eaten/drank/gone to the bathroom the whole time?

[moxiewild]

I never know what to do when this happens.

I trapped the Momma semi-feral I’ve been after for a month last night. She has not eaten in over 24 hours at this point (I had told her feeder to skip dinner, but she was given breakfast). It does not appear as though she’s drank either, or even gone to the bathroom since trapped.

A couple of times something similar has happened, I have gone through with taking them to the clinic.

Most times, I put it off a day to see if they break down and eat/drink/do their business, and they usually do.

Other times I’ve taken them to our normal vet because I couldn’t stand the worry and had the finances and time to do so, and especially if they’re males. But I never know if I’m overreacting by doing this - nothing has ever been found to be wrong with them, the vet always chalks it up to stress, and I hate putting them through that additional stress for nothing.

I am going to keep offering Momma kitty various wet food until midnight tonight, but what if she doesn’t improve? And just how much improvement constitutes “improved enough”?

It just doesn’t sit well with me to place a cat into surgery (especially major surgery like a spay) who hasn’t ate/drank/gone potty in so long unless it’s absolutely necessary.

I was going to bring her in tomorrow morning, but I can just as easily bring her in Tuesday. Any later than that and I’ll have to wait another week.

What do you guys do in this situation?

 

[Norachan]

I would take her in for surgery anyway, just let the vet know the situation. I've brought TNR'd outdoor cats indoors, several years after they were first trapped and spayed, and had to keep them crated until they got used to the rest of my cats. They usually go 24 hours without daring to eat or pee too.

My vet has told me that when the cat relaxes after they're given anesthetic it's quite common for them to pee. A couple of them had to be given impromptu butt baths too, after they pooped while under anesthetic. If the cat is dehydrated your vet will be able to give sub-q fluids while she's under.

I think it would be easier to take her for surgery as scheduled, then keep her crated for an extra week to make sure nothing is wrong, rather than crating her for a week before surgery.

 

[moxiewild]

Yes, if under other circumstances, I wouldn’t be worried (although I always worry when males don’t urinate...). I know there’s a 99% chance it’s stress.

I’m more concerned, I suppose about sending a potentially weak cat into surgery, I guess. It’s a bare bones spay/neuter clinic, so no lab work or anything fancy, which is I guess, part of the concern. I worry about things going wrong there because I never know what they have access to.

I feel similarly post-surgery when it comes to release. I know it is most likely stress, but it doesn’t feel right to release when they aren’t performing normally functions.

 

[Jcatbird]

You don’t want to drag it out if you don’t need to. Another day waiting could be another day without eating. If you aren’t sure what the vet clinic would have access to ,if they need it, I would definitely ask. The vet should be able to answer you. They should be able to provide the basics that are needed during any emergency but to relieve any concerns you might have, go over it before you release her to them. We always feel better if we can clear up any unknown details and know that the kitty is well protected. I know it can be nerve wracking getting them through both sides of the procedures.

 

[moxiewild]

You don’t want to drag it out if you don’t need to. Another day waiting could be another day without eating. If you aren’t sure what the vet clinic would have access to ,if they need it, I would definitely ask. The vet should be able to answer you. They should be able to provide the basics that are needed during any emergency but to relieve any concerns you might have, go over it before you release her to them. We always feel better if we can clear up any unknown details and know that the kitty is well protected. I know it can be nerve wracking getting them through both sides of the procedures.

This is a good idea, but it would mean I’d almost certainly need to wait another day - as in, go talk to them tomorrow morning, then bring her back in for surgery the next day.

I’ve never been able to speak to the vets at this clinic when I’ve asked before because they are so busy. I can talk to the techs a bit, usually (though they are usually a bit rushed), so I might try that.

I fully anticipate it being a madhouse over the next couple of days since they will be closing for the holidays and it is ALWAYS a mad house on holiday weeks.

As small as it is, I did get her to blink at me earlier, and she has since changed her position in the crate twice now, so I think she is beginning to come around even if she hasn’t touched her food or anything.

 

[Jcatbird]

I assume you have used this clinic previously with good results? Having a kitty refuse to eat and drink after being trapped is fairly common. As Norachan stated, they often release everything during anesthesia.

The techs may be able to answer your questions to your satisfaction the morning of the Spay so that you don’t have to make the kitty wait. Make a list of what you want to know ahead of time for speed and ease in getting answers. Just keep in mind that you don’t want the kitty waiting just to have to undergo the surgery under more stress. You want her at the optimum condition possible. Do I recall correctly that you are in the U.S.? You can probably get some information about the clinic online. Perhaps your questions could be answered that way.

 

[walli]

I started volunteering at the Neuter clinics and one thing I found out is
they empty the bladders before surgery while they are under.
I think they evaluate them for the surgery also, you may want to ask these questions
to see if they do these also, our clinics you can pay 20 for extra testing if wanted, everything else is free
but most people give donations anyway.

OH and fyi my last trapping the kitty didn't eat much at all either

 

[movinintime]

If I could take a feral in, he'd ONLY go to MY private all-cat vet. I trust no one else. Often the worry is euthansia w/ unknown ferals health history vs the policy of many community type clinic. But I realize the cost & not all have access to an all-cat vet too. So, take him asap despite his lack of food/h20 as they need to be seen by a vet, at least,that surpasses the need to delay further.

Best of luck & let us know how works out. Attach files

 

[moxiewild]

I assume you have used this clinic previously with good results? Having a kitty refuse to eat and drink after being trapped is fairly common. As Norachan stated, they often release everything during anesthesia.

