My cat got spayed yesterday and I'm going crazy

[maiaelizabeth]

My 21 month old tabby got spayed yesterday but its the first time that I have to go through something like this and I do not like it at all. I dropped her off at the clinic at 8:15 a.m. and i cried when I left, I was worried the whole day and when I went to pick her up at 5:30pm the same day I was relieved everything had gone fine. It was a two hour ride home and she was still a little bit out of it so when we came home we started trying to put the Elizabethan collar and she did not like it at all. She fought and fought and my boyfriend and I practically took turns to take care of her in the bathroom. We have another cat so we chose to put her in the bathroom where se can't jump or hide or anything. I have not slept. If I decide to lay down I fall sleep for a couple of minutes and wake up to check on here. She seems fine but I am way too worried. She hand and then her legs were shivering a little bit at noon and I called to vet to see if I should bring Her in. It wasn't where she got spayed though because the are closed until next week. We tried to put her in the crate and she fought and it just breaks my heart to see her like that. I ended up not taking her and she walks and eats normally. I'm just scared about thr whole situation. Her insition was glued not stitched so it looks crazy and maybe a little swollen. Any advice? Also she got 24 hour pain medication and by now it has worn off. I didn't get a prescription. What should I do?

 

[Willowy]

Just take a deep breath and relax . I have had a LOT of cats spayed and none have ever had any problems. I don't use a cone because I feel like it stresses them (and stress hinders healing), and only one kitty ever chewed her stitches. You do want to keep an eye out in case she decides to chew her incision, but don't freak out every time she cleans herself. As long as she's eating and drinking and using the litterbox without any problems, and as long as the incision isn't nasty red and weepy, everything will be fine. Let her set the pace for her recovery---she knows what hurts. I would keep her in the bathroom for another day, maybe 2, but not any longer than that. And if she starts getting stressed about being in the bathroom I would let her out before that.

 

[stephanietx]

First, take a deep breath and then exhale slowly.  She's probably fine without the collar and without any additional pain meds.  Kitties are really good at self-limiting when they're in pain, so just watch her for excessive lethargy and keep an eye on the incision.  If it gets really angry looking, then you need to get her to the vet.  If she licks it excessively, depending on her age, you can try some different things to keep her from reaching it such as a sock top, a baby onesie, or even a paper plate.

 

[maiaelizabeth]

Thanks for your help :bigthumb:

 

[maiaelizabeth]

She does lick the wound if she doesn't have the collar on how is that thing with the paper plate?

 

[cprcheetah]

Personally I prefer my cats have pain meds for about 5-7 days following a spay.  It is a major operation and I sure wouldn't want to go through something like that without them.  Some vets don't really think they are necessary.  The vet I work for dispenses 5 days of pain meds with all surgeries.  A little swelling at the incision site is normal.  Since it was just glued she can easily open the incision so please keep the cone on her so she can't get to it.  It sounds like she is doing good as far as eating, drinking etc.  Just keep her quiet as you can and best for her not to jump around and play rough for a few days.

 

[stephanietx]

She's going to lick some because it doesn't smell "right" to her.  It has to smell like herself and it smells like the vet's office.  If she continues to lick it or licks it incessantly, then be concerned.  To use the paper plate, cut an opening in the middle of the plate large enough to fit over her head and slip it on.

 

[malt]

I really understand your upset and anxiety. I got my girl spayed a couple of weeks ago was so worried about taking her in that I didn't sleep the night before, and I fasted with her (at first it didn't feel fair eating when she couldn't have anything, and then I was too anxious to eat. I didn't eat until she did when she got back!). After dropping her off I cried on and off all day and started weeping with relief when I picked her up. The vets didn't know whether to laugh at me or feel sorry for me! I was extra worried because she was pregnant when I had her spayed, which is riskier than a regular spaying, but it had to be done. 

She was chewing her stitches, and she even had to have a staple put in when she chewed one of them out. But the cone made her miserable... and then she threw up in it... she didn't have a good week :/ What I did was I got an old t-shirt, cut it down the side seams, and sewed the front half over on itself t make a body sock. Her head went through the neck hole, her front legs through the gap made by the sleeves, and then I cut some holes for her back legs and just trimmed the bottom of the shirt so her butt could fit out the end. It's not the most dignified thing and she'd rather not be wearing it, but it stopped her from touching her stitches entirely, and it was much nicer for her than the cone. 

 

[maiaelizabeth]

Awww poor baby girl Maia is getting used to the cone and she's walking around the apartment with my supervision. Sometimes she shakes her head like a dog when its wet because it probably tickles her ears. She's do I great, eating a lot and playing a little with me. I finally slept last night and only woke up twice to check on her. Thanks for all your support!

 

[joannie01]

I found after 5 days you can take off the cone:nod:

 

[maiaelizabeth]

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She wants me to take her out of the bathroom but when I do she wants to jump to the table, the chair or higher I take her out for an hour or so and I just follow her everywhere. :lol3:

 

[maiaelizabeth]

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• maiaelizabeth
• Feb 23, 2014

 

[jtbo]

We don't even get cone here, just bit of pain killer for next day. Everyone of mine have been okay, when I brought them back I let them wake up fully in carrier and when they started to come around I opened a door and watched flash go trough the room into darkest spot available.

Next day I could not even find one that visited the Vet, but I did see from security cameras that there was no problems, just bit shocked cat.

Day after that there was no difference at all, it is incredible how quickly they recover.

I guess that too much attention can cause stress to cat, they relax and heal best when ignored, but that is not always very easy to do.

I found it completely impossible to keep them from jumping and doing those things they should not do after a day or two, of course I could of forced, but then again it would meant more of battle and stress for wound that letting them do what they do, there I figured out that at least I can pick lesser from two evils

 

[stephanietx]

I never got a cone either and no pain meds.  They got a pain med shot before leaving the vet's and that was it.  They were up and at 'em the next day acting like nothing happened!  I think I was more freaked about the whole thing than they were.  I'd try it without the cone for awhile and see how she does.  Kitties are very good at self-limiting their activity when they don't feel good, so I wouldn't stress overly much leaving her unsupervised.

 

[maiaelizabeth]

Today is day 3 since Maia's spaying and its incredible how well she is recovering. I have a concern though. I just touched her insulation site and it feels a little bit hard and its a little bit red. She's not presenting any abnormal symptoms but I was wondering if its normal.

 

[maiaelizabeth]

Today is day 3 since Maia's spaying and its incredible how well she is recovering. I have a concern though. I just touched her insulation site and it feels a little bit hard and its a little bit red. She's not presenting any abnormal symptoms but I was wondering if its normal.

insition*

 

[maiaelizabeth]

Insicion?

 

[furmonster mom]

lol...

incision

Glad to hear she is doing better.  As long as the incision site is not super red, radiating red lines, or hot, it should be fine.  The hardness you feel is most likely a bit of scar tissue building up.  It will go down in time.

 

[maiaelizabeth]

thanks so much that brings me a lot of peace!

 

[stephanietx]

Yep, the hardness is scar tissue building up and the healing process beginning.  As long as the incision site doesn't look angry red, hot, or radiating like the previous poster mentioned, she's doing well.