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SURGERY RECOVERY INSTRUCTIONS - FERAL CATS Your cat has been sterilized (spayed if female, neutered if male). Please follow these instructions to ensure a speedy recovery. 1. Keep the cat(s) in the trap or carrier in which it was placed after surgery and keep the door locked at all times. 2. After surgery, the cat(s) must be kept indoors in a heated area, and monitored for bleeding, infection, illness and appetite. Place the trap/carrier in a warm spare room, bathroom, or basement overnight. Do not release the cat that night! 3. Keep the trap/carrier covered with a sheet or blanket. Do not handle the cat or put your fingers in the trap. Stray/feral cats are not vicious, but are generally scared of people, strange noises and activity. 4. Look in on the cat(s) every hour or so to check progress. The cat will be waking up out of anesthesia but will still be groggy. The anesthesia may cause hallucinogenic affects and cause the cat to over-react to normal stimulation or become aggressive. The anesthesia will wear off after about 4 to 24 hours. There should be no signs of bleeding. 5. If the cat(s) is bleeding, vomiting, having difficulty breathing or not waking up, call Dr. Puritz at the emergency contact number you were provided with. If the cat is vomiting, turn his/her head so liquid can come out. Do not place the cat back in vomit. Use gloves when turning head. 6. Only feed kittens 4 months and younger after surgery. Do not feed adult cats until at least 8 hours after surgery. Then a small amount of canned food can be placed on a plastic lid with a little water around it. The cat may not eat. Be careful when opening carrier or trap that the cat does not escape. Keep hands out of the trap and always relock the trap door. 7. The cat does not need to return to the clinic for suture removal as dissolvable sutures were used. An antibiotic has been given to your cat to help prevent any infections. 8. The next morning, check to ssee that the cat(s) is alert, clear eyed and not displaying any signs of illness. Both males and females are to be kept overnight and may be released the next day, 24 hrs. after surgery (barring severe, inclement weather.) If a female was pregnant, she should be held for two days following surgery. 9. Release the cat(s) at the site where they were trapped. Provide Fresh water and food. The cats may disappear for a few hours or days but they will return after they have calmed down. 10. If you need to keep the cat(s) longer than one day, continue to provide food along with water. Moist food is preferred as it is more easily digested. Feel small amounts of food at first. 11. A safe, warm, dry shelter is necessary throughout the year for each cat. Obtain the fact sheet, "How to Build an Inexpensive Shelter" from Alley Cat Allies. If taming a feral kitten, obtain ACA's guidelines: 202-667-3630.
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