Bonnie - spayed

[Judecat (Paula)]

That is good news, shame about the 'onesie' though

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Such good news.  . Sounds like Bonnie' s doing just fine

[NikNakNoo]

Well three days since her op and she is back to being mad and full of beans. She had her check up yesterday and they were very happy with her. She's going again next Saturday as well for her final post op check.

We returned the onesie because somehow she managed to get out of it. But she is leaving her side alone so we figure she doesn't need to wear anything, even the cone. So it's going good now which is a relief!

[Judecat (Paula)]

I think she looks rather splendid, maybe you should send the photo's to the manufacturer, she makes a puurrfect model

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Bonnie is modelling that t shirt beautifully! 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

  Oh but she looks so pwitty - and stylish too!!      So pleased - she'll be much more comfortable in that than the cone.   

[NikNakNoo]

Hi all

Come home from work today and I was greeted by bonnie looking rather splendid in her tshirt. I think yesterday when we tried it she was too groggy and too sore to wear it. Anyways today she seems much more comfortable with it on and it's so much better than her wearing a cone. Of course we have pictures....

[NikNakNoo]

you can't stop them!  they said that when my Bengal was spayed at 5 months, you can't keep a good Bengal down and in the end I stopped trying!

I think that is the same feeling we have. She wants to be with her family and not shut away in a room by herself and that would be the only way of keeping her quiet. I don't want to stress her out anymore than she already is. Poor little mite.

Our Gurlies must be bengals in disguise too - couldn't stop them from racing everywhere.      So glad she seems much brighter in herself.  I wonder if the stitches are feeling a bit itchy and that's why she's nibbling.  Ask the vet if they have a comfy collar you could try instead.   

When I asked the vet yesterday if there was anything else other than the cone she could have the only thing they suggested was the tshirt onesie thing. No mention of a comfy collar but I will ask. She seems to have accepted the cone now but it can't be very comfortable.  She's been very sleepy the last hour and she hasn't had anything to drink since last night. She ate a little bit this morning but that's it. No more toilet stops either. She has an apt at the vets tomorrow morning so I will just raise these points then .

[Dawn F]

I think it is such a good sign it must mean they aren't hurting too much when you think of how we would be!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

you can't stop them!  they said that when my Bengal was spayed at 5 months, you can't keep a good Bengal down and in the end I stopped trying!

I think that is the same feeling we have. She wants to be with her family and not shut away in a room by herself and that would be the only way of keeping her quiet. I don't want to stress her out anymore than she already is. Poor little mite.

Our Gurlies must be bengals in disguise too - couldn't stop them from racing everywhere.      So glad she seems much brighter in herself.  I wonder if the stitches are feeling a bit itchy and that's why she's nibbling.  Ask the vet if they have a comfy collar you could try instead.   

[NikNakNoo]

you can't stop them!  they said that when my Bengal was spayed at 5 months, you can't keep a good Bengal down and in the end I stopped trying!

I think that is the same feeling we have. She wants to be with her family and not shut away in a room by herself and that would be the only way of keeping her quiet. I don't want to stress her out anymore than she already is. Poor little mite.

[Dawn F]

you can't stop them!  they said that when my Bengal was spayed at 5 months, you can't keep a good Bengal down and in the end I stopped trying!

[NikNakNoo]

Well this morning she's certainly happier. She's jumping on and off things. The vet said not to let her but how do you stop a 5 month old kitten from jumping?? She's had breakfast and a wee as well. She's still sleepy and spent all night sleeping next to me. We tried her without the cone and she licks  it and that then starts to go into nibbling so I think the cone will need to stay on for a bit longer. She hates the tshirt thing so that'll go back tomorrow when she has a check up at the vets. Barnaby is still treating her like she's at new member of the gang...growling and hissing. Very odd.

[Dawn F]

don't forget she probably didn't eat or drink much yesterday so going to the loo will take a while to settle, I'm sure she will perk up soon but don't be shy to phone the vets if you are worried

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Both our Gurlies who were done earlier this year were done "through the side" too.  The technique differs from vet to vet, and some use dissolving stitches, others use old fashioned style sutures.

Neither of the gurlies had to wear a collar.  They did lick the wound site from time to time, but as Paula said, it didn't do them any harm, and as I recall, both resumed tearing round the house again in fairly short order.

I would say try her without the collar and see how she goes.  An unhappy cat will take much longer to settle down.

Many years ago, the only other female cat we had neutered was a slightly different scenario. 

She went into post-operative shock.  She ended up having to spend 3 days with the vet, and then nursing with us for almost a week before she recovered.

You do right to keep an eye on Bonnie, but I suspect she may just be taking a bit longer to shake off the effects of the anaesthetic and post-op recovery.

If you're still concerned later this morning, I'd give the vet a quick call to outline her progress and ask whether you need to take any further steps.  I'm sure she'll be fine.   

Please let us know how you get on. 

[Judecat (Paula)]

All my girl cats have been spayed 'through the side' going back years, I didn't know there was any other way. As has been said you can get 'comfy collars' I know Andrew said it was a great improvement on the cone one with Astrophe.

Mine have all licked the wound as well. I don't think licking has done any damage, I think (bearing in mind my medical degrees are zero) that it is more if they worry the stitches and bite them out that it is a problem in case the wound re-opens.

I wouldn't expect her to poo too soon, don't forget you will have starved her before her op so it will take a little time for food since to work it's way through her system.

The 'vet' smell will soon go as well so when it does the other kids should go back to normal with her as well.

This is only on my experience of queens (and toms when they have been neutered - the other cats are a bit off with them too when they get back because of the smell). If you are worried call the vet this morning.

[NikNakNoo]

Well it's 4am and bonnie woke up about half hour ago and started purring at me like she does most mornings so that's a good sign.  She has now settled back down but she's gently shaking....Maybe cold? She hasn't been to the toilet yet and only had a very small drink last night before bed. I think wearing the cone makea her miserable. We did buy a kitty onsie to try on her but she hates it. She just meows and growls and goe stiff. At least with the cone one she seems a litter less stressed.

We have to keep an eye on her when the cone is off because she instantly starts licking at her incision. They've gone through her side to spay her, is that normal? That's how they routinely do spaying nowadays so I was told.

I'm just a bit concerned that she hasn't been to the toilet and she hasn't really had any water.  Will have to keep a close eye on her tomorrow, well today I guess isn't it, and maybe give her some time with the cone off. Just worried she will upset the wound and it'll get infected. 

[Mymblesdaughter]

Mine always growl at each other when they have been at the vets. I don't think they like the smell. Smell is also the way they recognise each other so must be confusing for them. they usually go back to normal in a couple of hours.

I'm not really sure why vets put cones on cats when they have been spayed Buffy didn't have a cone and neither have any of my other cats. They have just said to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't start biting the stitches or getting too wild. You can get something called comfy collars now which are much better and smaller.

[NikNakNoo]

Hi all

Well bonnie is 5 months old or thereabouts so today she was spayed. The operation went fine which is great but since coming home she absolutely hates the cone.  We thought she might so we also bought her a tshirt that the vet suggested. Well we've tried that on and she goes bonkers, growling and going so I think that's a no go .

However since coming home barnaby is hissing and growling at her like she's a different cat or one he's never seen before.  Any ideas why? Does he think she's a different cat? Or does she smell different? She goes near him and he really doesn't like it. Is that normal? Bebe seems absolutely fine with her. Bruno has growled a few times but nothing serious.

Also will she get use to the cone because right now she's one unhappy kitten!