Monitor and Keep Warm

• Monitor the cat(s) for bleeding, infection, illness and appetite. DO NOT release the cat(s) that night!
• Leave them in the trap. Cat(s) need to be kept in a warm, draft-free area such as a bathroom, spare bedroom or climate-controlled garage/shed. Cats should not be placed on a cold or damp floor. Place them on blankets or layers of towels.

Safety First

• Keep the trap(s) covered with a sheet or blanket. Stray or feral cats may react to strange people, noises and activity, and you or the cat could get injured. Covering the trap also helps with the cat’s stress levels.

Check Regularly

• Look in on the cat(s) every hour or so to check their progress. The cat(s) will be groggy as they recover.
• The anesthesia may have cause the cat(s) to overreact or become aggressive. The anesthesia will wear off in about 24 hours.

Concerns

• If you have any concerns or questions regarding the spay/neuter surgery, call us at 601-420-2438. Messages are checked daily, even on weekends and holidays.
• If you feel that you have an emergency, call the Animal Emergency and Referral Center at 601-939-8999.

Feeding

• A small amount of canned food can be placed on a plastic lid with a little water around it.
• Cats may not have an appetite or may be too scared to eat.
• When feeding the cats, lift the back door of the trap very slowly so that only a small gap is open. Slide the lid into the trap quickly without putting your hand inside and always keep an eye on the cat. If the cat moves toward the opening, close the door immediately to avoid letting the cat out. Always relock the trap door.

Changing Newspaper in a Trap

• You may need to remove soiled newspapers from the trap and replace with fresh newspaper. Only raise the door a crack to pull out old newspaper and slide in fresh newspaper.
• If you are unable to do this, place the trap on top of new newspaper so that the paper underneath the trap can absorb any waste.

When to Return to Home

• The morning after surgery, check to see that the cat(s) are alert, clear-eyed and not displaying any signs of illness.
• If they appear healthy, they may be returned to where they were trapped 24 hours after surgery as long as weather permits.
• If a female was pregnant and needs more time to recover, she may be held for an additional 24 to 48 hours.

Sutures

• The cats DO NOT need to return to the clinic for suture removal. The sutures are dissolvable.