The first thing veterinarians will explain is that cats should be kept quiet during the spay or neuter recovery time. That means no excessive running, jumping, or playing.
Restrict your cat's activity for at least the first 5-7 days after surgery to prevent stress or inflammation at the surgery site.
For neuter procedures, it typically takes your cat 5 -7 days to recover. It's important to monitor for any of the signs above and contact your vet if you notice any lingering or worsening symptoms. While they are healing, do not let your cat run, jump, or play with other animals. It is important that they rest.
Post-op care for male cat castration
If the swelling appears to be bigger than the testicles that were there before, call us for advice. Please prevent your cat from licking the procedure site as this can lead to infection.
Absolutely no licking of the incision area is allowed! If your pet is going to lick or begins to lick their incision, they need to wear an E-Collar (plastic cone) for 7-10 days after surgery. A pet can pull out stitches easily which can lead much more damage. 2.
After the first week, most incisions are healed enough to allow the skin sutures or staples to be removed. The edges of the incision are typically sealed together, there is no discharge and no pain associated with the incision, and the redness should be gone.
Your vet will likely recommend limiting your pet's movement for a specified period (usually a week) after surgery. Sudden jumping or stretching can disrupt the healing process and may even cause the incision to reopen.
You cannot leave your cat alone for the first 12-24 hours after she is spayed, since this is a critical time to monitor for postoperative bleeding and normal urination. After this, as long as your cat seems comfortable and is urinating, you may leave her in a confined area with her E-collar in place.
She should be kept indoors for at least 2 days after the operation (longer if possible) to allow the wound to begin the healing process. If you have only recently acquired an adult cat it may be necessary to keep her in for a longer period after the operation until she has got used to living with you.
“Spaying eliminates heat cycles, and cats can be extremely affectionate and vocal during a heat cycle,” Brömme says. “As a result, your cat might seem a bit calmer after getting spayed because she no longer will have these cycles.”
There are key signs that indicate that your pup's incision is healing well, which include: Closed incision edges. Pinkish skin surrounding the incision edges (this is a normal part of the inflammation process) Slight skin bruising.
For both these reasons, all pets need to be prevented from licking their skin incisions for at least 10-14 days after surgery.
Often Curbs Undesirable Behaviors - Sterilized cats will be less likely to roam, yowl, wail, bite, display aggressive behavior, or spray or mark their territory. Intact males often escape to find females, putting them at risk of injury or fights with other males.
IF your pet was NEUTERED today:
There are 2 open incisions over your pet's scrotum. These wounds will heal by themselves—please do not clean/wipe/soak these incisions.
The cone should stay on until the site is fully healed, and/or the sutures are removed. Most sutures and staples are left in for 10-14 days. Other lesions may take less or more time than that to heal completely.
Will my cat need to wear a buster collar after being neutered? Most female cats need to wear a buster collar or medical shirt to protect their wound after being neutered. Male cats only tend to need one if they are licking their wound a lot.
What can I do? Solid deodorant sometimes will work to stop licking—same thing, apply it around the incision. Too much of this can be bad for your pet, though, so if he or she continues licking, you will need to find another solution. T shirts and onsies can also work to help block licking.
Dehiscence is when an incision ruptures and opens. If an internal layer of sutures ruptures, you may notice a new bump under healthy normal skin or tenderness in that area. If the external incision dehisces, the incision will be open.
Neutered dogs and cats often recover more quickly than spayed animals. A neutered male dog may be back to normal, or close to it, in just two or three days. Spayed dogs may need a few more days because the procedure is a bit more intrusive.
The incision should be clean and the edges should be touching each other. The skin should be a normal or slightly reddish-pink color. It is not unusual for the incision to be slightly redder during the first few days while healing begins. In pale-skinned cats, bruising is often seen around the surgical site.
Extreme behavior may be a sign that your cat is in a lot of pain post-surgery: This includes anything from hyper-aggression and continuous meowing to hiding and withdrawal. Contact your veterinarian if your cat displays any of these behaviors.
It's common for pets to be a little tired the evening after their spay or neuter surgery. But if your pet is super sleepy, not responsive to your touch or voice, or otherwise acting in a concerning manner, it's time to call your veterinarian (or an animal ER if your veterinarian's office is closed for the night).
However, issues with tomcat roaming and fighting due to testosterone levels are greatly reduced after neutering, which could be perceived as an increase in affection.