Expert: Norman Auspitz - 3/25/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello, I am having a problem with my cat, I searched the web for answers but couldn't find any. She has been spayed but had been pregnant. The vet told me it shouldn't be a problem. When I got her home, her behavior was really different. She is meowing at every move I make. Her food is ok, the liter box also, everything is ok, I give her even more attention as before she was spayed because I felt sorry for her babies, but still she is really changed. What is wrong with her? I can't stop her from meowing all the time. Before she rarely meowed.
Thanks , Andreea, Romania

ANSWER: Andrea,

I am not a vet, but there are times when cats do abreact to the anaesthetic and have a personality change.  Sometimes they outgrow this and some times they do not.  When it comes time for her stitches to be out, I would have the vet check her blood work and temperature to makes sure there is no infection from the surgery.  

Please let me know what you find out.

Best regards... Norm.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well when she got the stitches out the vet he checked her and said she's  ok medically, but I believe this is not about something physically, that's why I asked you because maybe it could be something psychically (can cats have this? depressions etc?) I adopted her from outside my window, she was a stray cat but I believe she lived somewhere in because she knew how to use  the litter box, and she is not so scared about anything inside. She just fit in quickly.
I know it sounds weird but if everything is as it was before, the food, same affection given why is she meowing almost all the time?  She just starts to meow and keeps on going until I touch her and even then she slurs at every move. She obviously needs affection all the time, she wants to sleep with me (actually on me, my head exactly), I can't give her that all the time, and she looks lonely, she doesn't go outside anymore, at least not as she used to. I believe she is traumatize. Can you give me some advise about how to make her act more normal?

Thanks a lot,
Andreea

Answer
Andrea,

It sounds more and more as if the cat had a bad reaction to the anaesthetic.  The vet "checking out" the kitty would not really reveal that.  It sounds to me as if you may be able to get something to relax her from the vet and, maybe, after a time, she may return more to her real personality.  The other possibility is that this is her real persobnality and it was masked by her having to deal with all the hormones. I tend to thaink not, however!

Two other things you might try is to have her hormone levels checked and a full blood panel done to see what shakes out if anything.  I still believe it is an issue with the anaesthetic.

Best regards... Norm.