Can a cat eat after anesthesia. How long after castration can I feed a cat

Castration is one of the most frequently performed operations in veterinary clinics. For its implementation, hundreds and even thousands of cat owners turn to veterinarians every day. This manipulation is considered one of the easiest, it is carried out for a maximum of 30-45 minutes. In some cases, experts manage to fit in 10-15 minutes. Accordingly, some owners have a somewhat erroneous impression: they believe that caring for a cat after castration is an easy and non-committal matter.

First you need to explain what it is. Again, almost all breeders are firmly convinced that this is the surgical removal of the testicles. But it is not so. Yes, in most cases, veterinarians prefer to resort to surgical intervention. It is relatively simple, fast (under local anesthesia), cost-effective.

But in fact, castration is divided into several types at once:

Surgical. It happens open and closed (bloody and bloodless).
. It is carried out by introducing special substances into the testes that contribute to the "drying out" of the sex glands.
Radiation. As you might guess from the name, it is carried out by irradiating organs with a directed beam of gamma radiation. Since the testicles contain a lot of epithelial tissue, which is very sensitive to radiation, they instantly “break”.
. A promising type of castration is carried out by surgical implantation of special implants under the skin of an animal. Their cartridges gradually release special substances that contribute to blocking the reproductive function of the animal.

All methods have their pros and cons. Some of the procedures can be performed at home, others - only in the clinic, by a professional veterinarian. In a word, there are a lot of nuances.

The features of animal care in the postoperative period also depend on them. In some cases, the recovery period is long, but in others it takes a maximum of a few days. Let's consider this question in more detail.

When does recovery take a long time?

As a rule, this does not happen. Most often, the postoperative period increases only in cases where, as a result of the surgical removal of the testes, some complications have arisen.

For example, when, in preparation for the operation, gross violations of the rules of asepsis and antisepsis were made. Because of this, the seeding of the surgical field with pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora develops, which leads to inflammation. A "classic" of complications in the postoperative period is purulent inflammation of the scrotal sac (scrotum) and adjacent tissues. Animals this pathology is difficult to tolerate.

But everything is much harder when the cat is. Cryptorchidism is a pathology when, during puberty, the testes did not descend from the abdominal region into the cavity of the scrotal sac. The causes of this condition are still not really understood, but it is known for sure that it is often inherited. So often that animals in which this pathology has been identified are highly discouraged from breeding (most often, cryptorchidism is unilateral, one of the testes still descends into the scrotum). Actually, because of this undesirability, cryptorchids are castrated.

The problem is that the removal of the testicles in this case is a rather complicated event, associated with the need for abdominal surgery. The stomach is cut to the animal, the testicle remaining there is searched in the inguinal canal, after which it is removed. Accordingly, as with all abdominal operations, the recovery period in this case is quite long due to the high load on the pet's body.

Even without the development of the inflammatory process and other negative consequences, it can take up to a couple of weeks at least. The older the pet, the longer the rehabilitation time, and caring for the wound left at the site of the laparotomy is much more difficult (you need to monitor the condition of the sutures, and subsequently remove them).

With chemical, drug and radiation castration, animals tolerate the procedure most easily. The recovery period takes a maximum of a couple of days. The exception is perhaps the rarest cases of individual intolerance to the drugs used in this procedure.

What is required from the owner before the operation?

As a rule, many veterinarians try to schedule the operation in the morning so that the owner can take his pet home by the evening. In addition, in a few hours it is already possible to understand how successful the castration was, and whether negative consequences have developed. If the specialist sees that something is wrong with your pet, he will leave him for a couple of days in the clinic. Thus, we also advise you to leave the cat for the morning castration.

Most likely, you will use road transport - it is unlikely that you are lucky to live in the immediate vicinity of the hospital. In this regard, please note that many animals can not stand car trips, they are very nervous and even furious. That is, transportation for them is a lot of stress. Therefore, try to plan so that after arriving at the clinic, your pet can “take a breath” and calm down a bit.

In addition, think in advance where exactly you will place the pet after he arrives home. The place should be quite secluded, quiet and dark. This will allow the operated cat to calm down and return to normal faster.

Ideally, use for this the place in the house that the cat likes to use for relaxation. We emphasize once again that the most important condition is absolute peace and quiet. Only if these conditions are met, the animal will be able to rest and recover faster after the operation.

If you have any other animals in the house, you should keep them separate from the operated cat. In the case when there are children at home, they must also (if possible) be isolated from the pet or explained so that they do not play with the pet until its condition is completely normal. And it's not just for the cat.

