How To Prepare Your Cat for Surgery

Surgeries are major procedures. Even seemingly simple surgeries can be quite complicated. If your cat needs to be operated on, it’s important to make sure that he or she is properly prepared. Failure to properly prepare may put your cat at risk. If your cat must undergo surgery, you should talk with a veterinarian first. At Waldorf Emergency Care, we have years of experience preparing for and performing pet surgery. Let’s take a look at some general tips for prepping your cat for surgery.

Preparing Your Cat

Perhaps the biggest and most important thing is to make sure your cat refrains from eating for at least 24 hours before surgery. This can be hard on your cat and they may beg for food. However, a cat must be sedated to undergo surgery. If food is in his or her stomach, there is a risk of them vomiting or choking.

There are many other things to consider before pet surgery as well. You will want to minimize playtime, as it is important for your cat to rest before the operation. If your cat needs any vaccinations, it is important to get them at least two weeks before surgery. While our veterinarian goes to great lengths to minimize risks, surgery may expose your pet to microbes, so pre-surgery vaccines are wise.

Small kittens generally should not undergo surgery unless it’s an absolute emergency. It’s typically best to wait for the kitten to reach at least 12 weeks of age and 2 pounds in weight. After surgery, you may need to give your pet certain foods and medications. Our veterinarian will guide you through the process of caring for your cat following surgery.

Veterinarian in Waldorf

For more information on pet surgery or to schedule an appointment with our veterinarian, call Waldorf Emergency Care at (301) 705-9700.