Katz Tales: Preparing your lady cat for spaying

If you have a kitten, you will need to think about timing the surgery in conjunction with the early vaccination schedule. Photo: 123rf.com

All surgery involves risk. As cats are different, make your first appointment with a view to having your vet check your pet over and to discuss the operation.

If you have a kitten, you will need to think about timing the surgery in conjunction with the early vaccination schedule. We waited a full six weeks after the third vaccination, just to give Tic Tac’s body time to recover.

Although the mantra is that spaying is a “simple” surgery, do look for a vet who does a lot of these procedures. Practice makes perfect.

As there are different surgical techniques, ask what will happen during the operation, where the wound will be, how big it will be, and what your vet expects in terms of recovery time and conditions.

Be certain to ask for a long-term painkiller injection as part of the deal. Don’t fall for assurances that animals don’t feel pain the way people do. Cats do suffer pain and you need to make sure they have pain relief.

Cats do suffer pain and you need to make sure they have pain relief.

Also, plan for your pet to have a safe and quiet space to recover in while she’s coming round from the anaesthetic. She needs a quiet place to recover as the wound heals.

For the week that follows the operation, keep her away from young children, dogs and other people who might injure her or mess with her recovery. Remember, spaying is major surgery; it’s not tiddlywinks.

If you have a calm kitty and you will be at home watching her every move, you may want to buy an antiseptic bitterant spray like Wound Gard and try to have a healing process without a lampshade. It’s a wonderful option if it works because it cuts down on the stress.

However, it’s sensible to buy a lampshade and to have it on standby, just in case.

Cats can be less than sensible and you don’t want her opening up the wound and having to go back for more surgery. Again, discuss this with your vet.

Finally, if you are nervous, do have a friend standing by to provide emotional support. There’s no shame in being scared: our cats are our family.