As long as your pet has not completely recovered from anesthesia and is still feeling bad in the first hours after it, he may well be aggressive.

Simply put, if you pester him at this moment, he may well seriously scratch the child. If the operated cat at this time gets into a fight with your other pet, the consequences will be extremely serious, up to the divergence of the seams and his death from massive internal bleeding. Only when the pet feels better, he himself will seek the company of people. At this moment, you should affectionately talk to him, stroke, reassure.

About strange behavior after coming out of anesthesia

As we mentioned earlier, the cat's behavior can be very different from normal for the first time after coming out of anesthesia. This is quite natural and there is nothing "supernatural" about it - drugs used for general anesthesia will always give pronounced side effects. The latter, in particular, are expressed in a significant violation of the coordination of movements.

Remember! Most side effects of anesthesia should resolve spontaneously within 12 hours of the pet waking up.

In addition, most cats are very thirsty at first. Also, a pet that wakes up can vomit several times. This is all perfectly normal and no reason to panic. Finally, the cat after anesthesia will often and a lot of sleep. We strongly do not recommend disturbing and distracting him at this moment, because otherwise the recovery of the body will slow down greatly, and more dangerous side effects may develop. Nervous system the pet should rest at this time!

But! All this is true only for those cases when more or less normal behavior of the cat was restored within approximately 18 hours after the procedure.

If you are watching your pet for any pronounced oddities and after the expiration of this period, it is necessary to without fail contact the veterinarian again. It is quite possible that nothing terrible happened to your cat and his “departure” from the effects of anesthesia is simply slowed down, but still an additional check of his health will not hurt!

Is it possible to water and feed a pet after anesthesia?

As for water, the cat should always have access to fresh, clean drinking water. But still, many experts insist that within three hours after castration, even if the pet has already begun to move away from anesthesia, you should not give him a drink. However, the need to comply with this recommendation rarely arises: as a rule, the cat at this time sleeps like a baby, and therefore he definitely does not need water. But feeding is a separate issue.

However, in this case, there is no special need for strict adherence to this rule: as a rule, your operated cat will not want to eat anything in the first 12 hours after anesthesia. Some pets refuse any food during the day. Moreover, if your pet ate and immediately vomited, then there is nothing wrong with that. The digestive system of the animal during this period has not yet reached its normal mode of operation, and therefore it may well reject any food.

Which one should be used in such a crucial period? It should consist of high-quality, easily digestible products. Boiled chicken and lean offal work well. You need to feed your pet in very small portions. Most likely, he will not be able to eat a lot himself, but still it is worth being safe, since overeating a cat at this time is strictly contraindicated. His digestive system has not yet "woken up", and therefore will not be able to properly digest large amounts of food. Overfeeding can lead to severe diarrhea and/or vomiting.

A pet should be recognized as a natural phenomenon after he wakes up. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that he will use his tray for this purpose. In no case do not scold the cat if he misses, or even does his business in the opposite corner of the room. Again, there is nothing wrong with this, since his coordination of movements has not yet fully recovered.

In general, veterinarians advise placing the tray as close as possible to the place where the operated animal is located. If you put it on the other side of the room, nothing good will come of this venture - the cat will still not be able to reach the “destination”. Once again, we remind you that you cannot scold your pet because of this. He still will not understand anything, but later he may begin to “naughty” out of a sense of revenge.

About the importance of regular control of postoperative sutures

Even if there was no abdominal surgery, it is necessary to check the condition of the postoperative wound daily in order to control the healing process. Please note that within about 12-14 hours it will be somewhat swollen, reddened, a small amount of transparent transudate may be released from the tissues. This is a completely normal, natural reaction of the body on the first day. There are no reasons for excitement: within about two days, the edema should subside on its own, the animal does not need any medical assistance. The exception is in some cases where your veterinarian has given separate instructions and prescribes drugs used to treat post-operative sutures.

Remember!! If within 48 hours the condition of the postoperative wound does not improve in any way, the swelling becomes more pronounced and a mucous / purulent exudate appears, do not delay, call the veterinarian immediately.

Everything is bad when it starts to come from an animal bad smell. This sign, coupled with severe swelling and redness of the wound, indicates the postoperative field is contaminated with pyogenic and/or putrefactive microflora. If urgent treatment is not started, everything will end very sadly. And further. It should be noted that through the inguinal ring, the "former" scrotum is directly connected to the pelvic cavity. With a purulent-necrotic lesion of the scrotal sac, the likelihood of developing diffuse peritonitis is very high.

