When we first got the new kittens last March, we couldn’t get them fixed due to both of them having respiratory issues. Unfortunately, once better, we couldn’t book their spay appointments until July 6th. This wasn’t ideal, but what we didn’t know was how unideal it would be, because for the last month one or the other kittens has been in heat, and meowing, and wanting to go outside, and just little terrors in general.
So, we’ve been counting down the days until the spaying would occur. Finally, on Thursday, we took the girls into the vet.
At day’s end, we expected to receive weary cats ready for sleep and rest (we both have had cats in the past). According to the vet, we needed to keep the cats quiet, keep their cones on their heads (so they can lick their sutures), and limit their food. We were even optimistic when picking them up at the vets, because the techs said how loving the two cats were … hmm … yeah … right.
Instead, as soon as we arrived home and let the cats out of their travel, they became little hellions. We struggled, but successfully got the cones on their heads. Immediately, te supposedly docile and “loving” cats began writhing on the floor, which caused the cones to come off in seconds. And, as soon as they got loose, they were running around like they’d never had surgery. There was no “keeping them calm” .. their pupils were dilated, they obsessed over their food (which eventually we had to hide), they became obsessed with a milk bottle plastic ring, which for literal hours they both chewed and knocked around and carried places.
After recognizing that these two felines were high as kites and feeling no pain and obsessively focused on whatever they wanted, it became clear we needed a new plan to protect their sutures. So, I raced to the local Walmart to pick up baby onesies, which Ann then cut and roughly fitted over their bodies.
These two cats wanted nothing to do with the onesies and, moreover, it caused them to walk and fall over like their were super high. We eventually had to put a harness over one of the cats in order to keep the onesie on her body. Still, they attempted to wriggle out, so one of us at to watch them at all times.
Ann ended up sleeping with the cats in the cat room; however, the next morning she told me that the cats didn’t sleep. In fact, it wasn’t until the afternoon on Friday that they finally slept (as seen below).
‘Get cats’, they say; ‘they will be so fun to have around’ they say … hmmmph.
Fix the ]m as early as possible. I know you cant when they are sick. My wife fosters sick little ones till they can have their surgery.
Kurt,
I agree. We had an early appt set up, but they weren’t healthy enough. These cats did come from a local foster home.
The pain meds have worn off completely and they are finally moving much more slowly and sleeping more (thank God!).
Great job on getting the kittens neutered. Sure wish more people would be that responsible with pets. The short term angst will be well worth it to have great companions for the long term.
wife is a vet and sees so much pain that could have been avoided if pets were spayed/neutered. our magicats shelter is always full and always in need of foster parents. you did the right thing! thanks!
Our neighbor has a variety of cats that are mostly feral and, we suspect, are never fixed. Our other neighbor has one male cat, that also isn’t fixed. So, we knew that if our girls got out, they’d be pregnant in no time. So, they’ve been kept inside thus far, which means we had to remove the dog door, so that meant that whenever the dogs wanted to go out, we had to let them out.
The reality around here is, between hawks, eagles, other predators, and cars, cats that wander don’t seems to last too long.