Cat going to the toilet in a bodysuit- what do I do overnight??

[TheYeti]

So our kitten, 6 months, has been spayed today. DH picked her up from the vets and she's come home wearing a bodysuit. The vet told DH, you'll have to undo the bum flap when she goes to the toilet.

I'm really confused. We've cat proofed a room for her away from our other pets and DC so she can recover in peace but how am I going to know when she goes to the toilet? She can't go in our room overnight, but even if she did, how would I know if she needed the toilet?? I don't know what to do. If I unpopper it she might pull it up and get to the wound, if I leave it she'll have to soil herself. What have other people done??

Here she is looking sorry for herself

Honestly, I'd just take it off. She'll probably manage it herself eventually. My girl never had this, or a cone and was right as rain.

does she have a litter tray?

I would undo her so she can use the litter tray. Then do her up and all settle for the night.
Unlikely to soil herself.
But I woulnd't make it a long night, so late night litter tray and then early morning litter tray. You may need to be patient and sit near her for a bit until she goes.

@steppemum

does she have a litter tray?

I would undo her so she can use the litter tray. Then do her up and all settle for the night.
Unlikely to soil herself.
But I woulnd't make it a long night, so late night litter tray and then early morning litter tray. You may need to be patient and sit near her for a bit until she goes.

Thanks @steppemum. We can definitely do this. I'm wfh in the same room as her all week so should be able to keep an eye on her, I was just really worried about leaving her overnight. I'm not sure she'll go tonight anyway, she's really zoned out and only had a tiny nibble but I'm hoping she'll be more perky tomorrow

@Plump82

Honestly, I'd just take it off. She'll probably manage it herself eventually. My girl never had this, or a cone and was right as rain.

please don't. Most cats will pull at their stitches, and then she needs to be re sedated to restitch.

Can someone sleep downstairs with her tonight so they can hear her if she needs the tray?

I would sleep downstairs with her the next couple of nights. She'll mew if she needs to go.

I don't know any cats who have been neutered who have kept their cone or cat suit on. My friend attempted it with hers and decided it wasn't worth it. The others didn't even get offered. My vet said they felt it stressed them out more having one. And as I said she didn't even bother with it. It was internal stitches and less than a cm long. The vet said the main thing was to ensure she wasn't too active but she was too doped up on pain killers the 1st night anyway!

Thanks everyone

@Plump82 tbf, our older female cat didn't have anything either but I have had experience of cats ripping their stitches since so I'm a little wary. She doesn't seem bothered by the suit strangely.

However... Since writing this, I left the room to put the kids to bed and she went to the litter tray and did a wee in the suit! We've managed to dry it off mostly now and we've left her unpoppered while we watch TV downstairs. We've rearranged things and we'll keep her in our room tonight. She's perked up quite a bit already so now my new worry is to stop her jumping around! Argh!

Neither of my female cats had a cone or suit after neutering and were fine.

Neither of my two females had a bodysuit or a collar and neither pulled at the stitches.

DCat didn't have a cone or bodysuit and was fine. I never saw her so much as lock the wound. The vet sewed her up with all the dissolvable stitches hidden in the wound though.

We had our kitten in our room for the first night with her litter and water. She had a hard come which was horrendous, trust me your lucky it’s not that. I would also take it off for the night, what else are you supposed to do?!

Well all was fine until 3am when we woke up to a lot of meowing. She'd got one of her legs stuck in the suit. We unpoppered it to sort it out, and she immediately wriggled out of it and hid under the bed. She was licking the wound like mad (its internal dissolvable stitches so I'm hoping she didn't cause too much damage) until we managed to get her out. We then had a horrendous time trying to get the suit back on her and we're both scratched and bitten. In the end she didn't even go to the toilet anyway!

I think I might ring the vets and ask for a cone. I don't think she can have nothing, she was very interested in the wound when she had got the suit off, but it's far too much stress to keep it on!

Our dearly departed cat had a Medical Pet Suit (pictured) - it has a gap at the back so she could go to the toilet whenever she wanted. Maybe ask if they have one of these?

@ThatsShitTryHarder

Our dearly departed cat had a Medical Pet Suit (pictured) - it has a gap at the back so she could go to the toilet whenever she wanted. Maybe ask if they have one of these?

Oh! This looks like the same one! It poppers around her tail though? She's absolutely spark out on the bed but I'll investigate a bit more once she's awake

We have just had our kittens spayed and they came home in similar bodysuits. I did ask the vet how they were supposed to use the litter tray during the night and he suggested setting an alarm clock and helping them at regular intervals...... Funnily enough that didn't happen and they were fine as the design did actually allow them to use the tray as normal. The suits were definitely easier than collars.

@OllieTheCat

We have just had our kittens spayed and they came home in similar bodysuits. I did ask the vet how they were supposed to use the litter tray during the night and he suggested setting an alarm clock and helping them at regular intervals...... Funnily enough that didn't happen and they were fine as the design did actually allow them to use the tray as normal. The suits were definitely easier than collars.

I know, it's ridiculous! Well just to finish the (admittedly very boring story) we've been up to the vets to collect a cone and have put that on her. If it's a complete disaster we can always put the suit back on after we've washed it. She seems fine, although she still hasn't done a poo yet! Hopefully she will now the suit is off

Have they given her a soft cone or traditional one? I'd get hold of a soft cone if you can - amazon have them if vets don't.

@TaraR2020

Have they given her a soft cone or traditional one? I'd get hold of a soft cone if you can - amazon have them if vets don't.

It's your classic plastic tied with a bandage type. I'm going to leave her for a bit now, I feel like she's had enough prodding around for a while, but I've added a soft cone to my Amazon basket just in case! It's funny because like some PPs, my first cat had nothing and was fine but this one is definitely a bit licky so I'm not taking any chances!

Good luck op :) I've generally found cats tolerate the soft cone much more happily as its more comfortable and allows them much greater movement.

My cat was spayed last year and I brought a bodysuit to the vet on the day of the surgery. My vet advised against it and she (my cat) was fine after surgery.