As a rule, in such cases, the animal is immediately prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics and other antimicrobials in loading doses. In particularly severe situations, a second operation may be required. So there is no need to delay contacting the veterinary clinic if your pet's condition seems abnormal to you. Otherwise, you may lose your cat or spend a lot of effort and money on additional therapy.

Rules and Important Notes

What other care recommendations should the owner consider? The first few days of the operated cat should stay at home. This is not discussed. In addition, it is necessary to prevent the active games of the pet by all means, as this is fraught with a divergence of postoperative sutures (if any), contamination of the scrotal cavity.

Under normal conditions, it is almost impossible to prevent this, the animal will still find time to lick. To prevent extremely unpleasant consequences, it is necessary use a surgical (called an Elizabethan) collar. The integrity of this structure should be monitored and ensure that the pet does not manage to remove it.

If the pet is "violent" and constantly tries to pull the collar off the neck, sedatives may be needed. They will "tame" the psyche of the animal: your pet will sleep more and stop (at least temporarily) his attempts. It should be remembered that he will have to wear a surgical collar for at least a week. And even after this period, you cannot remove it yourself: first, the cat must be examined by a veterinarian. Only he can give / not give the go-ahead to remove the restrictive device.

Highly great importance has a properly equipped toilet. Experienced breeders advise in no case to use the usual filler for the first few days: for this purpose, it is necessary to use shredded paper. But not a newspaper! You can take ordinary toilet paper and tear it finely. This is necessary to prevent pieces of filler from entering the wound channel. If this happens, severe inflammation almost inevitably develops, almost always purulent.

For a recently operated cat, all this can end very badly. At best, this is a re-treatment of the postoperative wound (and, most likely, another anesthesia), as well as an increased rehabilitation period. At worst - death against the background of acute sepsis, the development of gangrene and necrotic lesions of the organ is quite likely. Both of these conditions are characterized by a very strong pain reaction.

In addition, it is prohibited for six to eight days after the procedure, since the ingress of water with detergents can also cause the development of an inflammatory reaction. Please note that for the first 48 hours the cat may feel pain in the operated areas, and this is also considered normal. But if the signs of a pain reaction continue to persist even after this period, it is urgent to show the pet to the veterinarian. Most likely, something went “not according to plan”, inflammation or hematoma developed. If you do not react in time, rehabilitation will take a very long time.

findings

Note that even surgical castration is an operation that does not lead to the development of serious stress in the animal. So, if you follow the simple rules described in this article, your cat will be back to normal within a few days.

You should contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat shows any of the following signs within 48 hours of surgery:

Complete loss of appetite.
The animal has an absence or inadequate increase in thirst.
Nasal exudate, coughing, sneezing, etc.
Any other unusual behavior.

Thus, postoperative care after the cat is quite simple, if you follow the basic recommendations of veterinarians and do it systematically, and not from time to time.

In addition, you must constantly monitor your pet. If you are attentive enough, you will be able to notice signs of something wrong in time. Finally, cats subtly feel the attitude of a person towards them: if the owner is caring and constantly looks after the pet, the animal will feel needed, and therefore will recover faster.

After returning the operated cat home, it should be put on a warm bedding laid on the floor, and the absence of drafts in the room should be monitored. After anesthesia, the animal should not be placed on a sofa or chair, since its movements at this time will be uncoordinated, as a result of which the cat may fall from a height. There should be no sharp or hot objects on the floor, wires and threads, as well as other things in which she can get entangled.

After anesthesia, the cat should only lie on the right side, since lying on the left puts additional stress on the heart after surgical intervention.

It is very important to ensure that the cat's eyes do not dry out. After the operation, she will not be able to blink on her own, so you need to bury it under her eyelids. special solution and close / open them with your fingers every half hour until the cat starts blinking itself. She will also have a dry mouth - wetting the tongue with water or carefully pouring droplets of water from a pipette into her mouth will help to cope with this - but very carefully so that the cat does not choke. Inappropriate behavior of the animal is also noted after anesthesia - this occurs due to its disorientation and is normal in most cases. However, if the cat is very ill, you need to urgently call the veterinarian who performed the operation.

Care after anesthesia

During the period of recovery from anesthesia, the cat may suffer from involuntary urination or vomiting, so you need to monitor her very closely - if she starts to constantly lick her lips, you need to put a newspaper on her or substitute a bag. Feeding can be started only after 24 hours, while the poor appetite of the animal may persist for several more days. It will be possible to fully water the cat after 3-4 hours.

After sterilization, the cat is put on a special blanket, which she will have to wear for 10-14 days until the stitches are removed.

