If you decide to neuter your cat this may have many benefits both for you and the cat and you will also help in reducing the overpopulation of felines. The neutering procedure is a simple one, but your pet will need some additional at home care after the surgery. The recovery time is important and you should do all you can to prevent complications.
At Home Recovery
The neutering surgery will be typically performed as an outpatient procedure and will take under 1 hour to complete. Your cat will be under anesthesia and even after the procedure he may be sedated, but all these events may cause stress. For this reason, arrange the trip home so that it will be the least stressful. Stress may affect the recovery process and reduce immunity, making the cat more prone to post surgery infections, so you should reduce the amount of stress.
You should cover your pet with a blanket or a clean towel and place him in his crate.
Allow the Cat to Rest
When you arrive home, you will have to arrange a room for your pet to allow him to rest. The room should be warm and quiet and darker.
Ideally, your cat should sleep until the next day, depending on the sedatives he is on.
However, you may need to provide additional pain meds for your cat, as recommended by your veterinarian.
Your vet may also instruct you to apply cold compresses on the surgery wound, which will reduce the bruising and the swelling. However, this may cause additional stress to your cat, so you may allow him to rest without applying the compresses.
If your cat won’t sleep, you may notice that he will lack balance, but this is normal after surgery and is due to the anesthetic.
Clean after Your Pet
After the surgery, the cat may eliminate more urine than usual, as fluids are injected in his body during the surgery. Your cat won’t be able to use the litter box, so you will have to change the sheets.
Diet after Surgery
The cat’s diet after surgery will be different, as he won’t be able to eat anything but liquids for the following 2 to 3 days. Get some kitten formula and feed this to your cat, as it will be easy to digest.
Some cats may refuse to eat, as they feel weak. You need to make sure that your cat eats, as he needs the strength to recover. If the cat doesn’t eat for over 24 hours, you have to visit your vet and get some IV fluids.
Your cat will be thirsty, so make sure your cat has fresh water.
The Surgery Wound
The surgery wound will recover in 2 to 4 weeks. However, you will need to make sure the wound is not infected. Change the bandage every 2 days or as indicated by the vet. When changing the bandage, check the wound and make sure there are no signs of infection such as puss accumulation or swelling.