Recovery & Return
Recovery
Recovery After Surgery
After cats are exposed to anesthesia, they cannot maintain their body temperature. It is essential that the cats are held in a temperature-controlled holding space while they recover from surgery.
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Cats should be supplied food and water during recovery. Litter box or pee pads should be cleaned and replaced as needed.
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Keep the cats inside of the cat trap and covered with a sheet. While this may seem uncomfortable to us, cats prefer dark, small spaces. Transferring cats to a large cage will risk unnecessary stress, injury, or escape.
Return
Bring Them On Home
Once the cats have recovered from surgery, carefully return them to the location they were trapped.
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Make sure the cat is not exhibiting signs of lethargy and inattentiveness. If so, please monitor their symptoms until they are fully recovered. If necessary, bring them to the vet if they do not improve.
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We recommend keeping records of where each cat was found to make the release more effective. Avoid releasing cats in a location unfamiliar to them.
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Watch for traffic while cats are being released from their trap.
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It is normal for cats to hide for a few days after being released, but you should see them slowly return after 2-3 days once they settle back in.
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Relocation
Last Resort
If the location where the cat was taken from has become dangerous due to various reasons (construction, threatened violence, etc.), you may consider relocation. However, consider this decision carefully. Cats can escape during transportation, injure themselves attempting to escape, or become stressed to the point of illness or depression.
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If you must, find a location (barn, urban residence zone, etc.) that has a predetermined caregiver, shelter, and routine.
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Relocation is an absolute last resort!
Alley Cat Allies has an excellent article on why relocation is a last resort for community cat management. Please use the embedded website below or click here to read the article.