Being a responsible cat parent is no small feat. Once you've made the wise decision to spay or neuter your beloved feline, you've already taken a huge leap towards ensuring their long and happy life.
But what happens after the snip? It's time to show your feline friend some extra tender, loving care to make their recovery a breeze.
Here are some great tips for after surgery to keep your whiskered wonder safe, comfortable, and feeling like the king or queen of their domain.
It’s time to learn the secrets of a purrfectly pampered post-op period because your cat deserves nothing less!
Tip 1 - Medication for Pain
Ask your vet for pain medication to take home for your cat. They don’t always offer it, so it’s important to ask. This surgery is especially painful for female cats in those first few days and some medication can really help your baby to feel comfortable while they are healing.
Tip 2 - Small Meals
After coming home from surgery, be sure to break the meal up into 2 or even 3 smaller portions. They are likely going to be feeling nauseous after surgery and this will help them to keep their food down and not vomit.
Now more than ever a fresh food diet is so important. It is perfectly balanced with all the nutrients your cat needs to support their healing journey.
Tip 3 - Surgery Suit
If you have a female cat who just got spayed, I recommend getting a surgery suit that they will wear for 7 to 10 days post-op.
If they have access to their incision site, they will lick which could lead to infection - often they pull out their stitches too, so it’s important to do what you can to restrict their access.
If you have a male cat unfortunately a surgery suit won't work as the bottom is open - he will need to wear the “cone of shame” for 3-5 days to stop him from licking.
Tip 4 - Special Recovery Area
Prior to their spay/neuter appointment, you’ll want to set up a special area for your cat to recover in. This should be a quiet area where they cannot jump as that can injure their surgery site. Ideally, you’ll want to keep them away from other pets or small children to prevent them from getting overly excited or stressed.
My top recommendation is to buy or borrow a cage so that you can keep them in an enclosed area where you can have peace of mind that they are really safe (this is especially important if you are at work all day and unable to monitor them). Set it up for maximum comfort and ease with their bed and litter box and any favorite toys. Now there is no way they can jump or hurt themselves for the first few days as they recover.
Bonus Tip
Remember to administer extra gentle cuddles, loves, and kisses at regular intervals to provide that extra layer of comfort to your baby as they heal.
