Why is my spayed cat not walking after surgery? Is it normal?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Zoll is having a prolonged recovery. Don't feel hesitant to call the emergency number that the clinic provided. If she was more awake I would advise that you try to get her to eat a small bit of food. That will often help them recover but don't try it unless she can hold her head up. One thing you can do is take some sweet liquid such as honey or sugar water and rub it on her gums and tongue without getting bit though. That may help her recover faster. Also get her warmed up. She might be cold and not recovering due to lower body temperature. Use care but warm her up somehow with warm dry towels or something else. Just use care and don't burn her. It is possible she has some kidney or liver problems and that the drugs are not being metabolized properly. The reversal agent (I'm assuming what that is) usually works faster in normal patients. Again I would call the emergency number. She may need more reversal agent or fluid therapy to speed up recovery. She is probably urinating because of the anesthetic drugs she was given. I'm sorry you are having a tough time with her. I hope you can contact somebody.

That is definitively possible as they may take even 24-36 hours to come fully out from anesthetic (side effects), but it is as well possible that she is experiencing pain/discomfort. I would just monitor her at this stage for the next 12 hours and if signs persist have her checked at your local veterinarian as a physical examination would be essential to understand properly the underlying cause. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds as if Chloe may be having trouble with vision as well? Often times when we see patients hugging close to walls and having trouble negotiating surroundings it's either their vision is impaired or they have severe spatial perception defects (think vertigo). It is possible that anesthesia can affect balance but it is normally seen pretty soon after a surgical process and not so far out. If she is having actual weakness as a problem with ambulation (walking) this will require a more in depth exam than we can provide online. Likely she will need a neurological work up with labs and x rays to find the source or her problem. For now I think you are doing everything correctly-keep her calm and in a small contained space (like a bathroom) to make her feel more secure for the time being. It is great that she is eating and drinking and having normal bathroom habits-these are positive signs. It sounds as if you are very good kitty parents. Just let her stay close to you if it helps and hopefully you will have some more in depth answers soon. My best to all of you.

It could be due to the surgery, you will only be able to tell in a few days once she recovers completely. if by day 10 post surgery she is still walking funny you might want to get it checked by your vet.

Great to hear you are choosing to spay and neuter your kitties! Some cats definitely do recover more quickly than others. This could depend on the choice of anesthetic, recovery time, other health issues, and nutrition. 15 hours is definitely a pretty long time and I would have expected a almost full recovery from any anesthetic at that point. Extremely lethargy and unsteadiness could be an indication of a post-op complication, infection, or something different entirely. If Tortilla appears to be stable to you, this isn't necessarily an emergency. However, if you think she is deteriorating, you may want to go ahead and get the emergency hospital on alert to tell them you might be coming in at some point. I would go ahead and check her gums for good color (pinkish and moist) and try to obtain a rectal temperature (over 102.5-103.0 would be considered a fever). If any of these are troubling to you, get her checked out some time soon. Also, I would flip her over and take a good look at her incision to see if it looks inflammed, red, or painful. Hope this helps!

She may be in pain and potentially feel nauseous after the surgery. I would call the veterinarian that performed the surgery (if they are still open) to have them re-evaluate her. If they are closed and she is not doing well you can take her to another veterinarian that is open. She may not be drinking much if she is eating wet food. I am just concerned when you say she is wobbly when she walks and if having issues pooping and peeing. Than you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Lily. She may still be feeling the effects of the anesthesia from her surgery yesterday. I recommend keeping her quiet today and allowing her to rest. Monitor her so that you can ensure that she continues to eat and drink. If she is not acting normal by tomorrow, then I would contact her veterinarian. She may be painful. Do not give any over-the-counter pain medications though as these can be toxic to cats. I hope this information helps!