How to Care for Your Cat After Neutering

Neutering surgery is a routine procedure, but it is still a form of surgery. If you're worried about how to care for your beloved cat after spaying (female cats) or neutering (male cats), don’t fret! You’ve come to the right place. Below are the steps you can follow to help your cat recover after surgery and return to its healthy, lively feline life.

Provide a quiet, comfortable space for your cat. They may experience nausea and discomfort within the first 18-24 hours post-surgery due to anesthesia. It’s possible your cat may lash out at other pets or people, so it’s crucial to provide a quiet, isolated space for them to rest.

• You need to ensure that you can still monitor your cat while they’re resting. Block off dangerous hidden areas and any places that are hard to reach.
• Keep children and other pets away from the cat. They need to rest and recover, which will be difficult if they are constantly disturbed or interrupted by outside influences.

Ensure Comfort for Your Cat. You should prepare a cozy resting spot for your cat to sleep. If you don't have a bed, you can use a soft pillow or blanket inside a box.

• If possible, place your cat’s bed on a tiled or wooden floor. Cats enjoy cooling their bellies by stretching out on a hard, cool surface, and this can help soothe the incision site.

Adjust the lighting to a low level. After anesthesia, cats are often sensitive to light. You should dim the lights in the area where your cat’s bed is, or turn them off completely.

• If you can’t adjust the lighting, consider using a covered bed to block bright lights from reaching your cat.

Place the litter box, food, and water near your cat's resting area. To recover properly after surgery, cats should avoid jumping, climbing stairs, or stretching to reach food.

• Avoid using regular litter for at least one week after surgery. This type of litter can get into the incision and cause infection, especially for male cats. Use shredded paper, newspaper, or a paper-based litter, or even long-grain rice in the litter box instead.

Keep your cat indoors. Do not let your cat outside for at least two weeks after spaying or neutering. This helps keep the incision clean, dry, and free from infection.

Check the incision site of your cat. Monitoring the incision can help you track the healing process. If possible, ask your veterinarian to show you the incision before bringing your cat home. You can take a photo of the incision on the first day for easier tracking.

• Female cats and male cats with visible testicles will have an incision on their abdomen. Most male cats will have two small incisions on the scrotal area (under the tail).

Use an 'Elizabethan' collar. Your veterinarian may provide this collar, or you can buy one from a local pet store. This collar extends over your cat's face to prevent it from touching the surgical area.

• This collar is also known as a 'protective' collar, 'E collar,' or 'cone-shaped collar.'

Provide food and water for your cat. You can offer your cat water in a shallow dish (or ice cubes) as soon as they get home. The veterinarian will guide you on feeding, and you should follow their instructions carefully. If no instructions are given, you can follow these steps:

• If your cat seems alert and responsive, offer a quarter of their regular food about 2-4 hours after surgery. However, do not force your cat to eat or drink.
• If your cat is able to eat and drink, provide small meals every 3-6 hours. Repeat this until your cat has eaten a full portion, and then continue their normal feeding schedule.
• If your cat is younger than 16 weeks old, offer a small meal (about half the normal amount) when they return home and stabilize after surgery.
• If a kitten refuses to eat after returning home, you can dab maple syrup or corn syrup on a cotton ball or cotton swab and gently rub it on their gums.
• Do not give your cat any special foods, treats, or snacks after surgery. Their stomach may feel sensitive, so keep their diet as simple as possible. Do not give milk, as their stomach cannot digest it.

Allow your cat to rest. Do not cuddle or play with your cat immediately after surgery. This helps them feel safe and ensures they get the rest they need.

Avoid lifting your cat unless necessary. You can easily tear your cat's incision if you lift or move them too much. For male cats, avoid putting pressure on the scrotum (under the tail). For female cats (and male cats that have undergone neutering and still have testicles), avoid applying pressure to the abdomen.

• If you must lift your cat, try this technique: support your cat's back legs with one hand and gently hold their chest under the front legs with the other. Lift their body gently.

Limit your cat's movements. In the weeks following surgery, make sure your cat doesn't run around, play too much, or move excessively. This could cause irritation or infection at the incision site.

