Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Postoperative pain after spaying in kittens and adult female cats
By Polson, Sally et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2014·University of Liverpool, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Effects of age and reproductive status on postoperative pain after routine ovariohysterectomy in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 145 female cats, including both kittens and adult cats, underwent a routine spay surgery (ovariohysterectomy) and were monitored for pain afterward. The study found that kittens experienced less pain compared to adult cats, regardless of whether the adults were pregnant or in heat. Pain was measured using different scales before and after surgery, and while kittens had similar wound tenderness, they reported lower levels of discomfort. This suggests that younger cats may recover more comfortably from this common procedure.
People also search for: cat spay surgery pain · kitten recovery after spay · adult cat pain after ovariohysterectomy
Abstract
A prospective clinical trial to compare the effects of age and reproductive status on postoperative pain was conducted in 145 female cats undergoing ovariohysterectomy using injectable anaesthesia. The cats were grouped appropriately: 60 kittens <4 months old (K), 85 adults >4 months old (A) and, within the adult group, 57 normal adults (nA) and 28 adults who were either pregnant or in oestrus (rA). Pain was assessed using a simple descriptive scale (SDS; 0-3), a dynamic and interactive visual scale (DIVAS; 0-100 mm) and mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNT; N, 2 mm diameter probe) pre-operatively and at 4 and 24 h postoperatively. Kittens had lower DIVAS areas under the time curve and SDS than adults (P <0.05), but similar MNT (K: 3.3 ± 2.6, A: 4.3 ± 2.5 N at 4 h, P >0.05). Data from nA and rA were not different (P >0.05). Kittens had similar wound tenderness, but less affective pain than adults, and reproductive status had no effect.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24043720/