What to Expect Before, During, and After Your Cat’s Surgery
Please note: all surgical and dental procedures are performed next door at our sister hospital, Rialto Animal Hospital.
We know surgery day can come with a lot of questions — and even more nerves. Our goal is to walk you through every step so you feel informed, prepared, and confident leaving your cat in our care.
Below, you’ll find answers to the most common questions we hear before, during, and after surgery. If anything isn’t covered here, please give us a call. We’re always happy to talk things through.
The Day Before Surgery
We’ll text or call you 1-2 days before your cat’s surgery to confirm your appointment and answer any last-minute questions.
Please fast your cat (no food) 8-10 hours before any anesthetic or surgical procedure. This helps reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. Water is okay until the morning of surgery.
*Diabetic patients and cats on certain medications may require special instructions — we’ll go over these directly with you.
Surgery Day: Drop-Off
Drop-off for surgical procedures is between 7:00 and 7:30 AM. Please plan to spend about 10-15 minutes with our team to:
- Review the surgical plan
- Discuss recommended blood testing and other options
- Go through estimates
- Sign consent forms
If you have a busy morning, we recommend letting us know in advance — and we strongly recommend that the person dropping your cat off is the primary decision-maker for their care. If that’s not possible, please call ahead so we can make sure decisions can be made efficiently.
During Surgery: Personalized Care, Continuous Monitoring
Once your cat is in surgery, they’re assigned a dedicated surgical assistant who stays with them from the start of the procedure until they’re fully awake.
Throughout the procedure, your cat is continuously monitored by a trained veterinary technician using advanced monitoring equipment to track heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, oxygen levels, and temperature. Your cat’s safety and comfort are our top priorities, every minute of the procedure.
For more on our surgical safety protocols, visit our Surgery service page.
Why Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork Matters
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is one of the most important tools we have for keeping your cat safe during surgery. It gives us a clear picture of your cat’s overall health and organ function — including issues that may not show outward symptoms.
If we find a concern, we can:
- Customize your cat’s anesthetic protocol to address it
- Postpone surgery if needed until any problems are corrected
- Avoid potential complications during anesthesia and recovery
If your cat hasn’t had bloodwork in the past 6 months, we’ll strongly recommend updated lab work before their procedure.
After Surgery: Pick-Up and Recovery
Once your cat begins to wake up from anesthesia, we’ll call you with an update and to schedule a pick-up time, usually near the end of the day. During your pet’s discharge appointment, we’ll review the procedure and go over all the information and instructions you’ll need for your pet’s post-op care.
Please be on time, and please allow 15-20 minutes for your discharge appointment so we can:
- Walk through what was done during the procedure
- Review aftercare instructions
- Go over any medications and how to give them
- Answer any questions you have about recovery
Will My Cat Be in Pain After Surgery?
Anything that causes pain in people can cause pain in cats — they just don’t always show it the way we do. Pain control is a core part of every surgical procedure at Rialto Cat Hospital.
Depending on your cat’s procedure, pain management may include:
- Pre-surgical pain injections to get ahead of discomfort
- Oral anti-inflammatories for several days after surgery
- Injectable pain medications during and after surgery
- Laser therapy is included with most surgical and dental procedures to reduce pain and inflammation while improving healing time
If your cat appears uncomfortable at home, please call us — we can adjust their pain plan as needed.
Sutures and Incision Care
For most surgeries, we use absorbable sutures placed under the skin — these dissolve on their own and don’t need to be removed.
Some procedures (especially larger incisions) require skin sutures, which are typically removed 10-14 days after surgery.
With either type of suture, please:
- Watch for swelling, discharge, or excessive licking at the incision site
- Keep your cat from licking or chewing the area (an e-collar may be recommended)
- Limit activity for the recovery period your veterinarian outlines
- No baths or swimming for at least 10 days after surgery — moisture can cause infection at the incision site
Questions Before Your Cat’s Surgery?
We’re here to help. Call us at (909) 546-3321 with any questions, big or small.