My baby''s getting fixed tomorrow... Dust please!

[White Orchid]

My little angel, a year and a half old kitty is getting spayed tomorrow! While I have full confidence in my vet (he''s done a couple surgeries on my dogs with no complications) I''m so worried about her! My kitty is so precious to me, I just don''t know what I''d do if something happens to her!

 

[White Orchid]

Has anyone ever had any problems with pets going in for routine surgery? For that matter, I''ve never had a spayed cat before - will her behaviour change?

 

[AmberGretchen]

Good for you for getting your kitty spayed! Its such an important part of responsible ownership.

Your baby will be fine - I''ll send TONS of good thoughts her way. Keep a close eye on her stitches - odds are very good they will be fine, but you''ll want to watch for any redness, irritation, or other signs of infection. The odds are low, but never hurts to watch carefully.

The only personality change you might notice is your kitty might be a little more mellow, because she won''t have hormones coursing through her little body. She''ll probably be a tiny bit groggy on the day of her spay, but should be back to her normal self in a week or less

You might want to also cut her food intake a tiny bit. Spayed/neutered pets have a greater tendency to become overweight, so you''ll want to feed her a little bit less to make sure this doesn''t happen.

 

[lulu]

She''ll be fine. The only problem with a female is the possibility she''ll bother the stitches so keep an eye on her. If she does you can cut the ends off a tube sock and slide it over her.

 

[White Orchid]

Great idea about the sock tube, I was wondering what to do about that. I take her in in an hour! Eep! But thank you for the reassuring words.

 

[bee*]

Best of luck to her! She''ll be fine. It''s a short enough operation and she''ll be around again before you know it. Try not to worry.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 4/21/2009 9:29:38 AM
Author: bee*
Best of luck to her! She''ll be fine. It''s a short enough operation and she''ll be around again before you know it. Try not to worry.

Ditto she will be fine! Sending sparkly kittah recovery dust to your baby!!

 

[soocool]

I''ve had over 10 cats and dogs (almost all were female) and all were spayed or neutered and all were fine afterwards.

Most of my female pets had the regular surgery with stitches. My dog had laser spaying with no stitches and that was the best.

You might need an E collar to prevent her from licking the stitches or what I used to use when someone told me about it was to get a baby''s onesies and put it on.

 

[AmberGretchen]

How did it go? Any news on your kitty?

 

[White Orchid]

No news yet. I dropped her off this morning and I''m supposed to go pick her up around 5. I miss my baby!

 

[White Orchid]

Here''s a picture of the little fur ball. She has a thing for flowers!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/21/2009 2:25:58 PM
Author: White Orchid
Here''s a picture of the little fur ball. She has a thing for flowers!

Awww...she''s SO CUTE

Careful with the flowers - many flowers are toxic to kitties. The worst are anything in the lily family - even a small amount can be fatal

But many other plants can be toxic to kitties as well - there is a good list on the HSUS or ASPCA websites.

 

[PaulaW]

awww... sending lots of good wishes for your baby! I was a wreck when I got my puppy spayed! I felt like I had to do something to make her more comfortable (really, it was more for me than her) so I threw a couple of towels in the dryer for 10 minutes or so and covered her with them. She seemed to like it, but was so out of it. I hope she''s okay and gets home safe and sound.

 

[Feralpenchant]

She'll be fine! It's very routine.. Very quick procedure and she will be monitored the whole time, even after she's out of surgery! Sometimes cats with heart abnormalities can not do so well with being put under anesthesia, but I'm sure your vet would tell you if there were any obvious risks. Most vets do a small blood panel before surgery, at least all the ones I've worked at, to make sure she's fit to be put under anesthesia.

After cats get spayed, though, they can gain weight easier, so it's important to watch her weight.

Ever see feral cats and notice how they look like kittens? Unspayed females tend to stay very small and thin.

 

[lulu]

I had weight problems even before I was spayed.

 

[White Orchid]

Date: 4/21/2009 2:28:29 PM
Author: AmberGretchen

Date: 4/21/2009 2:25:58 PM

Author: White Orchid

Here's a picture of the little fur ball. She has a thing for flowers!

