There's no doubt about it — spaying your cat is good for its health, and it's best for the animal world as a whole, too. The procedure is pretty routine, and cats rarely suffer any complications due to spaying. However, as spaying does require an abdominal incision, there is some pain and discomfort to be managed during the recovery process. Here are some dos and don'ts to adhere to as you help your kitty recover from a spaying procedure.
Do: Keep the environment calm and peaceful.
If your cat startles or becomes agitated, it may move suddenly, putting strain on the stitches. Even if this does not ultimately rip any of the stitches out, it can be painful. You, therefore, want to make sure you keep things as quiet and calm as possible around your kitty. This is not the time to rearrange furniture, have a party, or watch a movie with a lot of loud crashes or booms.
Don't: Leave your cat unattended for more than an hour or two.
You don't have to observe your cat constantly, but you do want to be wary throughout the recovery. If your cat starts licking the incision, you'll need to put a cone around the neck. You'll also want to watch to ensure that your cat is eating, drinking, and using the litter box like normal. If possible, arrange to stay home from work to observe your kitty for at least the first day after the spaying. If you can stay around for two days, that's even better
Do: Administer pain medication as recommended by your vet.
Your vet will likely give you pain medication, along with instructions for administering it to your cat. Usually, this is only necessary for the first few days after spaying, as this is when the pain is most pronounced. Make sure you administer the pain medication on schedule. Set an alarm to remind you, if needed.
Don't: Require your kitty to go up or down any stairs.
If you have stairs in your house, make sure it is not necessary for your cat to go up and down them for at least a couple of days after the spaying surgery. Navigating stairs could be uncomfortable, and it could even cause the stitches to pull. Put your cat's litter box, food, and other essentials all on one floor. If possible, you can even block off the stairways to keep your cat from using them.
With the guidelines above, you can make recovering from spaying surgery easier on your cat. If your cat starts showing any worrisome symptoms or does not seem to be perking up in a day or two, contact your vet.
There's a popular saying that goes, "not all heroes wear a cape." And it's true! Sometimes the heroes we need are not caped superheros, but veterinarians. When your dog is sick or your cat is ailing, this is who you need to call to save the day. The veterinarian can look your pet over, figure out what's wrong, and recommend the best treatment. Since pets cannot speak human languages, this might as well be a super power. We really appreciate the work that vets do, and we do regard them as heroes. We honor their work with this blog, which we write for readers like you.