help with feral cat

soapymoose

I have a feral female cat that I trapped on Saturday and took in to be spayed.  I picked her up today and was told she should be kept in a small space for 8-10 days so she won't bust her stitches, and then to bring her back after that to have them removed.  I have no good place to keep her for that long, plus I don't know how to give her food and water without her trying to escape.  I also don't know if I'll be able to catch her again at the end of this period.

My question is...what is the risk of her busting her stitches if I just let her out now?  She's very unhappy and I'm not sure what to do with her.

The_good_witch

Do you mean let her out inside of your house, or let her outside?

 

 

soapymoose

Let her back outside.

The_good_witch

I would be too scared of infection, plus I'm pretty sure she would rip a stitch from trying to jump a fence or something.

And then, if your not able to catch her again, they will grow into her skin.

I would keep her inside until she's ready to go. you can try a feliway plug for her, I've heard those are awesome

AudNicole

Did the vet know she was feral?  They "should" have given her dissolving stitches.

 I had to do this when I had a feral that was in heat.  They wanted me to keep her for a week so all the hormones got out of her system.

I got a dog crate and tipped her from the cage into there.  Kept it in a room away from everyone else.  I fed her carefully, using leather gloves.  Every other day or two I'd get DH to help, and tip the crate, basically dumping her back into the cage so I could clean the crate out. 

It was not ideal, she was cramped and pissy, but better for her than popping a stitch or infection.  

I put puppy pee pads in the bottom of the crate, too, so that the pee was easier to clean up.  She didn't smell good after the whole ordeal was over, but its been 3 years now and I still see her out and about, with no kittens in sight!

Vet-Tech

If she was spayed today & has sutures that need to be cut out, she can't be left back outside. 

soapymoose

AudNicole, thank you for sharing your experience with me.  We were thinking about using a dog crate too.  Yes, the vet knew she was feral, which makes me mad that he didn't use dissolvable stitches, but it's over now.  This is our first TNR so it's all new to us.  Thanks again for your help.