Nakita's First Night Home - Questions!

[Russian Blue]

First, let me send many big and warm thank you's to all on the board who have been holding my hand through this! You all were a great comfort.

Oh...woe is me...what a first night.

We went and picked Nakita up last night from being spayed. When the vet brought her into the room she looked so sad and skinny! Plus, she was wearing one of those wonderful collars on her neck to keep her from licking her stitches. Let's just say she does not like it one bit. On top of all this, they have been giving her an eye cream. Supposedly, either during the operation or after, she kept her eyelids opened (for what duration I do not know). As a percaution, the vet is giving her an eye cream 4 times a day. So now, I have a skinny little kitty, in total depression over the collar, and having a greasy eyes and face because of the cream. Plus, when they brought her in, she gave me this look and a little meow as if to say "Why did you do this to me?"
Awwww...

We brought her home. She can't walk at all in that collar, she looks like she is an astronaut doing the moon walk! She tried to use her litter box, but because of the collar, is having trouble. So I took her collar off, but she went straight for her stitches and started licking.

Last night I slept in her room, and she kept wanting to go under the covers....but the collar kept getting in the way. Then when she did find a spot under the covers, she is having trouble sleeping because the collar gets in the way! I wanted to take it off so badly, but knew I couldn't! And this has to go on for another 10 days?? Ick! Maybe I'll get the cream that you can put on the stitches and when the cat licks it, it tastes so horrible she stays away.


This morning before my partner went to work, we tried giving her the eye cream. How do you do this, smear some in the corner of her eye??? I wish they were eye drops in liquid form,then that would be much easier. I think I got more cream on her face than in her eye. I have to do this 2 times a day for the next 10 days.

Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated!!

[Barbara]

Poor poor Nakita!
I wonder whether she will have to wear the collar the full 10 days. In 3-4 days you could test a little whether she really licks her stitches all the time.

Read about Fister's Journey through heaven and hell (also on Cat Health: he had a major surgery and you can feel how bad it was for Randi and John to do to Fister what he interpreted as "mistreatment".

I have lots of experiences with eye cream and eyedrops: believe me neither is fun. My husband had to hold Filou very tight while I was applying the cream (or the drops) in the inner eye corner. I had to do it morning and evening and at that time, whenever Filou saw us both in one room, he hid immediately......

The only comfort is that it will be over and she will trust you even if you feel guilty. They may be scared but they love you nevertheless.

Sweetie Nakita, be good. It will be over soon and all kitties think of you! {{{hugs}}}

[Cinder & Smoke]

Boots had to be given the eye creme - it lubricates the eye while they're still too groggy to blink on their own after being sedated. Doc Mike said WE could stop using it as soon as Boots was *blinking* his eyes on his own.

Administering the creme isn't too difficult with a *groggy* cat - we were taught to just gently hold the eye open with one hand, brace the hand holding the creme tube; and Very Gently squeese an 1/8" glob of creme directly onto the eyeball - Being SURE to NOT Touch the eye with the tip of the tube. Then gently close the eyelid once or twice to distribute the creme.

An ALERT cat may require a couple of extra hands to secure flailing arms, legs, head and *klawz*!

[NoahsMommy]

It feels horrible huh? But don't worry, she'll be back to her loving self soon. They bounce back quickly from these things. My little Basil is at the vet right now getting his chest x-ray done. It rips my heart out when I have to put him in his carrier and take him to the vet, he huddles in the back and gives a pittiful meow. Its so hard....but, its for their own good....that's what you have to keep telling youself.

The eye cream is hard to do, I can't even do it, so hubby does it for us. David puts the cream on his finger and then puts it in the eye. Its real quick. Maybe if Nakita's eyes look better, you wont need to do it as often.

How is she doing now? Any improvements?

[Nomilynn]

The gross tasting creme or spray is a good investment. I usually get the spray, and when the stitches are all healed up it's also good to keep the cats from chewing plants and clawing the furniture. Nutmeg had the creme because she was licking her stitches too, and I brought home a collar as a "just in case" so I think it might be a good idea to get something like that for you.

