Hi there,
Just like with people, animals don't all react to anaesthesia in the same way. Some will be back to their normal selves within a few hours, while others might take several days to fully recover.
Vets perform this operation almost every day, so complications or accidents are very rare. However, surgery is still quite a major event for an animal that has been put under, handled, and stitched up. Usually, this procedure is done at 6 months, which is close to your cat's age, Celiaglr. As for Vavag37, it's true that it’s a bit later than usual, but your cat is still young and should bounce back fairly quickly.
During a spay, the vet ties off the area around the ovaries before removing them (it's a part of the body with a very high blood supply). The stitches are sterile and designed to cause as little reaction as possible, but the body still views them as a foreign object and tries to fight them, which can lead to some mild inflammation.
Furthermore, once the ovaries are removed, your cat's abdominal wall is stitched back up. Even though they make the smallest incision possible, it can still pull on the abdomen and cause discomfort. After spaying, vets usually give injections to manage pain and prevent infection, and they’ll provide you with some tablets to take home.
The stress of the stay at the vet's, along with the body's natural defences working hard, really tires a cat out (just like we feel exhausted after an operation). It’s therefore perfectly normal for her to spend a lot of time sleeping. The most important thing is that the wound looks healthy (there is usually a check-up 7 days after the op) and that she is eating.
As Blue cat mentioned, it can be a good idea to offer some wet food or perhaps a mix of dry food and wet food to encourage her to eat.
Any discomfort when you pick her up is simply due to the stitches pulling, which can be painful, but it's nothing to worry about.
Regarding Vavag37, the tiredness and lack of appetite isn't worrying (we always feel a bit under the weather after an op) and it's still quite early to be concerned. Her body reacting to the stitches and working to heal the wound can also affect her temperature. You should keep a close eye on whether she's using her litter tray, as that is more important. The scar might make it uncomfortable for her to pass a stool, but she should at least be urinating soon.
Have a good day.
Best wishes,
Solène
