If your cat was neutered, it is important to use shredded newspaper, a dust free litter or a pellet litter in your cat's litter box for 1 week. A pellet litter can be found at the grocery or pet store. Please do not use sand as it can get into the incision site and can cause infection.
Immediately after surgery, your cat may be disoriented and unable to use their normal litter box. Certain medications such as opioids, sedatives, and some anxiety medications can cause disorientation and abnormal behaviors.
Don't try to pet or play with your cat immediately after surgery. While this may feel reassuring to you, it may just keep your cat from feeling safe and rested. Avoid lifting your cat unless it's absolutely necessary. You can easily tear your cat's surgical incision if you lift or move your cat too much.
Don't leave your cat alone during her first 12-24 hours post-surgery. This stretch of time is when your pet needs to closest monitoring for excessive bleeding or issues with urination. If, after the allotted time, your cat seems to be able to urinate without trouble, you can keep an eye on her as you go about your day.
Don't let your cat run, jump, climb stairs, or go outside for the first seven days after their procedure because it could slow their healing, we recommend keeping them in a crate or secure room during this time.
Male cats should be kept indoors overnight – they may go out and resume their normal lifestyle the following day. It's important to check the procedure site every day (for around 10 days) for any redness or swelling.
If the incision looks dirty you can gently clean the area with a cotton ball and warm water. Do not use Hydrogen Peroxide. You must not allow your dog or cat to get wet for at least 7 days after surgery. For this reason, bathing is also prohibited for at least one week after surgery.
To prevent irritating the incision, we recommend you purchase an Elizabethan collar (E-collar) to keep your pet from being able to reach the area with their mouth. These cone collars are the most effective protection against your pet causing trauma to their incision, and should be worn for 10-14 days following surgery.
The most important things
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.
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.
Patients can eat, drink, pee, poop, and sleep with a cone on. In fact, the stricter you are with the cone, the quicker they will get used to it. In addition, pets do not hold grudges, so they will not be mad at you for being strict with the rules. If the incision is over the chest or belly, a T-shirt may be worn.
Approximately 10 days after surgery, most incisions will have healed enough to allow for removal of external staples or sutures by your veterinarian. The incision edges should be fully sealed and swelling should be significantly decreased, if not gone completely.
Most cats should wear their cone for 5-7 days after neutering to avoid licking the incision. Most scrotal incisions heal very quickly. If an abdominal incision was necessary to remove retained testicle(s), then the cone should remain on for 10-14 days or until your cat's recheck examination to assess healing.
Letting the newly neutered/spayed cats move too much can slow down the cut's healing process. To be on the safe side, it's important to keep your cat inside a small room, in a crate or inside a carrier. Don't rush his recovery. It is much better to let your cat rest throughout the week.
Unexpected urination from a neutered male cat could be a sign of serious and sore health conditions including: Pain. A sick kitty might not make it to the litter box. If a cat is injured, or recovering from surgery without adequate pain management, this could also affect his ordinary urination.
The only behaviors affected by castration are those under the influence of male hormones (these are called sexually dimorphic behaviors). A cat's temperament, training, and personality are the result of genetics and upbringing, and are generally unaffected by the presence or absence of male hormones.
Your pet will need a minimum of two weeks or more to fully heal from spaying and neutering. Many pet owners think that the neutering of male dogs is a simpler procedure and therefore has a quicker recovery time.
Most spay/neuter skin incisions are fully healed within about 10–14 days, which coincides with the time that stitches or staples, if any, will need to be removed. Don't bathe your pet or let them swim until their stitches or staples have been removed and your veterinarian has cleared you to do so.
We can then assess if your pet needs to be examined by a medical professional. Dogs and female cats have internal sutures that provide strength to the tissue as they heal; these will dissolve after approximately four months.
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.
If your furry companion is on the smaller side, a “onesie” may be a good choice. Made of soft, stretchy fabric, this bodysuit covers cats and dogs beginning at the neck, along the body and over the hindquarters. There are holes for the legs and tail to pass through.
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.
The neutered cat no longer feels the need to seek out and serenade females. He no longer has the stress of needing to mark his territory and urinate throughout the house and yard. Neutered cats are also easier to get along with. They tend to more gentle and affectionate.
For male cats, neutering before 5 months of age would substantially reduce or eliminate male territorial marking, fighting, and roaming.