To process healing seams, you need to regularly remove this blanket from hind legs and immediately put it back on after treatment so that the cat does not lick the suture wounds. In addition, you need to carefully monitor that the animal does not try to jump on a hill, because due to weakness it may not jump and catch on something with a blanket, hanging in it. Naturally, the cat will begin to wriggle, trying to get out, as a result of which the seams will simply disperse.

Tip 2: Neutering the cat. How to care for an operated animal

A cat from which the owners do not plan to have offspring should be spayed. This is much safer and healthier for the animal than constant estrus, and even more so the use of drugs to suppress sexual desire. However, you should be prepared for the fact that caring for a cat after surgery will take a lot of time and effort.

Instruction

Prepare in advance everything you need for care on the first day. Trim your pet's nails with special scissors with rounded blades. Find a spacious, tall box and insulate it with rags on the inside, and then lay a disposable absorbent diaper on the bottom. You can buy such a diaper in a human pharmacy.

Purchase and be sure to ask your veterinarian to show you exactly how to tie it. In the first 7-10 days, she must walk in this blanket, otherwise there is a high risk that she will scratch or tear the seams, and the wound will open. You will have to regularly process the seams, so the sooner you learn how to fasten these “clothes” to the body of the animal, the better.

After bringing the cat home after, carefully place it in the box. Animals tolerate anesthesia differently: vomiting, involuntary urination, etc. may begin. In addition, the cat will be lethargic, its body temperature will drop. Do not go far from the box: the animal may try to get out. After anesthesia, coordination of movements will be seriously impaired, so the cat may crash into something or fall. Your task is to prevent this.

Carefully monitor the condition of the cat in the first days after the operation. The veterinarian will set a date when you will need to come to the clinic for a re-examination and removal of stitches, and until that day you should give the animal as much attention as possible. Remove the blanket 1-2 times a day and carefully treat the seams with the agent prescribed by the veterinarian (it can be hydrogen peroxide, levomekol, etc.). It is advisable to do this together and very carefully, because even a very affectionate cat can become aggressive, feeling pain.

Try to minimize the risk of your cat jumping somewhere. After the operation, it will be difficult for her to return to normal life in the very first days, and the blanket will interfere. At best, a cat may simply not jump to its favorite cabinet or table. It will be worse if she falls and hits hard. The worst option is if the cat catches on the handles of the cabinet or other protruding parts of the blanket and hangs on it. Try to keep the chance of such troubles to a minimum.

The first hours after anesthesia

Inhalation anesthesia is easier to tolerate - usually the animal comes to its senses within a few minutes, and after an hour or two it is able to get up and even move around - depending on the severity of the operation. After total intravenous anesthesia, it takes about a day for the pet to fully recover. Some types of intravenous anesthesia, used for simple operations, are short-acting and provide a quick awakening of the animal - within an hour or two.

In the first hours after the operation, the animal needs constant supervision, rest and warmth. If there are other pets or small children in the house, it is better to isolate the patient. You can check if everything is in order with the animal by opening its eyelids and shining a small flashlight into its eye. If the pupil constricts, the process of recovery from anesthesia is normal, if it remains unchanged, the animal should be taken to the veterinarian immediately.

Veterinarians often advise taking the operated animal from the clinic not immediately, but after two to four hours, in order to ensure proper care and observation.

Complete recovery from anesthesia

At home, it is best to lay the animal on the floor closer to the heat source, laying something soft - do not arrange it on a sofa or armchair, otherwise, when motor function begins to recover, the pet may fall from a height and be seriously injured. A small animal (ferret, rabbit, cat) can be placed in a spacious box or returned to a familiar cage or house if its relatives are not there. If possible, it is better to use a disposable diaper as a bedding - after anesthesia, involuntary urination, vomiting, salivation.

The coordination of the animal coming out of anesthesia can be disturbed for a long time - staggering when walking, falling, attempts to crawl or run are often observed. Transfer the fallen animal back to the litter, stroke and calm.

If the condition of the pet causes concern, it is better to play it safe and show it to the doctor. Snoring and sniffling are common on recovery from anesthesia due to the relaxation of the palate and pharynx, but snoring should be distinguished from wheezing, which is the result of inhalation of vomit or respiratory failure. Lethargy, drowsiness may persist for a day or more after surgery.

How to help a pet

Cover your pet - coming out of anesthesia, animals often freeze. You can massage his paws if they are cold. If your pet's eyes and mouth are open, in order to avoid drying out of the mucous membranes, the tongue should be moistened with damp cotton, sterile saline can be dropped into the eyes from a pipette.

