Why is my cat crying and not playing after neutering surgery?

It sounds like he is still experiencing some pain. Talk to the vet who did the neuter about prescribing an anti-inflammatory/pain medication to help relieve the pain and make him more comfortable. Do not give any human pain medications as they can be toxic to cats.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is not uncommon for a cat to eat more after being neutered and it has to do with the hormonal change. The crying could be due to discomfort and so if this is a consistent issue, it would be best to check in with a veterinarian to ensure that Pumpkin is ok. Best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Tristan! Mild redness and swelling is normal. If you want to repost pictures we can take a look. As for not using his litter box, he could be stressed. I would confine him for a few days with his litter box to retrain him to use it. Also then you can be sure he is urinating normal sized spots. There could also be some inflammation. If he still isn't using the litter box appropriately by tuesday call your vet, he may need more pain medications. For the next 2 days just be sure is is producing urine and eating. I hope this helps!

Unfortunately, there is very little you can do in terms of pain management for a cat at home, as far over the counter medications. They are all dangerous and ineffective. A cat neuter is a typically very simple, quick, and free of complications. So, if he is experiencing this type of reaction now post-operatively, I would be concerned and get him back to whoever performed the procedure. If you take him to an emergency clinic now, they'll be able to do the same and get him medications that will help calm him down, and hopefully make him feel better. The one thing you can try to do if he'll allow it is, if the area where he was operated looks swollen, you can try icing it. Hope this makes sense.

Some pets will be more active once they wake up from sedation. This is usually temporary and will usually wear off in a few hours. It is very important to try to keep his activity minimal. I recommend to have him contained in one room with his litter box, food and water. Try to pick a room that does not have tall furniture or anything that he may try to climb or jump off and on. You may need to hang out with him until he calms down. Playing classical music may also help and decreasing stimulation in general. If he is still hyper tomorrow, you may want to call his veterinarian and ask about a sedative. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello. Most cats do very well after surgery, so as long as Haiku does not get too active tearing through the house, he can pretty much do his usual routine. There are no special requirements to aid in his healing other than to check the area for anything that looks unusual. He can clean the surgical area & will not harm anything. I would continue his pain medications at least for a day or so to make sure he has a normal recovery. If anything does concern you, contact your veterinarian immediately. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! On the whole, I’m not worried about this yet. It can take a couple weeks to feel completely normal after a neuter, especially in adult males. If you have pain medication still, go ahead and give it as even mild pain can cause some cats to be a little crankier than usual. Sometimes, a long trip to the vet or anesthesia seems to disturb cat relations and anxiety is more of a problem. If this behavior is not improving with pain medication, or persists for another week or more, consider these anxiety-reducing home helps. -Feliway- calming cat pheromone- comes in many forms from pet stores or online. 

- Adding a litter box. Studies show that the ideal number of litter boxes for a home is #of cats +1 . This is regardless of how clean you keep his current litter box.

 -making sure he has plenty of “high space”. The safest (and therefore least anxiety-inducing) place for a cat is up. If you don’t already, get a cat tree or put up a shelf or two that he can go perch on. Best wishes to you and Gus!