Cat being spayed - what to expect

[HolyMoly24]

My lovely 1 year old female cat is being spayed on Friday this week.

I've never owned a cat before so can someone let me know what to expect?

How do they act afterwards?
We have been given a little jacket to put on her by a friend instead of the cone - is the jacket a better option?
Can she eat in the morning before her op? The vet hasn't provided any info regarding this.
Her litter tray is the bucket type with a hole in the lid that she jumps down into - will she be able to do this in the days following her op or should I get a basic tray for temporary use?

Any advice appreciated!

I was told not to feed her after midnight - she was spayed today in the morning at the vets.

In my experience, she'll be a bit subdued afterwards and might not have much appetite for a day or so after the op.

Coat/cone - it really comes down to whichever she tolerates better! It might be a case of trying one and seeing how she takes it, and changing if it isn't working.

Eating - she'll need to fast before the operation, check with your vet for how long.

Litter - I have only ever had the basic type of tray. You could pop a basic one down next to the usual one so she has a choice.

By the way, she is absolutely adorable 😍

The vet will give you painkillers to give her after - mixing them with Lick-e-lix has always worked for my fosters.

The tricky bit can be when they feel better but still need to stay reasonably quiet. Cat TV can be good for that - lots of choices on YouTube that will hopefully keep her entertained for a while.

I was surprised at how well my girl coped with spaying, she was happy and pain free when she came home from the vets, she had some painkillers for a day or two.

She wore a vest and tolerated it well, she hated the comb. I would try to have a spare on hand in case it needs washed.

She had her energy back pretty much immediately. I kept her in a cat pen for a night but that was partly to keep my other cat away from her as he hisses if she smells of vet.

Really appreciate the advice given so far, thank you!

Just in case there's anyone reading like me who was a bit nervous about what to expect after having your cat spayed here's a little update.

The vet nurse said to expect the unexpected in terms of how she would react. Said she could run around like a little maniac or be very sleepy.

Our little cat acted completely normal as soon as we brought her home. Had her full appetite, did not need to wear a cone or anything because she left the wound alone and she didn't seem to be in any pain at all.

She still jumped up onto furniture etc and there didn't seem to be anything we could do to stop that but it didn't cause her any issues. We didn't do her usual laser/feather wand to limit her running for a few days after. We mixed her medicine into a licky treat which worked well.

All in all it was thankfully very uneventful.

That’s terrific, @HolyMoly24.