Convalescence

[Gyn_Paul]

How long a convalescence will a female cat need after having been spayed, anybody know ?

p

[Alexis]

My Lulu slept for nearly 24 hours after her little op.  I carried her out for a wee after that but the next day she was fine.  We never even took her back to have her padding off as she lost it climbing a tree.  The vet said not to bother!

I must admit to being concerned that she slept so long.  She was on a chair in our bedroom in case she needed us.....

[Gyn_Paul]

Alexis:

Thank you for that. We have a young cat who adopted us some months (well a month, then) before having her first litter which (eventually) comprised just the one kitten. So - obviously - we CAN'T give that one away, can we; he's now a little bruiser of 5 weeks and quite delightful. So just as soon as he's weaned we'll take her off to have her op. He, too, won't be far behind having his dangly bits removed.

And there was me thinking life would be both cheaper and simpler in France!

p.

ps: she's also called Lulu!

[zeb]

We were really surprised that the vet in France carried out a full hysterectomy on our kitten (6 months) and, after talking to friends, this is quite normal.

Needless to say, she took several days to recover from the operation (she came home the same day) and then had to have the stitches out a couple of weeks later.

I wasn't at all happy at the time but she quickly recovered.

[Will]

Having had very large numbers of cats done, I think you will find it varies from animal to animal, and, indeed from vet to vet (according to what anaesthetic, and in what quantity, they have used). In the vast majority of cases, our cats have been completely back to normal by the following day. Indeed, feral cats (which are given dissolving stitches) are mostly gone as soon as they wake up fully. We take domestic cats in first thing (having ensured they have eaten nothing since the previous day) and collect them during the afternoon, by which time they are coming round. Feral cats are taken in the previous evening, and kept in the vet's cages overnight, to ensure they do not eat.

The vet we use normally removes just the ovaries, unless the cat is found to be pregnant (not uncommon with feral or semi-wild cats), in which case she removes the lot. She normally makes just a small incision underneath, rather than to the side which seems more common among British vets, with no padding or dressing normally needed. Most seem not to even need to wear a lampshade collar. She considers six months too young, and prefers to wait until 9-12 months old, depending on season, by which time they will be fully grown. Although it is a major op cats seem to cope very well indeed.

[Christine Animal]

Ditto to all Will has said.  I have only ever known one incision underneath in France.  They only take the ovaries out, and as Will says, the lot if the cat is pregnant "pleine" or if the uterus seems dodgy, not in good condition.  After we collect them from the vet we always leave them in their travel box until they have completely come round, you can tell this by the eyes, as otherwise they don't really realise what is going on and try to stagger about bumping into things.  They are usually OK by the evening, but it is better to wait until the next morning to feed them.

Important.  It is a good idea to get them tattooed, and should be systematic, at the same time, while they are under anaesthetic.  Also a good time to get any necessary blood tests done.