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.

The procedure went smoothly and I was able to pick her up after lunch, tired and woozy from post-op drugs.

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.

Fortunately we were able to get a bigger recovery shirt. (In pink, too.)

Amelia was very gracious to Smoky through her recovery — possibly Smoky was too drowsy from painkillers to bother Amelia as much.

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.

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.

I continue to collect more photos of Smoky the Kitten’s first year here.