How long does it take a male cat to recover from neutering?

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Getting your male kitten neutered is one of the kindest things you can do for him. Neutering is a simple procedure with a short recovery time that will help keep your furry friend safe and healthy. It will also help curb unpleasant behavior such as spraying on your walls.

Neutering is a procedure to remove a male kitty's testicles. This is done through a small incision on his scrotum. It doesn't take very long, and only requires a minimal amount of anesthesia. The incision is so small that it doesn't need to be stitched back up after surgery. Once everything has healed and his fur grows back, it's hard to even tell the surgery was done.

While the surgery may be quick and simple, that doesn't mean there aren't some considerations when your little guy comes home from the vet. Normally, he'll be returned the same day he has the surgery. He may be a little woozy, and he may vomit. These are side effects of the meds they used to put him under for the procedure. This should wear off by the next morning. Offer him only water at first, and, if he seems alert or hungry, a small amount of kibble. He may not want to eat anything the night of surgery. The vet can give him pain medicine to use over the next couple of days. If Kitty hides under the bed or seems antisocial, it's a good indication his surgery site is bothering him.

Kitty will begin acting like his old self within a day or two after the surgery, so long as he isn't experiencing much pain. However, just because he's ready to play again doesn't mean it's good for him. For the next two weeks, he shouldn't be allowed outside or given a bath. If you have to leave the house, put him in his kennel or in a separate room from other pets to prevent rough-housing. He doesn't need to be licking the surgery site, even though he'll want to. If he won't leave it alone, put him in an Elizabethan collar to prevent him from aggravating the cut. Check the incision every day to make sure it's healing okay. If it looks red or swollen, he should see his vet to make sure he doesn't have an infection.

Prevention of more kittens isn't the only benefit of having your pal neutered. He'll be less likely to roam. This means he'll be less likely to bolt outdoors the first chance he gets. One of the most aggravating habits of an unneutered male is his marking his territory by spraying pee all over your stuff. Neutering will help curb the behavior, or possibly stop it entirely. Because he won't have so much testosterone, he'll be less likely to fight with other cats in your home.

Get him neutered as soon as he's old enough – around 5 months. Speak with his vet about the best time to have the procedure.

Spaying or neutering your cat soon? Congratulations! Be sure your plans include a delicate spay or neuter recovery period. It’s during the important neuter or spay recovery time when your attention to aftercare can make the difference between comfort and pain.

The good news is that the post-operative recovery period is typically boring in cats. That is to say, cats almost always recover brilliantly. Most appear never to miss a step after being spayed or neutered.

However, in rare instances, cats can experience serious complications after being spayed or neutered. To be sure, some may be related to surgeon error, but most happen because cats aren’t necessarily happy about having stitches in their bodies, or because they don’t know enough to keep themselves quiet while their insides are healing up.

During the Cat Spay Recovery Time

A day or two of quiet behavior and diminished appetite is the typical feline reaction to having her insides exposed and her crucial reproductive bits removed. In fact, most cats seem more affected by the sedative effects of the anesthetics and pain relievers than by pain. Research into modern cat pain relief techniques confirms this observation.

Common cat spay recovery signs include:

• Sleeping more often

• Walking more slowly

• Jumping less

• Eating less

• “Zoned-out” appearance if particularly affected by medications

Less common possibilities may require veterinary intervention. These include:

• Bleeding

• Swelling

• Redness or odor at the suture line

• Walking with a hunch-back appearance more than a day after the procedure

• Lack of appetite after the first day

• Extreme lethargy at any point beyond the first twelve hours

During the Cat Neuter Recovery Time

Most often you’ll see absolutely nothing. Again, most after-effects are medication-related, not neuter-related. After all, feline testicles are tiny little things that tend not to have a lot of nerve endings associated with them – not at the age most kittens get neutered, anyway.

If there are any adverse, veterinary visit-worthy events to observe, they tend to be related to post-operative bleeding. Any bleeding or excessive licking should be cause to bring your recently-neutered cat to the vet for a follow-up visit.

Cat Neutering or Spaying Aftercare

1. Keep Cats Calm

   The first thing veterinarians will explain is that cats should be kept quiet during the spay or neuter recovery time. That means no excessive running, jumping, or playing. This can be hard to do if we’re talking about a kitten as most kittens are unlikely to respect doctors’ rules. And since they usually feel well enough to do so, they’re likely to return to business as usual once they’re back at home.

2. Keep Cats Indoors

   Part of keeping cats quiet means keeping them indoors after surgery, particularly after a major abdominal procedure like a spay. This ensures that cats won’t make huge leaps off walls or fences and risk their incisions with mad dashes across the backyard. Seeing them indoors also makes it possible for owners to observe their cats routinely during the healing process.

3. Consider Keeping Cats Isolated

   The best approach to keeping cats quiet after surgery is to keep recently spayed or neutered cats in one cat-proofed room for a few days. This effectively isolates them from others who might play or harass them during their recovery. It also means you can limit the height of furniture (and of their jumps) by selecting rooms with low-lying furniture.

4. Monitor the Surgery Site

   Owners should observe the surgery site at least once a day. Make sure it’s not red, swollen, weeping, bleeding, or appears licked at. Any of these findings is cause for a vet visit!

5. Use the Recovery Collar

   Your veterinarian may recommend a recovery collar to keep your cat from being able to get to the incision site. Use this for the period of time your veterinarian recommends.

