How to Care for Your Cat After Neutering or Spaying - Treating Your Cat After Surgery

1. Inspect your cat’s incision area. Looking at your cat’s incision can help you get an idea of what it looks like and will help you monitor its progress. If possible, ask your veterinarian to show you the incision before you take your cat home.[8] You may want to take a photograph of the site on the first day for a reference point.
- Female cats and male cats who had undescended testicles will have incisions on their bellies. Most male cats will have two small incisions on the scrotum area (under the tail).

2. Use an “Elizabethan” collar. Your veterinarian may provide this collar, or you can purchase one at your local pet store. This type of collar extends up past your cat’s face so that it can’t bother the incision area.[9]
- These collars may also be called “protective” collars, “E-collars,” or “cone” collars.

3. Offer the cat food and water. You can offer your cat a little bit of water in a shallow dish (or an ice cube) as soon as you get home from the vet.[10] Your vet will probably give you feeding instructions, and you should follow those. If you did not receive instructions, consider the following:
- If your cat seems alert and responsive, you can offer your cat about a quarter of its normal portion of food about 2-4 hours after you get home from surgery.[11] Don’t force the cat to eat or drink, though.
- If your cat is able to eat, give it another small meal in 3-6 hours. Repeat this until the cat has eaten a full portion of food, and then resume the cat’s normal feeding schedule.[12]
- If your cat is younger than 16 weeks old, feed your cat a small meal (about half the normal amount) as soon as you get it home and settled after surgery.[13]
- If your kitten will not eat after returning home, you can try putting a small amount of maple or corn syrup on a cotton ball or q-tip and rubbing it on your cat’s gums.[14]
- Don’t give your cat any “special” foods, treats, or junk food after surgery. Your cat’s stomach may feel upset, so keep your cat’s diet as regular as possible.[15] Don’t give your cat milk; cats can’t digest it.

4. Let your cat rest. Don’t try to pet or play with your cat immediately after surgery. While this may feel reassuring to you, it may just keep your cat from feeling safe and rested.

5. Avoid lifting your cat unless it’s absolutely necessary. You can easily tear your cat’s surgical incision if you lift or move your cat too much. For male cats, avoid putting pressure on the scrotum (under the tail). For female cats (and male cats that had surgery for undescended testicles), avoid putting pressure on the abdomen.
- If you have to lift your cat, try this approach: Cup your cat’s hind end with one hand and use the other hand to support your cat’s chest just under the front legs. Lift the cat’s body gently.[16]

6. Restrict your cat’s movement. For the next week after surgery, make sure your cat doesn’t jump around, play, or move too much. This can irritate or cause infection at the surgical site.[17]
- Remove cat trees, perches, and other furniture that your cat may enjoy jumping on.
- Keep your cat in a small room, such as the laundry room or bathroom, or in a kennel or crate when you are not able to supervise it.
- Consider carrying your cat up and down any stairs. The cat is unlikely to harm the incision or operation site by going up and downstairs, but this is a sensible precaution.
- Understand that cats who are in distress -- such as those who’ve just had surgery -- may try to escape. Be very vigilant in supervising your cat, especially for the first 24-48 hours after surgery.

7. Avoid bathing the cat. Don’t bathe your cat for 10-14 days after surgery. This can cause irritation or infection at the surgical site.[18]
- If necessary, you can clean around the surgical incision with a slightly damp cloth (no soap), but don’t get the actual incision itself wet. Do not scrub the surgical area.[19]

8. Give pain medications only as directed by your veterinarian. Your vet may send you home with prescription medications for your cat. If so, make sure to give this medication as directed, even if you don’t observe that your cat is in pain. Cats are very good at hiding pain and may be suffering even if they don’t show it. Never give your cat any medication that has not been specifically prescribed by its veterinarian.[20]
- Human medication, and even medications meant for other animals such as dogs, can kill cats! Do not give your cat any medicines, even over-the-counter medicines, that your vet has not verified as being appropriate for your cat. Even medications such as Tylenol can be fatal to cats.[21]
- Don’t apply any products to the surgical site, including antibiotics or disinfecting creams, unless your veterinarian has approved them for your cat.[22]

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