How to care for a recently Neutered or spayed cat

Last updated on July 5th, 2024 at 11:39 am

Any sites listed in this post were found via a general online search and will be cited.

Proper caring for pets should also include spaying or neutering your bet. Bet it’s a dog or a cat. Today’s post will focus on cats. But many of these tips can be used for dogs as well.

Neutering and spaying is very important not only for your pet’s health but it can also reduce the risk of unwanted pets.

This is part of basic pet healthcare

Many people have their own views on spaying and neutering their pets. The thing is that when you have a pet this is a basic healthcare option.

Neutering or spaying can help calm a pet or curb aggressive tendencies. This may vary on a case-by-case basis.

But it also helps prevent possible long-term illnesses later on in their life. Some female pets can develop mammary cancer.

Fetch by WebMD has some more examples in favor of neutering or spaying your pet.

What the procedure entails

There are a few resources that offer simple info about the procedures.

AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) has some good info about both neutering and spaying.

Cornell college of veterinary medicine has info on cats spaying and neutering.

spaying can cost more

Spaying a pet can cost more. Many vet offices may charge an extra fee if your cat or dog is in heat. They also cost more because they take a bit more time. They will also require sutures.

call around for pricing info

Once you decide on spaying or neutering your pet you can start to call around to find price quotes. Some vet offices may require that your pet is up to date on their vaccinations prior to the procedure. You can also contact your local Animal shelter or services to see if they offer low-cost neutering or spaying.

Some vet offices may even offer select days for low-cost services. Another resource may be your local ASPCA as well.

Once the procedure is scheduled

Once the procedure is scheduled you will need to follow the directions of the veterinary office. Many don’t allow your pet to eat or drink after midnight.

Getting ready for the procedure you will need to get your pet organized.

I like to label my pet’s carrier with their name and a ribbon.

I like to line my pet carriers with puppy training pads. That way if your pet has an accident it’s not standing in it.

I also know that some veterinary offices are a bit picky about carriers having towels in the. Don’t ask me why but I know one office I frequent does.

If you are taking a kitten (Under 6 months old) or a smaller dog in for the procedure you may want to get them used to being in a carrier.

On the day of the procedure

On the day of the procedure, you will need to try to keep your pet contained and calm. Your veterinary office may ask you to fill out some forms or ask if you’d like your pet microchipped.

if it’s a spay or a neuter

Depending on your pet’s genre the procedures may have different care instructions. Both may require your pet to be sent home with a plastic cone.

Properly caring for a recently spayed cat

If your cat has recently been spayed here are a few tips.

You will need to keep her calm and quiet. This may be easier said than done depending on their age. You will also need to try to keep her from jumping so she doesn’t pull her sutures.

If you remove her plastic cone or collar make sure to watch her so she’s not licking her incision.

We found that with Winnie if we placed her in a crate she would nap and keep still for a little while. I also slept with her for two nights to make sure she didn’t lick her incision or bite at her sutures.

Some veterinary offices have tight sutures. This means that your kitten or cat may have a very tight tuck on the belly. This may also have to do with the age of the cat and how much extra skin it has.

Many offices also now have dissolvable sutures so you may not have to take your cat back to have them removed.

You may also want to give your newly spayed cat their own private litter box (if you have other cats) until they heal. You will also want to check to make sure her incision is clean and not showing any signs of infection.

It took Winnie about a week or a week and a half before she was back to her old self again running and jumping around.

properly caring for your recently neutered cat

You can do many of the same suggestions I offered in the spayed section. But for male cat or kittens, you will need to make sure their incisions are kept clean.

Some vet offices let the incisions close on their own so they don’t have sutures or glue. So you will need to make sure that your cat doesn’t have any blood or fluid leakage.

If you have a kitten you’ll have to make sure he isn’t jumping or playing too rough. If you’ve neutered multiple make kittens this can be tougher. We found this out with Dylan, Sam, and Teddy. My mom and I took turns sleeping with them to make sure they didn’t hurt each other.

Again giving your cat a private litter box can be helpful. If you can keep them calm and confined that might help too.

Let’s not forget the ferals

If you can trap a feral cat you can have them fixed as well. Many areas have assistance programs that can help catch and fix ferals. You can reach out to your local animal services and ask if they have any info.

We bought a humane trap back in 2021 and used it to trap a feral mama. We’ll probably use it again soon to try to cut down on our feral cat community in my neighborhood.

This practice is known as TNR or TSR (trap, neuter, or spay and release).

Let’s help reduce the pet population by spaying and neutering.