How to Care for Cats After Neutering Surgery
Caring for a Neutered Cat Following the Pet's Surgical Operation
Jun 3, 2009
Neutering a male cat has many benefits. "Fixing" a pet can prevent unwanted litters of kittens, while cutting down on or completely eliminating behaviors like on territorial spraying or feline aggression.
Often, the surgery to spay or neuter a cat marks the first time that an owner must care for their pet following a surgical operation. The potential for bleeding or infection, combined with the cat's different behavior after surgery leaves some cat owners very uneasy.
Knowing what to expect after neutering a cat, and understanding how to care for a pet after surgery will help cat lovers to provide great post-operative care, while calming those nerves.
Bringing the Cat Home From the Vet After Neutering Surgery
When a cat owner arrives at the veterinarian's office to collect his/her cat after a neuter, the veterinarian will typically discuss the cat's current condition. Usually, the neutering surgery — which takes just a few minutes — is performed in the morning, and the cat will typically go home in the early evening.
The following tips will help a pet owner care for his cat in the hours after surgery:
- Bring the cat home ASAP. Most cats experience a great deal of stress while riding in the car and stress can impede healing, so minimizing travel time is vital.
- Allow the cat to rest. Place the cat in a quiet location to rest after surgery, away from children and other pets. The cat may be in pain, which can cause a normally friendly animal to lash out. The potential for a cat bite or fight between the cat and other pets is great immediately following neutering or any other operation. Keeping the cat isolated will eliminate this risk. A bathroom, spare bedroom or home office is an ideal location for the cat to rest, but don't forget to include a litter box!
- Expect odd behavior. The visible effects of the anesthesia will affect the cat for 12-18 hours after the operation. This may cause the cat to exhibit a lack of coordination, excessive sleeping and grogginess.
- Eating and drinking after surgery. Offer water and a moderate amount of food in the evening after the neutering. Anesthesia makes cats nauseous for several hours, so many pets will not eat until the following day; others may eat within 12 hours. Vomiting is not uncommon during the cat's recovery from anesthesia.
In addition, many cats will urinate excessively following a surgical procedure. During the operation, the veterinarian will inject fluids to help the cat's body to better cope with the operation. This causes frequent urination in the hours following surgery.
On occasion, a cat may sleep so soundly after anesthesia that he may urinate in his bed. It's fairly uncommon, but it can occur, so as cat owners check on their cat throughout the night, also check the litter box. If the cat has not urinated, it can help to bring the cat to the litter box to encourage him to do his "business."
Caring for the Cat's Surgical Incision After a Neuter
In the hours following the surgery to neuter the cat, the site of the incision will appear swollen. In fact, the swelling can make it appear as though the testicles are still present!
The swelling at the site of the cat's incision should abate dramatically within 48 hours of the neutering.
The following symptoms indicate an infection in a recently-neutered cat:
- Increasing swelling
- Redness
- A gap in the edges of the incision
- Discharge from the incision
- An odor near the incision
Some minor redness and discharge is common in the days immediately following surgery, but like the swelling, the appearance of the cat's neutering incision should be improving in appearance day by day. If the surgical wound is looking worse and worse, this indicates an infection.
Other Tips to Care for a Cat After Neutering
In addition, pet owners should take the following measures to ensure their cat's recovery after a neuter.
- Keep cats indoors. Do not allow cats to go outdoors until the stitches have been removed, 10-14 days after surgery.
- Discourage jumping. Jumping and landing creates sudden movement that can tear stitches and delay healing of the cat's incision after neutering surgery. Strategically re-arranging furniture and household items is one way to prevent a cat from jumping.
- Use caution handling the cat. Pressure or movement at the site of the incision can be painful for the cat, causing him to lash out.
- Look for symptoms of illness. The cat's body is taxed by the stress from the neutering surgery and healing process. This compromises the immune system, making the cat more prone to respiratory infections and other illnesses. If the cat is not eating, or shows other unusual symptoms like nasal discharge or sneezing, a return visit to the veterinarian is vital.
When a cat undergoes surgery, there is always a risk of complications from anesthesia, infection or bleeding. Therefore, cat owners should have the name, address and phone number for a 24-hour emergency veterinary clinic, just in case emergency services are required.
Related Reading
Pet owners may also enjoy Neuticles Help Neutered Pets Look Intact, along with How to Clean a Pet's Incision After Surgery and How to Care for a Dog After Neutering Surgery.
