Friday, March 5, 2010

My First TNR experience

Day1: On the way to the vet.
Day1: In the vet's premise
Day2: Evening, after the surgery in the morning. Resting.
Day2: Still groggy...
Day2: The cropped ear. Indicating the cat has been spayed.
Day2:The medicine I am supposed to apply on it's wound, twice daily.
Day2:First meal after operation.
Day2:First drink after operation.
Day3:The day after operation. Active.
Day3:Released.
Day3:Lingering around after released. Notice the many stray cats around!
Day3:Decided to walk back into the house, guess it holds no grudges against me after being released.
Day3:After a while, she left the house.
Day3:Resting and cleaning itself, in her familiar back lane
Day3: Walking away, to find her kittens....

I trapped the cat on Day1, at around 4.45pm and delivered to the vet before 5pm. No food is allowed after 6pm and no drink after 12midnight, on the day before the surgery.

The cat was operated on Day2, and i collected it back, around 4.30pm. I was advised by the vet that I should keep the cat for at least one night, before releasing it back to its original location. The cat was still groggy, the effects of anesthesia. I was advised to feed it some food in the night. However, the cat vomited all the food and water. As it is a stray cat, it's not used to be caged, so I allowed her some space by releasing her from the cage and let her stay in my kitchen over night.I left some food and water. She appeared to eat all the food as the bowl was empty the next day and no traces of vomit.

Day 3,I kept her in the cage again before i went to work. She was active and moving around in the cage. Did not appear to be in pain. Ate and drank quite a lot. She meowed a lot, asking to be released. I was supposed to apply some medicine on her wound. Twice a day. I was at first sceptical, as to whether the cat allowed me to rub her tummy. I am scared she may scratch me. I was wrong. She is a good cat, not violent, and allowed me to apply the medicine while purring! Unfortunately, she licked all of the medicine away.

I was told, if possible, I can keep her for 7 days, and send her back to the vet to remove the stitches after 7 to 10 days. However, the cat kept pleading to be released. One of the reasons, I believed, is she has some kittens, about 5weeks old, hidden some where in an empty house behind my house. I could not wait longer for the kittens to grow to TNR the mother cat, as the mother cat can get pregnant again one month after giving birth. So i had to trap the cat. So, I was in dilemma, as to whether I should keep her, let her wound heal, prevent it from getting infected, remove the stitches and then release her, or, release her now, so that she can get to her hungry kittens. I was weighing my two options the whole day. The cat is unhappy being caged. And,I am not comfortable with the thoughts that her kittens may die of hunger. So end up, with a heavy heart, i released her in the evening. To my surprise, she didn't immediately leave. She lingered around and left only after some time. I do hope to see her again, tomorrow morning, Day 4.