Cat Spay Recovery Basics
First, Bierbrier recommends readying an indoor space for your cat—away from other animals and people—to recover over the next several days or weeks. She'll be on pain-relieving medication after the surgery, and the vet may send some home with instructions on how to administer it.
Post-Surgery Litterbox Use
If your cat is able to urinate within 24 hours after her surgery, you won't have to be on as strict a litterbox-watching regimen. Your cat might be constipated, but most cats should be able to use the litterbox without trouble after spay surgery.
Please also keep in mind that each cat needs his or her own carrier — it's not only safer, but after surgery, cats can become agitated from anesthesia and can act out toward one another. Sturdy carriers made of hard plastic are best, unless your cat is incredibly calm, in which case a soft nylon cat carrier can work.
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.
Restricting Movement - Keep Your Cat From Jumping!
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.
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.
Can Cats Use the Litter Box After Being Neutered? Yes. Sometimes litter can get stuck to the incision, so veterinarians will often recommend using torn newspaper in the litter box for 24 hours after surgery to avoid this.
Incision Care
Ensure the incision stays clean and dry for two weeks. Do not apply human products onto incision. Please check your cat's incision daily until it is healed. Contact us if you notice excessive redness, swelling, any discharge or openings of the incision.
Best Places to Put a Cat After Surgery
“airplane-style” dog crate for their cat's post-op recovery space. These crates often have more than enough room for a bed where a cat can lounge and relax, but not get into too much trouble. A large enough crate should provide space for their litter box and food/water.
A puppy or dog crate furnished with a bed, litter tray, food and water bowl can be the best way of providing cage rest. Cage rest can be hard for cats and boredom can set in. Talk to your vet about whether limited periods outside of the cage for interaction and gentle play are possible.
Some hospitals prefer to keep surgery cases overnight so that they can rest in a properly confined area; some veterinarians believe that this first night of confinement helps the incision in healing.
Spaying makes for a calmer cat. Without the drive to mate, your cat may be quieter and won't be prone to cat calls and the incessant need to seek out a mate. The spayed pet no longer attracts males and their annoying advances and serenades. Spayed cats are also easier to get along with.
Females need 48 to 72 hours of recovery, depending on their specific circumstances. You may return nursing mothers 24 hours following surgery, once they completely regain consciousness, so they can get back to their kittens.
Recovery After Spaying Surgery
Most pets will start to feel better in 24 - 48 hours, but full recovery takes between 10 to 14 days. During this period you should aim to keep your pet calm and refrain from allowing them to jump, as this could cause the incision to reopen.
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. Limit activity—no running, jumping or playing for 7-10 days.
For many cats, a trip to the vet and subsequent surgery might be a frightening and stressful experience. So your cat might act timid or jumpy for a few days after. This change is temporary, and you can encourage her with gentle petting along with a warm and quiet location for recovery.
Signs of pain include unusual meowing, a hunched back, and bleeding from the surgical site. While your cat may move more slowly post surgery, pain and a loss of appetite shouldn't be a part of the recovery process.
Some cats feel nauseated the first few days, so don't be alarmed if she does not want to eat immediately. If your cat is not eating by the third day after surgery, please let us know. Your cat will need to be confined indoors for at least seven days following surgery and kept as quiet as possible.
It may be “normal” for the kitty to want some space and calm after the procedure, but do keep an eye out in case she is having some post-surgical complications. It would be good to be able to put your eyes on her and to be able to inspect the surgical site, just to be sure that there is no inflammation or infection.
Your cat will need to wear their cone between 10 and 14 days after the spaying procedure. It's a necessary safety precaution to prevent infections and other issues. If a cat goes without a cone after this procedure, it's only asking for trouble.
Stress and Anxiety Can Cause Inappropriate Urination
After medical conditions, stress and anxiety are the most common causes of inappropriate urination in cats. Cats can be stressed or anxious about many things that humans might not immediately recognize. Poor litter box conditions are chief among these.
Female animals (spay) have an incision made just below the belly button into the abdomen. The reproductive tract, both ovaries, and the uterus are completely removed through this incision. Then the incision is closed with two layers of stitches under the skin that will dissolve and be absorbed by body over time.
But while it might be a biological problem, says Dr. Eatroff, cats usually pee on a bed due to an issue that is rooted in anxiety and stress, which can affect several hormonal and chemical balances in the body.