Got Smoky spayed, which, while good for her longterm health as a nonbreeding domestic indoor cat, of course made her quite unhappy. I felt bad dropping her off at the vet that morning.
![Smoky #kitten off to get spayed](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53668992344_f395c81b57.jpg)
The procedure went smoothly and I was able to pick her up after lunch, tired and woozy from post-op drugs.
![Smoky #kitten in her recovery shirt](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53669103495_4f9aa952fb.jpg)
We got her a recovery shirt to spare her the discomfort and indignity of a cone, but she’d grown quickly since we last fitted it on her and it turned out to be too small and tight.
![Smoky #kitten in her recovery shirt](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53668647001_aa9d7221df.jpg)
Fortunately we were able to get a bigger recovery shirt. (In pink, too.)
![Smoky #kitten with new recovery shirt](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53668874788_9203843840.jpg)
Amelia was very gracious to Smoky through her recovery — possibly Smoky was too drowsy from painkillers to bother Amelia as much.
![Smoky #kitten and Amelia #cat](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53669169705_162fc400ab.jpg)
![Smoky #kitten and Amelia #cat](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53667840682_bd010b4984.jpg)
Followup vet examinations found she needed an extra week to heal so she stayed in the recovery shirt a bit longer, and I had to apply ointment to the scar — not an easy feat with a scratchy bitey kitty.
![Smoky #kitten at the vet](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53669627464_24a8570881.jpg)
![Smoky #kitten](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53670011363_87abaf0144.jpg)
Just over three weeks after surgery she was fully healed and we could take off the recovery shirt. (Some swelling remained and the fur over the scar would take a bit longer to grow back, but she seemed fine and was no longer scratching or licking at it.) One thing, though: at surgery they found fleas on her! I’ve had to apply a topical treatment to the back of her neck — and to Amelia’s as well. Hoping that handles it before the fleas migrate to us humans.
![Smoky #kitten](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53670157094_18bf737af8.jpg)
I continue to collect more photos of Smoky the Kitten’s first year here.