Neutered Kitten

[ValancyJane]

I need some reassurance/sympathy/to be told to get a grip (quite possibly all three!)

We have a lovely, gorgeous boy kitten who's five and a half months. We've had him since nine weeks, and he is the most friendly, affectionate, loving kitten I've ever known. He comes when you call, snuggles up in bed with me in the mornings when OH is in the shower, follows you from room to room, etc. (I have gone a bit crazy cat lady over him, but I just adore him).

We had him neutered yesterday, and I know that it was the right choice - I know that otherwise he would have been roaming, trying to knock up half the street and getting into fights left right and centre...

BUT since I've brought him home yesterday afternoon he has really not been himself. He ate loads and then snuggled up with me and slept - obviously the anesthetic was wearing off - and I thought great, he's cuddling me, so clearly we haven't scarred him for life! However all last night he was ignoring me and OH, going upstairs when we were downstairs (normally he follows us from room to room) and generally being a bit aloof (except when there was chicken involved - yes I tried to bribe the cat!). He slept under our bed which he usually does.

Then this morning he came and snuggled in bed with me for ten minutes, pawed my face like normal and I thought he was back to his old self, and put yesterday down to the anesthetic still making him sleepy. But then he went downstairs, ignored OH (who he usually adores), and now isn't coming upstairs when I'm calling him (he usually comes trotting along happily).

Has anyone else had similar after their cat was neutered (I do appreciate that he's probably going to be annoyed with me for a bit!) and did your kitten go back to his old self and personality???

Any advice appreciated - you can probably tell I feel awful, guilty as hell and (even though I know it's the right thing to do) regretting it massively this morning

Get a grip woman!
I really don't think you need to worry too much, he will be feeling rough for a few days. Anaesthetic takes a while to leave the system and he has been through a stressful experience and will feel like hiding away. I assume it was a general anaesthetic? If you or I had had similar operation we would not expect to be bouncing around happily the next day! You definitely did the right thing getting him neutered btw.
If it will put your mind at rest ring the vet and ask, they won't mind. I do sympathise as I have mad cat lady tendencies myself (mine had an operation yesterday and I have rung the vet about 73 times since she came home and am worried they will get a restraining order )

Thank you, I know I'm probably worrying over absolutely nothing! Yes, he did have a general anaesthetic (he could hardly walk when he got home, his little back legs were so shaky, poor boy). You're right, if it was me I'd be lying on the sofa in pj's demanding cups of tea for weeks

I might ring the vets tomorrow if he's still a bit off colour - he's still being quite aloof and keeps wandering off around the house which he has never really done - he just stays with us. That said, he's perked up a little bit this morning, has come for fuss a few times, and is very taken with a rug that I've had delivered (he keeps rolling around on it and patting it because the fibres are all fluffy and spring back up) so while he's not quite back to his mad cat lovely affectionate self yet, he does seem a little bit happier at least

Aww bless, I hope your cat is on the mend soon. I think the vets are probably used to crazy owners such as us (I bet there's a 'vetsnet' equivalent of mumsnet somewhere! Thank goodness there's no 'catsnet' as god knows what they'd say about us hey!)

Meanwhile on catsnet... AIBU to roll around on my owner's new rug??
Sounds like he is on the mend then, hope he is back to his old self soon!

My boys love people and were purring at the vets. But the whole experience must have stressed them as one got cystitis after his neuter and the other clawed his face when he came round. The next vet visit they both got diarrhoea. So they are sensitive little souls really. They seem back to normal now though.

Thanks for the reassurance (and not telling me I'm being an idiot...!) it is much appreciated

He is better than yesterday but still not quite right. Very aloof and not seeking affection much (normally he's all over you). Keeps going to sit in another room like a moody teenager!! OH thinks time will fix it and he's probably right, but I just miss his little crazy personality - almost wish he was trying to climb the curtains, at least I'd know he was back to normal!!!

ValancyJane how is he now?

Thanks for asking Pineapple - he's completely back to his old self scaling the curtains, pouncing on feet and generally being a snuggly darling again so I have calmed down!! As I type he's snoozing on me in bed quite happily. I MAY (according to OH) have been worrying about nothing as usual

That said, he did have a pea-sized lump on the back of his neck for a few days due to an antibiotic reaction, which has mostly gone down now, so I wonder if that was affecting him and making him feel a bit generally off colour. Anyway, crisis over, I'm quite relieved that we hadn't broken the cat after all!

Is your cat on the mend now?

ValancyJane glad to hear it, yes mine is back to normal too thanks. Whatever normal is!

Did they microchip him as well? Wondered if they may have caused the lump!

I think boy cats do go through a bit of an aloof phase around 6 months, its like they turn into teenagers and are suddenly much too cool to be hanging around for cuddles However they do settle down again. Neutered boys in the long run are much more cuddly and soft. Do not feel guilty about having him neutered - all cats should be neutered in my book!!

All three of our boys hated us for a good week when we had them done. The girls have either turned into spikey monsters or cuddle machines which is just weird.