You can water the animal 4-6 hours after waking up. If your pet can't drink on its own, try using a syringe without a needle. It is allowed to feed not earlier than after 10-12 hours, it is better if the pet goes hungry for a day - this will not harm his health.

Castration is a serious step for the owners and surgical intervention for the cat. The operation will help the animal get rid of problems associated with unsatisfied sexual desire, get rid of negative habits that cause a lot of trouble to the owners. Most individuals change after castration for the better. Before taking your cat to the veterinary clinic for castration, you should study the tips for caring for the animal in order to avoid complications and undesirable consequences.

Seam care

Healing is quite fast , a small wound after surgery usually does not bother the cat or owners for long. However, to make healing faster, you can help your pet:

The pet can comb, repeatedly lick the wound. With this behavior of the animal, the seams can disperse. To prevent this, the owners purchase an ordinary baby diaper and adapt it to the cat, cutting out the protruding parts and making a hole for the tail.
Treatment of the postoperative wound is recommended with hydrogen peroxide, it is desirable to dry this place with brilliant green 1-2 times a day.
In some situations, to exclude infection, specialists prescribe a course of antibiotics.
Until the wound has healed, it is recommended as a toilet filler. cat tray use soft media such as torn paper. In pet stores, a special soft white filler is available for sale, it is convenient: the soft structure will not damage the seams and blood spots will be clearly visible on a white background when the seams diverge. If there is no filler in the tray, it must be washed regularly.

Complications after castration of a cat

After surgery, the cat may experience complications:

Wound infection. It usually occurs against the background of reduced immunity in an animal or during an unprofessional operation. To prevent the appearance and development of a bacterial infection, a course of antibiotics is prescribed.
Bleeding. It occurs as a consequence of unprofessional, poor-quality contraction of blood vessels. The second complication factor should be called low blood clotting in a cat. Bleeding sometimes occurs as a result of the physical impact of the cat itself after the operation: licking, combing. So that the cat does not disturb the place with seams, a special collar or baby diaper is put on it.
Heat. The norm is an elevated temperature within two postoperative days. If an elevated or sharply lowered temperature is observed for a longer time, you should immediately contact a veterinary clinic.
Renal failure. Symptoms of this disease are frequent urge to urinate, small portions, the presence of blood in the urine, prolonged refusal to eat. If the pet pees a little or does not go to the toilet, you should immediately contact the specialists of the veterinary clinic.

Care after surgery

If you take care of the animal after the operation according to certain rules, recovery will be faster. fair general recommendations peace, good food. Specialists of the veterinary clinic will advise the owner of the animal that has undergone castration.

The postoperative period affects the well-being of the animal, in order to alleviate the consequences, the pet should be provided with complete rest.
If the wound bleeds, treat it with the recommended means and change the bandage. For prolonged bleeding, contact your veterinarian.
In the first hours after the operation, the animal experiences dizziness and disorientation in space, the pet should be left in the clinic under the supervision of specialists. This is done so that the doctor can understand how the patient comes to his senses, moves away from anesthesia.
It is not recommended to transport a cat after castration on the hands or in the car seat. Unpredictable behavior, uncontrolled actions of a cat after anesthesia can lead to injury. It is better to use a special cage for this.
On the first day after anesthesia, the animal will feel cold. Here it is recommended to use a warm blanket, heating pad or plastic bottle with warm water. Warming should be from the back. Contact with a warm object in the groin area leads to bleeding.
Upon arrival home, the animal is laid on the floor, spreading oilcloth and warm flooring. Oilcloth is needed to protect the cat's place from spontaneous urination, which is possible after anesthesia.
The room where the animal will be after the operation must be ventilated, but drafts must be avoided. Avoid noise and bright lighting.

It is constantly recommended to observe during the first day - the time when the movements of the cat after anesthesia are not yet coordinated. The pet can get up, try to walk around the apartment, but will stagger, stumble, fall. In order to avoid injury in such a situation, it is necessary to carefully place the cat on the litter. The animal should be laid on its right side to avoid unnecessary stress on the heart.

For the same reason, uncoordinated movements in the first hours after anesthesia should not be placed on a hill or allow him to jump on a sofa, chair, the pet may be injured.

During the operation, the veterinarian periodically closed the eyelids of the animal, now this responsibility falls on the owner.

Cats can tolerate castration in different ways. In deep anesthesia, the pet's sleep sometimes passes with open eyes. In this case, to moisten the mucous membrane of the eye, the owner is recommended to close and open the eyes of the cat, pushing and closing the eyelids. If the cat comes to life for a long time, it is recommended to bury eye drops moisturizing the cornea of the eyes.

