Worried about my cat this morning

Well after expressing my JOY last night at how peaceful it was with Bella beside me on the sofa and Alfi in her 'proper' basket (the one I provided for her ready for her to come home with me).

I was surprised she wasn't yowling for us to get up this morning as it was almost 8am and she usually wakes us around 7.30.

She was still in her basket! And she is still there now - 2 hours later.

I checked on her and she was none too pleased to be disturbed - hissing and wanting to bite me. I just wanted to make sure the healing leg wasn't hurting her and her tum hadn't opened up or was weeping or anything.

Her tum is still swollen (but nothing like that first day). But she is very dopey.

Bearing in mind it took her 8hrs+ to come round at all after the last anaesthetic and bearing in mind how ABSOLUTELY LOOPY she has been ever since she did come round ... what with climbing the curtains and rushing about here and there and going off and coming back and chasing Bella away and chasing other cats away and leaping about all over the place ... I am wondering if she has just 'zonked down' a bit now?

She obviously isn't in distress. I took Bella out for her walk and when I came back I filled a plastic syringe with water and gently squirted some of it into the side of her mouth. She was turning her head away and not overjoyed with the attention but she did drink it.

I was only bothered about her drinking - she has eaten a RIDICULOUS amount of food since I got her and put on loads of weight too.

She was skin and bone and must have been very hungry what with feeding the kittens too. And maybe not had such nice grub as what she's been presented with here - I've only fed her 5-10 g at a time but it's been more or less on and off all day. Not wanting her to bloat herself out and be sick or just get too bloated out while stitched up the tummy.

So worried again today but the couple of people I've spoken to have said as long as she doesn't feel hot (she doesn't) and there's no redness round her scar (there isn't) just let her be for a day instead of jamming her in the carrier and lugging her to the vet again (always stressful).

I mean it was unbelievable how lively, bolshie and loud she was after all she'd been through and not only having just had 2 leg ops (stitches still in at that stage) and been taken away from her kittens who she was still feeding, then going in to be spayed 5 days later (and that's only 4 days ago) I'd have not thought anything of it if she'd been like this to start with and gradually got livelier.

Maybe she just overdid things and is now feeling knackered? She's been out and used her litter tray at some stage.

I would just keep an eye on her and see how she goes Pat. She probably is just knackered and wants a quiet day, if she's using her tray and drinking that's good.

It might also be that any pain meds they gave her when she had her op have worn off now, so she could be in a bit of discomfort and just wants to lie still and be left alone.

I think your instincts are good enough to know if she needs to see the vet again, trust yourself x

Tang when Betty Chihuahua came home from neutering it took her 3 days to come round properly, I seem to recall when we had cats years ago Ginny also took nearly a week to wake up properly, was dopey and cranky all that time and really so unlike her self we were so worried about her but all came good in the end.

I think if it were me I would ring the vet later just to put my mind at rest but not worry too much (I know easier said than done) because in some ways they are easier to keep chilled and quiet to heal if they aren't quite themselves !

Same advice as Annie really keep an eye on those scars they don't start turning red.

Thanks Anniebee - I too wondered if it might be something to do with all the stuff she's been dosed and doped on now having gone from her system. For instance I did notice she was stiffer on the leg that has been operated on yesterday afternoon. Previously she only limped a little when either just getting up from sleeping or after going a bit bonkers.

It obviously couldn't have been hurting her AT ALL then. She'd let me rub it and brush it and not even try to pull it away.

Now I've calmed down a bit I am also thinking how long it took her to come round after that last GA? I mean at least 8hrs and even then she was really groggy and not eating or drinking but awake. I know the spaying op was more complicated by the fact she still had swollen breasts from nursing so guessed they gave her extra to keep her asleep longer.

I mean in the past 7 weeks or so she's given birth, been shot at, suffered a multiple break to her leg, had that operated on twice. Been kept in a basement with her kittens for 4 weeks. Then taken away from them to come with me. Then back to the vet 4 days or so later for another op (spaying) then had her leg stitches out. And all during that time she was eating like a horse and running up the curtains and terrorising the dog and generally behaving like nothing was wrong (I was in fact worried about her splitting her stitches or hurting the leg again!)

If she'd been like this THEN I'd not have thought anything of it. So yes, I think I must assume that she's had a hell of a lot of meds (3 GAs) and painkillers and antibiotics and all sorts. And it might just be that they are all flushed from her system now and she is quite naturally feeling a bit achey and painful.

While she is breathing normally and awake and a bit responsive (i.e. trying to bite me and hissing!) I think I will just let her have this day of rest. If she's still like this tomorrow I will take her back to the vet or at least phone him and talk to him about it.

I was supposed to go to town today to the banks but that will now not be happening. Even if she is just in her basket (where she obviously feels safe) I don't want to be out of the house and not around to notice any changes.

Aww, poor little girl. I think she'll be okay, likely all the new action in her life has come crashing down on her. When our cats were spayed, they actually did just fine and were trying to be WAY too active so we had to put cones on their heads to slow them down. they were dopey for about a day or so though.

It's kinda normal for it to turn a little bit red and swell a tiny bit, all our spayed cats got this little "knot" where the stitches were, but they never got an infection. I think she'll be okay

P.S.

ME!

Take it as a rest day for yourself , you could start on some of those Netflix series while you're monitoring her!

Thanks to all who have responded. Yes I think I should see this as a good opportunity to catch up on some website work I've been putting off.

Julie - yes. I'd have understood it better if it had been her like this to begin with and getting gradually livelier. Perhaps like me she doesn't know when to take it easy!

I remember my CKCS after spaying, she was a bit pathetic for a few days. This little scrap has been like a zebedee. Boinging about all over the place. It was easier to let her out here on the patio with me and the dog than to try to keep her confined. As she was climbing the curtains and non stop agitated yowling.

But having been told they have that extra season when their kittens are 6wks old and it coinciding with that time, I then thought she was yowling for a bedmate! Can't say I'm sorry the horrendously loud yowling stopped. I did ring the 2legs Alfie who got us together and who has about SEVEN cats and also my pal Sharon at the boarding and rescue. They both said she is obviously not used to being cooped up and to let her do what she wants to do if she wants to stay here she will and if not, well I've had her spayed which is the best thing you can do for a street cat (especially one whose just had kittens as they can and do get pregnant again 6 wks later while still nursing and that really depletes them) and that all the rescues do for them is spay them and put them back where they found them.

She however has opted to stay with us. Fingers crossed she will recover from all this gradually now.

Another thing that occurred to me is that she still does have pellets inside her. Vet said they only try removing them if they cause big problems. Just wondering if they haven't been hurting her while she was drugged up but now might be?

But then I think she'd be more whimpery and crying than hissing and spitting if that was the case.

Oh well will let you know if anything occurs.

That is strange Pat but I should think it is because the pain killers have now passed through her and she needs the rest. Just keep an eye on her. She should be ok. Sending healing vibes and prayers for her recovery.

Her leg scars are hardly visible now the stitches are out. Her spay scar however has always been a thin red line. Very swollen at first (with her being a nursing mum) but now not so swollen but with a couple of places where it looks like a bruise alongside it.

She's holding her head up and looking around a bit. And let me stroke her without hissing. In fact pulled my hand back to her when I stopped (which is what she always did)