Spaying A Cat: Aftercare And Recovery Tips – DodoWell

If you’ve already scheduled your cat’s spay, you might be in that pre-op stage where you’re freaking out about how to keep her comfy after surgery.

While you probably have tons of questions — and maybe some normal worries — about your cat having surgery, it’s important to make sure you’re all ready for the TLC your cat’s gonna need after she gets home.

The Dodo reached out to Dr. Rebecca Greenstein, a veterinarian working with The Dog People Panel, Dr. Natalie Marks, veterinarian at Blum Animal Hospital in Chicago, and Amy Davis, owner of My Cat Needs This, to learn more about just how to help your cat recover after her spay.

How are cats spayed?

Cats are spayed by undergoing surgery during which a veterinarian will enter the abdomen and remove their female reproductive organs.

“Routine cat spays are fairly similar procedure-wise to their female canine counterparts,” Dr. Greenstein told The Dodo. “They typically consist of the surgical removal of the ovaries and uterus under general anesthesia.”

What to expect for your cat’s spay recovery

The principles of post-op care for cats are similar to those for dogs, except cats can be a bit trickier to confine since they often jump up onto furniture.

“A spay incision is typically healed in 10–14 days, with the majority of healing occurring in the first seven days,” Dr. Marks told The Dodo.

During this period, it’s important to follow recommendations from your veterinarian to make sure your cat is resting and healing up properly.

Here’s what to expect during your cat’s spay recovery:

She’ll stay at the vet until she’s ready to go home

“After the surgery, your cat will likely need to stay at the vet’s office or a boarding facility until she can walk and go to the bathroom independently,” Davis told The Dodo.

She’ll get an e-collar

One of the most important tools to aid in your cat’s healing will be an e-collar.

“Cones to prevent licking are particularly important for cats after surgery since their prickly tongues have increased potential to irritate and disrupt their incisions,” Dr. Greenstein said.

Outdoor cats will become indoor cats

If your cat is an outdoor cat, your veterinarian will recommend you keep her inside while she recovers.

“Outdoor cats should be confined to indoors only for about 10 to 14 days after surgery so owners can more closely monitor their progress and detect any complication as early as possible,” Dr. Greenstein said.

Tips to keep your cat comfortable after a spay

After your cat has surgery to get spayed, there are a few things you can do to help her recover as comfortably as possible. Here are a few tips:

Keep her confined to a small area

Keep your cat confined to a small area of your home for the first week after surgery.

“To help enforce ‘bed rest,’ cat parents may want to confine them to a single cat-proofed room or floor of the house and remove cat trees or access to tall furniture they might want to jump on and off of,” Dr. Greenstein said.
According to Dr. Marks, anesthesia can take time to filter from the body, sometimes up to several hours after they come home.

Because of this, you should keep your cat in a safe and controlled environment — like a bedroom or small office — that’s free from stairs, things to climb or other possible hazards if your cat’s sleepy or groggy.

“In a perfect world, we would love for a cat in the recovery period after a spay to be contained to a bedroom or bathroom for at least the first 24 hours,” Dr. Marks advised.

But the exact time really depends on both the individual cat and the household.

“If this is a single cat living at home who is quiet during the day, then the pet parent can ease restriction … especially if the cat is stressed being separated,” Dr. Marks said. “However, if this cat lives with other active housemates, it may be necessary to separate them to help with healing.”

Make sure she’s comfortable

“Provide a warm, comfortable place for them to rest — preferably with low lighting,” Davis said.

To help create the most snuggly oasis for your cat, consider getting her a very cozy cat bed and some warm blankets.

Like this Paw of Approval-winning bed from Amazon for $34.95

Make sure to give all medications as directed

If you’re having difficulty administering the medication, Dr. Marks suggests calling your veterinarian right away to avoid missing a dose, which can lead to your cat having increased pain and risk of infection.

Closely monitor her for complications

Check the incision daily to look for redness, swelling, discharge or odor.

If any of these signs are seen, Dr. Marks suggests contacting your veterinarian immediately.

You should also call your vet immediately if any of the following symptoms appear:

“The most important thing to remember during recovery is that your cat should be closely monitored at all times,” Davis said.

While your cat’s recovery might be a little inconvenient in the moment, making small adjustments for a short period of time will ensure your cat suffers no complications from surgery — and she’ll be right back to keeping you up all night in no time.

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