Many cats disappear to their favorite hiding spot when they are in pain, and others simply conceal their discomfort. Stay vigilant and look for excessive agitation, crying, hissing, or limping. Your feline may avoid playing, jumping, or being held if these activities cause pain.
Getting Over the Effects of General Anesthetic
Effects of general anesthetic may include temporary sleepiness or shakiness on their feet. These after-effects are quite normal and should fade with rest. Temporary lack of appetite is also quite common in cats who are recovering from the effects of general anesthesia.
To best help your cat after surgery, provide them with a quiet and comfortable place to sleep, away from anything that might cause stress like other pets or children. Make sure to have a warm, comfortable bed ready for your cat that allows them to stretch and alleviate any discomfort from surgical areas.
Behaviour signs of a cat in pain
Lethargy. Decreased interest in positive things like playing, social interaction and exploring outside. Being withdrawn and hiding away. Appearing lame and experiencing increased sensitivity to touch in specific areas of their body.
A cat in pain may express themselves in the following ways:
The cat may make facial expressions that are out of the ordinary, such as closing their eyes, squinting, or flattening their ears, and their cheeks, nose, and mouth may appear more tense than usual.
Cats who are painful may withdraw from their usual family interactions, may become less engaged in their surroundings, and may start hiding. You may notice decreased eating and/or drinking. You may also notice changes in sleeping patterns. Some may sleep more, while others may sleep less.
Although purring typically indicates happiness in our cats, they also purr to communicate when they are stressed, anxious or trying to communicate other needs, such as if they are in pain or uncomfortable.
A yowl or howl (they sound like loud, drawn-out meows) tells you your cat is in some kind of distress—stuck in a closet, looking for you or in pain. Find your cat if they're making this noise.
Internal bleeding: Where an animal has pale gums/mucous membranes, is weak or lethargic, has a low body temperature and/or has extensive bruising, seek veterinary attention immediately.
In order to survive, they have adapted a deep natural instinct to hide their pain. Your cat will not cry out in pain, for fear that they will attract the attention of a predator. If they are crying out in pain, their condition is likely intense and quite severe.
Your cat should remain indoors. For most procedures, your cat's activity should be restricted for one week after surgery. It is essential to avoid running, jumping, and other strenuous activities that could cause excessive strain on the wound.
Cats will typically recover from soft tissue surgeries - such as abdominal surgery or reproductive surgeries - more quickly than surgeries involving bones, joints ligaments or tendons. Often, soft-tissue surgeries are predominately healed within two or three weeks, taking about 6 weeks to heal completely.
Don't leave your cat alone during her first 12-24 hours post-surgery. This stretch of time is when your pet needs to closest monitoring for excessive bleeding or issues with urination. If, after the allotted time, your cat seems to be able to urinate without trouble, you can keep an eye on her as you go about your day.
If your vet prescribes your cat with crate rest after their surgery, there are some measures you can take to make sure they are as comfortable as possible spending long periods of time confined. Ensure the size of your kitty's crate is large enough for them to stand up and turn around.
o Many cats will not have a bowel movement for the first 3-4 days after surgery. o Reasons that a cat will not have a regular bowel movement after surgery include: - Your cat has been fasted prior to surgery. - Your cat may not have eaten well during their hospital stay or the first few days home.
Vets can also take pictures, such as radiography of the chest or ultrasonography of the abdomen (looking for free fluid sloshing around in there), to find out more information. Or place a needle into the abdominal cavity or chest to detect a build-up of free blood.
Pale gums, unnaturally cool extremities, and signs of pain when you touch the pet's belly can mean internal blood loss.
Vocalisation. Yes, as previously mentioned, some cats in pain (particularly severe, sudden pain) will cry out or howl. If you see this, take them to the vet immediately to have them checked out, even if you can't see anything else wrong with them.
Frequent Meowing
Your cat can't tell you where it hurts but can communicate with you by vocalizing. If your pet meows more often than normal, pain may be the reason. Cats in pain may also hiss or growl, particularly if you happen to touch a painful area. Purring doesn't always mean that your cat is happy.
Signs Of Obvious Distress
Cats are typically very stoic animals, so if your cat suddenly seems to be in distress, it is a cause for concern. Howling, crying, hiding, and otherwise acting in a way that is out of character for your pet should alert you that something may be seriously wrong.
Only two NSAIDs are FDA-approved for cats: meloxicam (sold under several brand and generic names) and robenacoxib (sold under the brand name ONSIOR). Meloxicam is approved for cats as a one-time-only injection to control pain and inflammation after spaying, neutering, and orthopedic surgery.
PetMD also points out that cats are territorial creatures. They claim their turf by marking it with their scent. So when they sleep on top of you, they're actually marking you—and your bed—as theirs. We should be flattered by this behavior, apparently.
It is widely accepted that animals also feel pain in the same way that we do, being both a sensory and emotional experience in response to damage, or potential damage to the body. Essentially, if both you and your cat stepped on a sharp object, it's likely you'd have very similar experiences in terms of pain!
Meowing, Or Not Meowing
Other cats may meow more frequently and loudly when they want attention as well. On the other hand, a sudden change in behavior, like suddenly ceasing to vocalize or vice versa, could signal that your cat is in pain.