Cat operation recovery tips

Alun

One of our cats, Holly, the scatty, nervous one, has to go in for an operation on Monday to remove a golf ball sized cyst on her neck It's been drained a few times, but keeps coming back, so it has to be done.

It's not a big op, and the vet is almost 100% certain it's not malignant, but nonetheless I'm still really worried. It's going to be difficult afterwards because of the location of the thing means she won't be able to wear a collar, so I'm afraid she's going to scratch it with her back paws and infect it.

Any hints, tips or helpful suggestions as to how to handle the situation when she comes home? As I said, she's already really nervous and shy, so it'll be difficult to giver her reassuring cuddles .. she's more likely to go and hide somewhere completely inaccessible and then get all stressed if we try and get to her to inspect the wound etc.

Zapperzy

Would you be able to confine her to one room for a few days? A feliway plug in might help too, if she can be confined to one room you should only need one diffuser. Talk to your vet/nurses about your concerns for her scratching at the wound, her back feet could be bandaged to stop her doing any damage with them if she starts pulling at her wound, although most cats normally don't pass too much heed of wounds.

Rips

Our cat didn't mind having a little neck bandage, only for 2/3 days to give the wound a chance to start healing.

Confining to one room is a good idea though if she would be inclined to hide, you'll need to keep an eye on her.

Alun

I don't think confining her to one room would help to be honest, it would only stress her as she's used to having free reign of the house. We already have a feliway diffuser, not that I think it has much effect to be honest.

I like the idea of a bandage on her neck to give it a chance to heal, but as Zappersy (and the vet) said, unlike dogs, it would appear that cats aren't too worried about wounds, so maybe we'll be lucky. She does occasionally have a good old scratch of the area where the cyst is at the moment, but will stop quickly if you catch her at it and stop her.

comongethappy

Alun wrote: »

I don't think confining her to one room would help to be honest, it would only stress her as she's used to having free reign of the house. We already have a feliway diffuser, not that I think it has much effect to be honest.

I like the idea of a bandage on her neck to give it a chance to heal, but as Zappersy (and the vet) said, unlike dogs, it would appear that cats aren't too worried about wounds, so maybe we'll be lucky. She does occasionally have a good old scratch of the area where the cyst is at the moment, but will stop quickly if you catch her at it and stop her.

I found the self adhesive horse bandages great for when my cat's neck became infected after a bite. It allowed the wound to be covered to stop the spread but she was still able to move. I used Animalintex dressing to absorb and clear pus from the wound under the bandage.

My cat had kept scratching the wound despite antibiotic steroidal creams, and the infection kept spreading before I bandaged it. Manuka honey on the sore when it's exposed to air works a treat too

Alun

Well, it all went well, and Holly is now home and apart from looking a little weird, doesn't seem to be at all worried by her wound, and hasn't touched it at all. She came in, went straight to her food bowl and ate like there was no tomorrow, and now she's asleep on the (or rather our!) bed. She's on metacam for a week, and is going back on Wednesday for a wound check.

Pumpkinseeds

She's gorgeous, I'm glad it all went well:)

flikflak

Ahhh lovely puss, glad it all went well for her.

Alun

Yes, considering the size of the scar, it's remarkable to me that she basically seems to be paying absolutely no attention to it at all. If only we humans could be as detached as that when we're in a similar situation rather than feeling sorry for ourselves!

Alun

Small bump on this one, the vet got the pathology back today, and it wasn't actually a cyst but a (thankfully!) benign tumour of the sweat glands. The only snag is that it might come back, and operating again in the same area would be difficult. The stitches are out now anyway, and everything is healing up as it should.

Pumpkinseeds

Alun wrote: »

Small bump on this one, the vet got the pathology back today, and it wasn't actually a cyst but a (thankfully!) benign tumour of the sweat glands. The only snag is that it might come back, and operating again in the same area would be difficult. The stitches are out now anyway, and everything is healing up as it should.

That's great that it was benign. Fingers crossed that it won't come back, and if it does sure you can deal with it then, enjoy the now:)