The techs may be able to answer your questions to your satisfaction the morning of the Spay so that you don’t have to make the kitty wait. Make a list of what you want to know ahead of time for speed and ease in getting answers. Just keep in mind that you don’t want the kitty waiting just to have to undergo the surgery under more stress. You want her at the optimum condition possible. Do I recall correctly that you are in the U.S.? You can probably get some information about the clinic online. Perhaps your questions could be answered that way.

Yes, like I said earlier, I am completely used to cats not eating/drinking/using the litterbox after being trapped. I am only uncomfortable and concerned when it is right before surgery and I had to trap them a day or so in advance (meaning they’ve gone a longer amount of time in this state). I usually trap either the night before or the same morning, but I had to travel over an hour to trap this cat and her kittens and construction is starting where she lives this week, so I had to utilize every night I had available.

I am primarily concerned about a cat going into (major) surgery in a weakened condition, unless absolutely necessary. The bathroom stuff mostly concerns me when it’s males not urinating, for obvious reasons, but I worry less overall about everything else concerning males since a neuter is not as invasive as a spay.

The clinic is small and in a very small town. There is practically no information available online other than pricing, and a FAQ about the importance of spay/neuter, and how to prepare and what to expect (all geared toward actual pets, not strays/ferals).

And yes, I am very familiar with this clinic! I have used them for well over 50 cats and for 23 dogs. To the best of my knowledge, everything has gone well with everyone who I’ve taken in so far.

But they do not employ a permanent medical staff. Only administration is permanent. Every single vet clinic in town does a volunteer rotation at the clinic, so you never know who is working or who will be performing surgery on your animal. So that definitely contributed to a lack of confidence in the clinic at times.

It’s not ideal and I have a love/hate relationship with the clinic - but one of the “loves” is that is the only low cost spay/neuter clinic available within two hours for a cluster of small rural towns and townships in the area. So the service they do provide, is pretty huge for those residents, especially colony caretakers.

I was compelled to post because this cat actually has a family adopting her after we spay her and take her to our regular vet for further basic vetting after she heals.

My boyfriend was very concerned over her and looking to me for “concrete answers” and it got in my head, haha. He really likes this couple (who have been feeding for her for a year and really care about her), and has become close to the woman in particular and doesn’t want to disappoint her. So he was just very worried about whether Miss Kitty would be okay.

 

[moxiewild]

I started volunteering at the Neuter clinics and one thing I found out is
they empty the bladders before surgery while they are under.
I think they evaluate them for the surgery also, you may want to ask these questions
to see if they do these also, our clinics you can pay 20 for extra testing if wanted, everything else is free
but most people give donations anyway.

OH and fyi my last trapping the kitty didn't eat much at all either

This clinic used to offer add on services like preliminary lab work, FIV/FeLV testing, flea/worm treatment, etc, but they’ve been gradually cutting down those services over the past few years. Now it is only spay/neuter, vaccinations, and microchip

The only evaluation done before hand is a basic physical exam.

 

[moxiewild]

If I could take a feral in, he'd ONLY go to MY private all-cat vet. I trust no one else. Often the worry is euthansia w/ unknown ferals health history vs the policy of many community type clinic. But I realize the cost & not all have access to an all-cat vet too. So, take him asap despite his lack of food/h20 as they need to be seen by a vet, at least,that surpasses the need to delay further.

Best of luck & let us know how works out. Attach files

I’d take them to “the best” too if I could afford it, but that’s not practical when you’re spaying and neutering over 100 cats and dogs, or for most colony caretakers in general.

I’d only be able to afford fixing a very small fraction of the animals I do now if I went that route. It’s hard enough to afford that volume of animals at a low cost clinic (especially when “stray” and “feral” rates only apply to cats).

This clinic specifically accepts ferals like most low cost clinics do, so there’s no fear regarding euthanasia. I would think a clinic would be required to obtain consent from the steward of the cat in order to do that anyway (save for very extreme situations).

We arrived two hours before opening, but someone showed up earlier than everyone with a bus full of cats, which occasionally happens. Only a couple other people with ferals were accepted today.

So we’ll show up even earlier tomorrow!

 

[walli]

I would take a flea treatment with you and ask them to use it
unless you can handle the cat yourself of course!
They are offering quite a bit, not getting fiv/felv testing is not a deal breaker
weird about the flea treatment tho and the deworming.

 

[fionasmom]

I am leaning to the side of proceeding, but you have to do what you feel is right. Do you have a good chance of retrapping if you do not do this now? This has been a long road for all of you.

 

[moxiewild]

I would take a flea treatment with you and ask them to use it
unless you can handle the cat yourself of course!
They are offering quite a bit, not getting fiv/felv testing is not a deal breaker
weird about the flea treatment tho and the deworming.

Yeah, I was just replying to your comment about additional testing and trying to emphasize how bare bones the clinic is now.

My regular ferals are treated with generic Program and Capstar and periodically dewormed via their food. Anyone else like this cat that I don’t have opportunities to do that with, I do bring Revolution with me and ask them to dose kitty while they’re at the clinic

It was a lot more convenient and affordable when they used to offer that service, though.

 

[moxiewild]

I am leaning to the side of proceeding, but you have to do what you feel is right. Do you have a good chance of retrapping if you do not do this now? This has been a long road for all of you.

I don’t have a great opportunity to retrap due to distance, new construction, and the fact that this was the second time in the past month that I trapped her, so I feel lucky enough already to have been able to trap her again!

I can hold onto her for as long as necessary, though. I am hoping to work on her socialization while she is with us anyway, so this isn’t going to be a quick release regardless.

 

[movinintime]

Moxie, my bad. I mistakenly read the original question. I only deal w/ one feral so yes, in the case of multiples, in no way could I afford it. So, it is just i took a huge liking to this male feral & protect him in these apts best I can. Again, sorry for the misunderstanding re multiples.