6. Follow All Aftercare Instructions, Including a Follow-up Visit

   Some veterinarians have recommendations regarding keeping the surgery site clean, keeping it coated with ointments (like Aquaphor) or administering antibiotics while other prefer that cats receive no medications or special attention to the wound (apart from simple observation). Be sure to follow all recommendations.

7. Baby Your Baby During Recovery

   After a neuter or spay, it should go without saying that a little extra attention is in order. Some cats need to be reassured that life will go back to normal after having to spend time at an alien place and that they are indeed adored.

Neutering Your Male Cat

Most cat owners have to face the decision of whether or not to get their cat neutered, and it is a decision your veterinarian can help you make.

Neutering is the process of removing a male cat's testicles, which produce most of their testosterone. The testosterone in a male cat controls their sexual behavior, which also encompasses behaviors such as roaming in search of females, aggression towards other males, and spraying (territory marking).

By having your male cat neutered you are preventing or minimizing these behaviors as well as preventing the birth of unwanted kittens and a handful of serious health conditions.

Male Cat Behavior After Neutering 

As mentioned above neutering your male cat helps stop or limit undesirable behaviors associated with testosterone (sexual behaviors). These changes can occur immediately or several weeks after their procedure. The age, breed, or environment of your kitty doesn't typically make any big effects on these changes.

By reducing or eliminating your cat's desire to roam the risk of them being in wandering-related accidents decreases. Their chances of being scratched or bitten by other cats (which can put your cat at risk of contracting illnesses) are also reduced because their aggression towards male cats is lowered.

Neutering may also reduce your cat's desire to spray to mark his territory. However, the behavior may not be completely eliminated as cats also do this when they are nervous. You will notice that the smell of urine is less intense in neutered cats. 

There are also many misconceptions that exist regarding the behavioral effects neutering has on cats. Neutering will not make your cat lazy or fat as long as you provide your furry friend with a healthy diet and enough exercise. However, neutering does slow your male cat's metabolism slightly, so you may need to reduce the number of calories you are feeding them and provide them with extra playtime. 

Any behaviors that aren't related to hormonal influences will not be affected, including your cat's ability to hunt. 

Male Cats Recovery After Neutering

After being neutered it's normal for male cats to experience side effects as a result of the anesthesia and the procedure itself such as lethargy, nausea, vomiting, and discomfort. This makes it important to follow your vet's post-operative care instructions carefully, so your cat can recover as safely and quickly as possible. 

When you first bring your kitty home you should keep them in a dark, quiet, room because your cat's eyes may be sensitive as a result of the protective ointment your vet may place on your cat's eyes (so they don't dry out). Cats can also sometimes be aggressive as the result of the discomfort they are feeling, so we also recommend keeping other people and pet's away from your furry friend during this time. 

Other precautions you will need to implement to help your cat recover smoothly include:

• During the first 24 hours give your cat a small amount of water to sip on, and only a quarter or half portion of their food to limit vomiting
• Keep a clean litter box close to their resting area, so they don't need to walk far to relieve themselves
• Use shredded paper instead of kitty litter for the first week to prevent dust and dirt from getting stuck in the incision site
• Don't let your cat run, jump, climb stairs, or go outside for the first seven days after their procedure because it could slow their healing, we recommend keeping them in a crate or secure room during this time

If after 48 hours your cat is still vomiting, lethargic, having diarrhea, or their appetite isn't returning call your vet immediately or bring them to the closest emergency veterinarian.

How long does it take a male cat to recover from neutering? 

For neuter procedures, it typically takes your cat 5 -7 days to recover. It's important to monitor for any of the signs above and contact your vet if you notice any lingering or worsening symptoms. While they are healing, do not let your cat run, jump, or play with other animals. It is important that they rest. 

As your cat reaches the one-week mark post-op, you can slowly start letting them return to their normal activity. If your cat is an outdoor cat, after 7 days they can begin to venture back outside. 

What To Watch for Aftering Neutering Your Cat

As we said above it's normal for cats to experience side effects such as lethargy, lack of appetite, nausea, and vomiting after being neutered, and you should call your vet if these symptoms don't go away after 48 hours.

Your cat may also not be able to urinate or defecate normally for the first 24 to 48 hours following their procedure, if 72 hours have passed and they still haven't been able to relieve themselves normally you need to seek veterinary care.

You also need to carefully monitor your cat's incision site for bleeding. It's normal for there to be a little blood around the incision site during the first 24 hours following their procedure, but if you are still noticing blood after this time frame contact your vet. 

As expected, neutered cats will feel uncomfortable and be in some pain for about 36 after being neutered, which is why your vet will provide your pet with long-lasting pain medications in the form of an injection, to help manage your kitty's pain. If at home you believe your cat requires more pain medication, call your vet. Do not give your cat pain medications designed for humans or any medications without consulting your vet first because many medications can be toxic to cats, cause serious health complications, and in serious situations even death.

You also need to call your vet immediately if you notice your cat exhibiting any of these signs after being neutered:

• The incision site has reopened
• Pus or discharge coming from the incision site
• Your cat hasn't urinated in 24 hours
• Refusing to eat
• Swelling or redness at the incision site

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet's condition, please make an appointment with your vet.

Contact our North Boulder vets today to schedule your cat's neuter procedure or if your cat is exhibiting any complications after being neutered.