Hanna's getting spayed

[boscibo]

The vet said 5 months old, around Halloween. Today, for the first time, she made it over the half-doors we have separating one half of our house from the other. We divided it so the cats can have an area away from the dogs - so one doorway has swinging half-doors, and I clamped a mirror on it so she couldn't slip under the doors. Today, Hanna made it up and over - into dog land. So I called the vet, she's going in for her operation on Wed. morning.

I am still really nervous about her being out with the dogs. My dogs know not to mess with the cats, but they haven't had to deal with a five-month old kitten. Both my other cats were adults when they met. Bandit is old (12) and he doesn't like any cat invading his personal space. I will be here keeping an eye on them, but things can happen so fast. And there is so much more stuff for Hanna to get into in the main part of the house - I am going to be a nervous wreck.

Hopefully the spay will mellow her out a little bit - she is so mischievous.

[NoahsMommy]

Our little girl, Noel, came fixed, so I don't have much to offer. Just know she'll be in my thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery.

Let us know how it goes. :)

[Kirsten]

Best wishes for Hanna and her little surgery!

I can understand your concerns regarding the dogs, would also make me very nervous. Hope being spayed makes her calm down and stay in her own territory.

Kirsten

[boscibo]

Thanks for the well wishes. The operation doesn't really scare me, I've been through it before (well, not PERSONALLY been through it, but have had female cats spayed before), just the "no food or water after 10 PM" part is hard for me. And she'll be gone overnight, and in a strange place.

It's just that my little Hanna is growing up, and becoming a big girl....sniff.

She's been out in the main part of the house, briefly. She'll just need to learn to leave the old grumpy dog alone, hopefully a few growls from Bandit will teach her.

[Kirsten]

I'm sure she will learn Bandit's lesson after a few growlings and leave him alone!

And yes, it must be hard that she's gone overnight, I wouldn't like that thought either. :(

Kirsten

[neko1]

I'm sure everything will go well with the surgery:) I'm sure everyone at the vets will take good care of her while she's there overnight. The no food after 10, although it seems hard, is for her best interest so she doesn't vomit from the anesthesia. The poor kitty will have been through enough, she doesn't need to be vomiting too!!
Lots of <3 from the gang!

[boscibo]

I know witholding food and water is for the vomiting, but darn it, it is so hard to deny them food. She'll have to stay in the bedroom after 10, no way can I take the food up - the other two cats would skin me alive! :eek:

Testing my new sig, too. I hope it isn't too big. When it runs off the page, I'll know then I have too many animals.

[Vermontcat]

Good luck with Hanna's surgery. She will want to rest afterwards and probably won't want to jump the door to visit the dogs for a while until she's all healed.
I love your new signature photos! All of your pets are beautiful, and one of them is a horse! So Abby must be the one in your avatar photo with the beautiful eyes!:cool:

[toughCookie]

yes good luck:)
Ive also never had a cat that wasn't already spayed or neutered,
so I don't know how they do after the surgery.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I just want to wish Hanna good luck with her surgery. :) I also love your signature pics. All of your animals are beautiful. :)

[Cataholic]

Hello..I wanted to wish you luck on Hanna's surgery tomorrow! I am sure things will go fine. As I mentioned in Scout's post, just be sure to be extra supportive to her hind quarters when picking her up, as the stitches could come apart. The vet sent Allie home with a sleeve (looked like a rolling pin cover), and she stayed so focused on licking that off that she left her actual belly alone!

As to the kitty getting in with the big dogs..my cats seem to be good with dogs, and know to stay out of their way. It might be possible that the dog will have to snap at Hanna for her to learn that some dogs just like to be left alone...you don't think that the dog would hurt her do you?

Good luck tomorrow, and keep us updated :)

[boscibo]

No, I don't think the dogs would hurt the cats. They were all brought up with cats, and have been around them constantly.

Abby cat did get bit once, but she has a really bad habit - she gets into the middle when the dogs have a spat. She got into one and got a small puncture wound (that abscessed, and got really bad - but that's another story), but I don't think the dogs would ever bite on purpose (I myself have gotten bit trying to break up a dog spat). I don't know why Abby does that, she thinks she's the Alpha and is in charge of keeping the peace. Luckily, the dogs don't fight often, I hate it when that happens. But it does happen, sometimes I equate having 3 male dogs to having 3 teenage boys. The fights aren't serious, but they are scary.


The weird part is, even after getting bit, the abscess, the week at the vet's and the trip back to the vet's every other day to change dressings for another week - she still comes running if she even suspects a dog fight! Most cats with any sense (and some humans too) would be better off running the other way when a dog disagreement starts.

I will be sad tomorrow, and missing Hanna.

[boscibo]

I forgot to add - after my boyfriend Jeff came home from work yesterday, he found a big piece of particleboard to put up in the doorway - so Hanna can't get over the hanging doors anymore.

We will wait until she is totally recovered from her spay before we let her out with the dogs. And keep a really close eye on her when she is with them. The thing that worries me is she doesn't seem to be afraid of anything - she's brave and adventurous. That is how we found her in the first place, though (we figure she wandered away from her mom and litter, and was out exploring on her own).

I will have 100 more grey hairs before this is all over.

[Chinadoll]

Awwww! Good Luck Hanna. Poor baby. I know when Gigi goes in for hers I will be even more freaked since the spay is more invasive than the neuter.

Scout goes in tomorrow evening because I can't drop him off Thursday morning(the vet opens when I need to be at work) He'll be gone two nights :( But I don't have to worry about taking away the food and water before the surgery. Since he has to go in the evening before they'll do that for me. He'd drive me crazy anyway. He's the loudest of all the kitties(really the others ones don't make a peep) I have to keep the food bowl filled or he'll come to me meowing so loud until I fill it. I don't know how I could stand denying him food and water for the night. But of course that also means he'll be away from me an extra night. My poor baby.

Somehow though...I have this feeling when the kitties get home(Scout and Hanna) they're going to milk this for all it's worth....probably play the poor pitiful kitty routine to con us into special treatment and treats for days on end :)

[boscibo]

She's home! And doing very well. I expected to see a mellow, tired, subdued kitten. Nope. Maybe she'll sleep later.

[Chinadoll]

Great News! I don't get to bring home Scout until Friday :(

[Cataholic]

Yeah Hannie-Bannie! Way to come through like a trooper. Now, really, you should get some rest, and not be so squirrley! Take it easy, let mommy pamper you! :)

[boscibo]

Hanna's finally sleeping. I forgot the best part (for me). For a full hour after she got home, it was head bumpies and kisses for ME! She really boosted my ego with her display of how much she missed me and was happy to be home. A few times I thought she had fallen asleep, but after I left her alone I would hear a little worried "mew...mew..." and I'd go back in for more kisses!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so glad that Hanna is home now and that her surgery went well. :)