The consequences of anesthesia can be different, including vomiting. In this case, the animal should be turned on its side so that the cat does not choke. If vomiting is severe and persists for a long time, contact your doctor immediately.

Anesthetic agents make the animal very thirsty, so the cat is thirsty. Only after three to four hours after the operation can he be given water. This should be done in a state of wakefulness, carefully and in small portions, drops from a pipette or syringe without a needle.

12 hours after the operation and no later than within a day, the cat must be fed.

Food preferably liquid or semi-liquid. If the cat refuses to eat, you should not insist, the plate should be removed and offered again after an hour and a half.

Recovery period

A few hours after the operation, the pet may behave in the same way as before the operation.

The first impression of a healthy state is deceptive!

Changes in the hormonal state, mood and improvement in physical well-being will take place over two weeks. At this time, certain recommendations are followed to alleviate the condition of the animal and help it survive this period as easily as possible:

The statement that after castration, cats gain weight intensively is true. AT postoperative period it is desirable to properly organize nutrition and create conditions for a fairly mobile lifestyle.
If the owner feeds the pet with specially purchased food, it is necessary to buy packages with special markings for neutered cats.
If the cat is fed with natural food, fatty, smoked, salty foods and those with a high carbohydrate content should be excluded.
You can spoil the fish no more than once or twice a month. Such a restriction in the diet of fish is justified by fears of an excess of magnesium, phosphorus and calcium, which will provoke the formation of stones in the urinary organs of the animal.

You can bathe a castrated cat only after the surgical wound has completely healed. Healing takes place within two weeks, during which it is permissible to use dry shampoo and wet wipes.

If the animal does not drink water for a long time, eats poorly or refuses to eat at all, sluggish behavior is observed on the second day after the operation, you should contact the veterinary clinic.

If the cat has become angry, do not despair, this mood is temporary, only for the period of hormonal changes in the body for two weeks. Behavior change is inevitable, and it goes in the direction of improvement.

Castration is carried out to regulate the behavior of the animal and in this matter it is important to consider when exactly the sexual instinct of the cat was formed. If the instinct was formed and developed before the operation, then the specific habits and habits of the animal associated with it have already formed. This specific behavior manifests itself for some time after the operation. For example, the animal still marks its territory, meows, scratches and rubs against doorposts, tramples in one place, demonstrating by its behavior that it is excited. Within a month after the operation, hormones will leave the cat's body, so after a month he should calm down. If the situation does not change after a month, you should contact your veterinarian.

Today, many people castrate their cats to stop them wanting a cat. But how is the care of a cat after castration? Can there be complications? How to feed a neutered cat and how to treat his wound? Below you will find the answers to these questions.

After castration, the cat is handed over to the owners, and the cat itself will be in a state of sleep.

It must be placed in an open-top carrier and taken home. Of course, doctors may suggest leaving the cat in the clinic for a few days, but the cat will be under a lot of stress after waking up, so it is still advisable to take him home.

Usually, the cat quickly comes to his senses, but the first 12-24 hours pet The following unpleasant violations can be observed:

Dry eyes. The fact is that during anesthesia, the eyes of cats remain open. Of course, doctors are aware of this unpleasant symptom, so during the operation they periodically moisten the eyelids of the animal. A cat after castration may not regain consciousness for a long time, so the owner will have to wet the eyelids of the cat on their own. For wetting the eyes, it is advisable to use special antiseptic drops for cats or tetracycline ointment.
Decreased temperature. Usually, the temperature of the cat is 38-39 degrees, but after the operation it can drop to 36-37 degrees. Such a small drop, of course, will not kill the animal, but doctors recommend wrapping the cat in a warm blanket to restore the temperature level. You can also use a heating pad for heating. If the cat's ears and paws are too cold, it is advisable to rub them to normalize blood circulation.
Dizziness, impaired stability and coordination of movements, unsteady gait. Such violations are side effect anesthesia, so the first days you need to monitor the cat so that it does not climb onto objects that are too high (for example, on a table).
Pain syndrome. After the operation, the cat will definitely have a pain syndrome, so you need to ask the doctor to prescribe pain medication for the cat. It should be understood that many cats endure pain in silence, but this does not mean that they feel well, so painkillers should not be neglected.

How quickly does a cat wake up?

Cats come to their senses after anesthesia in different ways. On average, cats wake up 3-6 hours after the introduction of anesthesia, but at first they will simply lie motionless.

After a while, they will begin to rise, but due to severe dizziness, they are unlikely to want to run and frolic. Dizziness and instability usually resolves 10-12 hours after the introduction of anesthesia, and the temperature returns to normal after 36-48 hours. The pain syndrome usually lasts no more than 3 days.

