Advice needed on spaying??? PLEASE!!!UPDATE ***PICS***

[jenluckenbach]

You will most likely not even need the E-collar. most cats are good about being spayed.
She might be groggy or tender, but not for very long. Keeping her quiet will probably be impossible! So just look at the incision every day. A bit of swelling is perfectly normal, but extreme reddness, oozing or bleeding are not.

Mostly.....don't worry. She WILL be fine.

[Freedom]

Most vets will give you written instructions, so you have something to refer to. And if you have any questions once you have her home, call and ask. The staff always have lots of experience too.

Each cat reacts little bit differently. Vita came home and spent 4 days sleeping it off, while none of my others needed more than 5 or 6 hours to be up and about.

It is important to limit their activity for the first few days at least. If you do have a separate room for her, that would be good.

I have had 4 females spayed, never needed an e-collar, and other than Vita sleeping for days, no issues either.

Males on the other hand . . . . Dazzle came home with an e-collar. He hated it and learned to get it off in 2 minutes flat. Then he would start the licking. Dad and I took turns keeping him busy with a catnip mouse or some other toy. Put the ecollar on; off it came. He was a little energizer bunny and wasn't about to stay put unless he had to. I had to keep him in the carrier at night for 2 nights. And Amber didn't have a collar but he kept licking and bothering until the vet told me to wrap a towel around him and tie it! That did nothing but give him something else to "attack." Boys. Sigh!

Your little one will be fine. If you aren't working during the day, you can usually go in and visit as they are coming out of anasthesia, about 1 PM. I always go in and visit, then go back to pick them up at 4 or so. Even if you can't visit, you CAN call and ask how things went, usually after 11:30.

Sandra

[Lizzie]

Jen just said what I was going to say. The only time I've ever used an e-collar on a cat is when they had a drain or line sutured in place, nothing to do with spaying. The cats I've had spayed bounced back, and I mean that literally, within a day of surgery. I've always kept them isolated in a small bedroom alone for a few days but there is no way I could stop them jumping up on the bed or into the window. I wouldn't cage for a spay unless the cat was sick in some other way. Also as Jen said, I keep a very close eye on the wound, checking for redness, irritation, building crust around the sutures, swelling, that kind of thing.

The only part I worry about, as I worry about it for dental cleaning or major surgery, is the anesthetic. However, since spays are relatively quick and easy, they may just use gas.

Can you isolate the cat in a bedroom? I just re-read your post and saw that you have young children. She will be groggy that evening and feel sore for a few days, so she can't be played with. I doubt if she will be irritable unless she is handled roughly, just a bit dopey and wanting to sleep it all off in a quiet area.

[Heather78418]

Thank you everyone..... Yes I can put her in my room... its off limits unless I say so or else I have two toy boxes worth of toys in there....So again I send thanks

[kt_luvs_kitties]

What everyone else said is true. Please dont worry too much! I will pray for your little girl! *HUGS* Katie and kitties

[Logan]

I'm sure everything will be just fine. My last spayed cat was my Mimi and that was a long, long time ago, but I have had another female cat, before her, and neither of them needed an e-collar. They just needed quiet and rest for a short while.

My Butter milked his neuter for all it was worth and layed on my bed for days after it!!! Silly boy was so happy to be inside where it it was warm, that I think he didn't dare act like he was feeling well, in fear that I would put him back outside!!!!

Logan

[Heather78418]

Ok I dropped her off this morning.. It was almost as bad as when my oldest had her first day of kindergarden. This morning my baby was meowing as they took her back. I know I am going to be a nervous wreck until I know that she came out of surgery ok. What was really heartbreaking was when I got home. My other baby (oreos little brother, not biological) was crying and looking around for her. I think this is so funny because when we first brought him home oreo hated him. Well hopefully all goes well , I will keep everyone updated.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

She will be fine. When my Cally was spayed she pulled out her first lot of stitches so I cut the sleeve off a cardigan and made it into a polo neck for her to wear! Her front paws went through two holes and the rest of it covered her belly - she looked great!