Awww...she's SO CUTE

Careful with the flowers - many flowers are toxic to kitties. The worst are anything in the lily family - even a small amount can be fatal

But many other plants can be toxic to kitties as well - there is a good list on the HSUS or ASPCA websites.

Thanks for the information. I practically grew up in a garden, but I'm not good with plants. I've killed every potted plant I've ever touched except for a couple sprigs of bamboo.

I called the vet, she's doing just fine! I'm bringing her home in about an hour!

Thank you all for the positive energy!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Woohoo! So glad to hear she''s doing well - I bet she can''t wait to be curled up at home with you

I''m the same with the plants - my DH jokes that I have a "black thumb" - I can''t grow a thing to save my life

But I''m super careful with what cut flowers I bring in the house - I won''t let lilies in the front door, ever, I''m such an overprotective kitty mama

 

[bee*]

That''s brilliant news that she''s doing great.

 

[purrfectpear]

Awww, she''s so cute. Give the little "zipper belly" a snuggle.

 

[purrfectpear]

BTW, this reminded me of a funny that happened years ago. I adopted a kitten from someone who listed it as a female. I kept her for 4 or 5 months and then figured it was time to get her spayed. I dropped her off at the clinic and went to work. An hour later the clinic calls me. They tell me HE had already been fixed

and wondered why I dropped him off. I felt soooo stupid.

 

[White Orchid]

Date: 4/21/2009 5:53:03 PM
Author: purrfectpear
BTW, this reminded me of a funny that happened years ago. I adopted a kitten from someone who listed it as a female. I kept her for 4 or 5 months and then figured it was time to get her spayed. I dropped her off at the clinic and went to work. An hour later the clinic calls me. They tell me HE had already been fixed

and wondered why I dropped him off. I felt soooo stupid.

That is funny! I probably would''ve done the same thing though!

She''s home but a little zoned out. Poor thing keeps wanting to explore the house, but she keeps tripping over her paws!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/21/2009 5:53:03 PM
Author: purrfectpear
BTW, this reminded me of a funny that happened years ago. I adopted a kitten from someone who listed it as a female. I kept her for 4 or 5 months and then figured it was time to get her spayed. I dropped her off at the clinic and went to work. An hour later the clinic calls me. They tell me HE had already been fixed

and wondered why I dropped him off. I felt soooo stupid.

I had the EXACT same thing happen, except my (cat only!) vet had told me it was a female.

HE now lives with my mom, and we named him Albert, after Nathan Lane''s character in The Birdcage

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/21/2009 6:31:32 PM
Author: White Orchid

She''s home but a little zoned out. Poor thing keeps wanting to explore the house, but she keeps tripping over her paws!

Awww...bless her little heart

She''ll probably be a little out of it for the rest of the evening, but should be steadier tomorrow and back to normal in a few days

 

[purrfectpear]

Stoner kittah on drugs

 

[AmberGretchen]

How''s your baby doing today? Is she back to her more normal, less loopy self?

 

[White Orchid]

She''s doing much better today, thanks! She was picking at her stitches so I had to get her a cone. I tried the sock trick, but she got it off. Am I supposed to keep the cone on her at night? I don''t want her to choke, but I also don''t want her to gut herself when I''m not watching her.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

If she''s picking or clawing at all, she should wear it any time you''re not there (and awake) to monitor. They don''t like the collar, but it won''t choke if it''s on the right way.

Glad she''s home again now.

The drunken cat phase is a little entertaining.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Agree with fisher on keeping the cone on when you can''t supervise. I''m sure she''ll be healed up enough to not need it before you (and she) know it - I''m glad she''s doing well

 

[lulu]

When my Sophie had the surgery we couldn''t find a cone small enough. So my husband made one with a margarine tub and a shoestring. She hissed at him everytime she saw him for 2 years! They do make fabric cones now you can order thru a catalog. More comfortable for baby.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Date: 4/22/2009 10:50:04 PM
Author: lulu
When my Sophie had the surgery we couldn''t find a cone small enough. So my husband made one with a margarine tub and a shoestring. She hissed at him everytime she saw him for 2 years! They do make fabric cones now you can order thru a catalog. More comfortable for baby.

LOL poor kitty (and poor husband!) - sounds like a traumatic experience all around...