How fast is behavior changing?

Usually, people castrate their cats to reduce their sexual activity.

The fact is that after castration, the level of testosterone decreases markedly, which changes the behavior of the animal. And indeed - usually after castration, cats stop looking for a cat, no longer rush into the street and do not scream, they stop actively marking the territory.

A complete hormonal restructuring of the body usually lasts 1-3 months, depending on the breed and age of the cat.

How to care for a cat in the following days?

For 2-3 days after the operation, the cat's behavior may change dramatically. Changes can be different - the cat can become both very aggressive and very apathetic. This is due to the fact that the hormonal system is being rebuilt.

Such behavior does not need to be treated, and the owner should be sympathetic to the condition of the animal. Of course, a complete restructuring of the hormonal system will take several months, but after 5-6 days the cat's behavior will return to normal.

Also, after the operation, you should think about food, toilet and wound care.

Nutrition

Regarding nutrition, you need to know the following after castration:

In the first 5-10 hours after the operation, the cat will completely lose his appetite. You shouldn't worry about it. The main thing - do not forget to water the cat.
In the first 1-3 days after the operation, the cat will have a poor appetite. During this period, it is advisable to refuse dry food, and you need to feed the cat with meat broth or a rare porridge with pieces of lean meat. In no case do not overfeed the cat and do not force him to eat a lot!
Appetite usually returns to normal after 3-5 days. However, remember - now the cat does not need such a large amount of energy, so food intake should be slightly reduced.
It makes sense to buy special food for neutered cats at the pet store. Also, castrated cats should be given food that contains special additives that prevent the development of urolithiasis, since after castration the risk of developing this disease increases significantly.
After castration, you need to completely abandon the fish - the fish contains a large amount of minerals that the castrated cat will no longer need, so they will begin to debug in the form of kidney stones.

Toilet

Regarding the toilet, you need to know the following:

At first, it is advisable to use white or light fill for the toilet. The fact is that a wound in a cat can bleed, and this will be very noticeable on a light filler.
After each trip to the toilet, it is advisable to disinfect the tray (for example, with boiling water), and discard the filler. This should be done until the cat's wound stops bleeding.
Also, it is advisable to give preference to soft toilet fillers to avoid irritation.
If the cat does not want to go to the toilet after the operation, it is advisable to ask the doctor to prescribe him some safe diuretic medicine.

Wound care

Wound care after castration looks like this:

You should check the cat's groin several times a day for bleeding wounds. It is desirable to treat wounds with hydrogen peroxide.
Also, the seam should be treated with hydrogen peroxide, iodine or Levomekol ointment so that it heals better.
Until the wound is completely healed, the cat will probably lick the wound. This can lead to irritation, seam divergence and other unpleasant consequences. To prevent this from happening, you should put on a special protective collar on the cat, because of which it will be very difficult for the cat to lick the wound.
In some cases, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.
Full rehabilitation usually lasts no more than 7-10 days.

Complications

Usually, postoperative recovery goes well, but sometimes complications can occur. They can signal that something went wrong during the operation.

In no case should you self-medicate - take the cat to a veterinary hospital.

Main complications:

Violation of the heart.
Job disruption respiratory system(e.g. loud wheezing).
Swelling of the eyelids and eyes.
A sharp change in the color of the mucous membranes.
Complete refusal of food, which lasts more than 2 days.

Conclusion

Now you know how to properly care for a cat after castration. Let's summarize. On the first day, the pet will be very weak, but on days 2-4 it will return to normal.

Until complete recovery, it is desirable to treat the seam with hydrogen peroxide, iodine or special ointments. You should slightly reduce the number of calories in food, and feed the pet should be cat food for castrated cats, which contains special additives, since castration leads to an increased risk of developing urolithiasis.

Also, you should change the toilet regime - you need to fill the cat's toilet with a light filler to detect bleeding, and the toilet itself must be disinfected regularly. If the cat has any complications, you need to visit a veterinarian.

Castration is a simple operation, but after any surgical intervention, the necessary care is required to quickly restore the pet to its previous state. How quickly the pet will recover from the consequences of this procedure depends entirely on the owner of the animal, on the correct care of it.

Castration takes place under general anesthesia. In the first hour after the operation, the animal should be in the clinic, as this will make sure that it is well moving away from anesthesia. There are cases of complications from anesthesia in the form of respiratory arrest. Therefore, the first postoperative hour spent in the clinic is very important.

Tip: you need to take the phone number of the veterinarian who performed the operation, so that in unforeseen cases you can get qualified advice.