Also, I don't really understand why, but all three of my girls were skinny when they came back.. maybe it's because the have to fast or something.. I don't know. Nutmeg wasn't bad, but she is still a little bit skinny. Tilly looked dreadful for four days, but from what I can tell it's perfectly normal. Perhaps the vet people can explain why they look like this?

I don't have any experience with eye cream, and from the sounds of it I'm kinda glad I don't!!! But regardless, she won't hold her grudge for long and when she's feeling better she will act like herself again. Good luck!!!

[Rocky'smomma]

I am so glad she is home now!! Por little Nakita though...I am wondering if they will put one of those collars on Rocky after I go pick him up in the morning....is it the same with male kitties??
Give Nakita some smooches from me ok?!!

[Barbara]

Rocky's momma: my boys didn't get a collar -but of course it's a much smaller wound. Both of them were ok the day after -behaving like usual.

But it's always heartbreaking when you see them after anesthesy. When Filou has to see the doctor for plaque cleaning he has to be anesthesized too, the poor boy.

[Lillycat]

awwww i feel badly for nakita......hopefully in some days all will be well again!

[Russian Blue]

It's 9:46 pm here and in the last 4 hours I have seen a great improvement!!

As expected, Nakita slept most of today, only coming off the warm radiator for a *little* food. I kept the collar on most of the day but took it off around 4pm.

She then spent a good half hour totally cleaning herself. I can only imagine how horrible it is for her when the collar restricts her grooming sessions.

I tried again with the eye cream, and think I managed to put at least *half* in her eye. So that's an improvement from this morning. It is very hard to do this with a non-groggy cat!!

She is looking much better and meowing and wanting to explore the house now. Up to this time I have restricted her to the bedroom so she wouldn't jump around. I will check with the vet tomorrow and see if I can try some of the cream or spray that deters her from licking the stitches.

My babe is on the road to recovery. What an exhausting and emotional journey, but thankfully it was a short one!

Now there is just the trip to the vet to remove the stitches in 10 days and some blood work. The vet wants to make sure all is ok since she is such a small girl.

Thanks again for all the hand holding through this event. It helped immensely to this kitten newbie!

[Barbara]

Glad to hear she's getting back to her normal self!

If she's fine again: please post more pics! She so precious.

[Russian Blue]

Barbara,

If you want to take a look, I posted one of my favourite pics of Nakita in the Breeds Forum under Russian Blue and grey kitty's!

[Cataholic]

I don't think any of my girls had to wear a collar...just that silly rolling pin cover so that they couldn't get at the stitches. Frankly, I think it is easier to deal with. Take a tube sock, cut it at both ends, tape it up under the arms, and before the legs with athletic tape..snug, but not tight. They will lick it, but, it can't be licked away...you might try it. As to the eye creme...roll kitty up in a towel so just her head is popping out, and put on the eye creme. Yes, I know, easier said than done!!!!!! Good luck, and remember, it is being done because it is BEST FOR NAKITA! She, and you, will recover, better than ever!!!

[wayne0214]

I can say that the only furkid that did some licking after I brought her home from the neuter/spay clinic was Tiger. But it wasn't much of a problem with her, therefore, I didn't worry about it. I do not know if they put something on the incision area to keep her from licking it, or not.

My Blue-Czarina (a Russian Blue) was also spayed this last spring, and she was thin when I brought her home. But now she is fat, and looks to be "pregnant".

............wayne

[Felicia's Mom]

I know how you feel. Beau was at the vet's yesterday. My Felicia is still acting like she never saw him before.

I don't remember if my female cat licked or not. Probably not because either of them wearing a collor.

Good luck with Nakita. Pretty soon her hair will be all grown back and you both will have forgotten about this.

[smokey the elder]

I've never heard of a spayed female wearing an E-collar. I've just watched them and made sure they didn't lick the stitches too much. Many of the vets in New York use the absorbable stitches.