• Move plants, fences, and other furniture that might tempt your cat to jump on them.
• Keep your cat in a small room like a laundry room or bathroom, or use a crate or carrier when you can't supervise them.
• Be cautious about letting your cat up and down the stairs. While they may not harm the incision while going up or down, it's a good precaution.
• Understand that your cat may be in pain, and cats recovering from surgery might try to escape. Keep a close eye on your cat, especially during the first 24-48 hours after surgery.

Avoid bathing your cat. Do not bathe your cat for 10-14 days after surgery. Doing so could irritate or infect the incision site.

• If necessary, you can clean the area around the incision with a damp cloth (without soap), but do not let water touch the incision. Do not rub the incision area.

Only give your cat pain medication if prescribed by your veterinarian. The vet may prescribe medication when your cat returns home. If so, follow the instructions carefully, even if your cat doesn't seem to be in pain. Cats are very good at hiding pain and will rarely show it outwardly. Never give your cat any medication unless prescribed by the vet.

• Human medications, and even those for other animals like dogs, can be fatal to cats! Never give them any medication, even over-the-counter ones, unless confirmed by your vet as safe for cats. Some medications like Tylenol can be deadly for them.
• Do not apply any products to your cat's incision, including antibiotics or antiseptic creams, unless approved by your veterinarian.

Watch for signs of vomiting. If your cat vomits after eating the night they return home from surgery, remove the food immediately. Offer a small amount of food the next morning. If your cat vomits again or has diarrhea, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Check the incision twice daily. 7-10 days after surgery, it is essential to inspect your cat's incision both in the morning and evening. Compare the incision to the first day after surgery to check for signs of healing. Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of the following:

• Redness. The incision line might appear red or pink at the edges initially, but this should gradually fade. If the redness becomes more intense or turns black, it could indicate an infection.
• Bruising. Light bruising that turns from red to purple is normal, but if the bruising spreads, worsens, or if new bruising appears, you should seek immediate veterinary care.
• Swelling. Some swelling around the incision is part of the healing process, but if the swelling doesn't reduce or worsens, consult your vet.
• Discharge. A small amount of bright red discharge around the incision right after bringing your cat home can be normal. However, if the discharge persists for more than a day, increases, contains blood, or turns green, yellow, white, or smells foul, take your cat to the vet.
• Edges of the incision opening. In male cats, the scrotal incision may remain slightly open but should close quickly. For female cats or males who underwent abdominal surgery, stitches may or may not be visible. If stitches appear to be coming undone or if you notice any issue such as material protruding from the wound, consult your vet immediately.

Check your cat's gums. The gums should be a light pink or red color. When you gently press the gums and release, the color should return to normal quickly. If the gums appear pale or do not return to their normal color after pressing, contact your veterinarian.

Look for signs of pain. Cats typically don’t show pain in the same way humans (or even dogs) do. You’ll need to watch for signs of distress. If you notice any signs of discomfort, your cat likely needs help, and you should call the vet. Common signs of pain in cats after surgery include:

• Hiding or attempting to escape
• Depression or lethargy
• Lack of appetite
• Hunched posture
• Stiff abdominal muscles
• Growling
• Hissing
• Anxiety or agitation

Watch for additional warning signs. To ensure your cat is recovering well, monitor their behavior closely. Any unusual behavior should resolve within 24 hours of surgery. If you notice abnormal behavior or symptoms, contact your vet immediately. Warning signs to watch for include:

• Unusual lethargy lasting more than 24 hours post-surgery
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting after the first night home
• Fever or chills
• Lack of appetite for more than 24-48 hours
• Not eating within 24 hours (for adult cats) or 12 hours (for kittens)
• Painful or difficult urination
• Failure to defecate within 24-48 hours post-surgery

Contact an emergency vet. In most cases, contacting your regular vet when problems arise is sufficient for recovery. However, there are some situations where emergency care is needed. Call an emergency vet or animal hospital if you notice the following in your cat:

• Unconsciousness
• Unresponsiveness
• Difficulty breathing
• Severe pain
• Altered mental state (your cat doesn’t seem to recognize you or their surroundings, or behaves very unusually)
• Abdominal bloating
• Bleeding

Schedule follow-up appointments. Your cat may not have visible stitches (only external sutures). However, if your cat has visible stitches, your veterinarian will need to remove them within 10-14 days after surgery.

• Even if there are no visible stitches, you should still bring your cat for follow-up visits as advised by your veterinarian.