Cat care in the first postoperative hours

After the operation, the cat will be very weak for the first three hours. He will experience dizziness, nausea, thirst, muscle weakness. This is a normal condition, which should not disturb the owner, so the pet is moving away from anesthesia.

The owner may be offered to leave the pet on the first day in the clinic, under the supervision of a doctor, but he will be there in a stressful state. Therefore, it is better to take him home so that the cat feels the care and participation of the owner.

In the postoperative period, the cat is observed:

Dry eyes. During the application of anesthesia, the eyes of cats do not close, they remain open. During the operation, the veterinarian closes the eyelids of the animal from time to time so that the conjunctiva is wetted with tears. If the cat has not yet recovered from anesthesia, then the owner will have to do this.
In order to properly care for your pet's eyes, you need to buy tetracycline eye ointment or antiseptic drops. After the pet has come out of anesthesia, you do not need to close your eyes, it will do it on its own. There are times when the animal lies with its eyes open for a long time, then it is necessary to drip saline into the eyes. This will keep them dry.
Low body temperature. Normal cat temperature is 37.5 - 39.0 degrees Celsius. In the postoperative period, the temperature can drop to 36.5 - 37.0 degrees. The cat should be put on a warm bed and covered with a warm blanket. In extreme cases, the cat can be heated with a heating pad. To normalize blood circulation, he needs to rub his ears and paws.
Wobbling gait. This is due to the relaxation of the muscles during the application of anesthesia. Usually during this period the cat walks with a staggering gait. On the first day, it is better to keep an eye on the pet so that it does not climb to any height, otherwise it may not hold on and fall.
At first, the cat needs painkillers. If the pet is silent, this does not mean that he does not feel pain. Most animals tolerate pain silently. They completely refuse food, are in a motionless position. Their pupils are usually dilated and focused. The gaze is directed to one point.

Wound treatment

The groin area should be examined daily and checked for bleeding. Also:

To better heal the seams, they are treated twice a day with hydrogen peroxide and brilliant green.
You can lubricate the suture place with Levomekol ointment.
During the rehabilitation period, you need to wear a collar on the cat, which will prevent the animal from licking the wound. Licking the wound can lead to suture separation and, consequently, infection. During care, it is removed only during the feeding period.

The rehabilitation period is easier in winter. If the operation was performed in the summer, then a five-day course of antibiotic therapy may be necessary. It is better to be safe than to treat the resulting infection later.

Cat toilet after castration

When an animal goes to the toilet, you need to be extremely careful. At this time, there should be either light or white filler in the tray. This is necessary in order to notice the first droplets of blood. For care during this period, it is better to take a soft absorbent, this will help to avoid irritation. Some owners have adapted after castration to put on a pet a small diaper, in which they previously made a hole for the tail.

It often happens that a pet does not go to the toilet for a long time, either in a small way or in a big way. This worries the owner. In this case, you can drink it with vaseline oil. This will help him with the toilet. Urine can depart in small portions, literally drop by drop. At first, this is normal. A month after the castration, his urine will not have such a strong odor as before.

Animal feed

In the first postoperative hours, the pet will have a reduced appetite, it is not necessary to force feed the cat. It's okay if the pet does not eat on the first day. The necessary care lies in the availability of water. It must be in sufficient quantity.

After castration, the animal has a change of interests, from cats, he switches to food. The cat always wants to eat. It's not worth it to indulge him. It must be remembered that a castrated cat has a risk of urolithiasis. Components such as phosphorus, magnesium and calcium can lead to this disease. When caring for a cat, in order to avoid this ailment, you need to completely exclude fish, as it is rich in these elements.

Veterinarians recommend after castration to feed the animal with dry food, which acidifies urine, and is the prevention of urolithiasis. A pet who eats dry food must drink more fluids, otherwise it will be difficult for him to go to the toilet. One part dry food should be three parts water. If he rarely goes to the toilet in a small way, then you should contact the veterinarian, he will prescribe diuretics.

A neutered pet is constantly begging for food, but this does not mean at all that he is hungry. You should not follow his lead, otherwise obesity may develop.

Complications

If during the care of the cat the following symptoms were found, then an immediate appeal to the veterinarian is required:

Violation of the heartbeat.
Respiratory disorders. The appearance of wheezing during breathing.
Swelling of the tongue or eyelids.
Excessive pallor or brightness of the mucous membranes.

One of the important factors is to provide the pet with complete peace, silence, isolation from other animals during care. Carefully take care of the wound and the toilet, and then he will quickly recover and will delight you with an attractive and healthy appearance.

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