Those two small testicles, though small, carried a unique period of its life since birth. Now, they were about to separate from Ma Tuan. This process was not only significant for Ma Tuan but also a period full of worry and anticipation for me, the cat owner.
The day before the operation, I was extremely anxious. All kinds of possible situations that Ma Tuan might encounter during the operation kept emerging in my mind. The anxiety flooded me, making it almost impossible for me to sleep all night. The next day, when I took Ma Tuan to the pet hospital, looking at my haggard face and thick dark circles in the mirror, my heart was full of worry about Ma Tuan’s upcoming operation. In the pet hospital, I took the last photo with Ma Tuan before the operation. I silently cheered for it in my heart.
Considering that the castration operation for male cats takes a short time and general anesthesia by respiration involves complex operations such as intubation, after detailed communication with the doctor and weighing the pros and cons, I finally chose intramuscular anesthesia for Ma Tuan. The moment the doctor injected the anesthetic into Ma Tuan’s body, it fell asleep quietly in an instant, as if entering a pain – free dream. Just 10 minutes later, the doctor informed me that the operation was successful, and Ma Tuan was pushed out of the operating room. At this time, it was gently wrapped in a blanket, in a semi – awake state, with a hint of confusion in its eyes.
Ma Tuan’s constitution is very special. Perhaps it has a strong tolerance to the anesthetic. Ten minutes after the operation, it had completely woken up, even faster than my other cat that received general anesthesia by respiration. Seeing it wake up so quickly, I was both surprised by its recovery ability and extremely 心疼. I knew that the faster it woke up, the faster the anesthetic would wear off, and the earlier it would feel the pain. After another 10 – minute observation, after confirming that Ma Tuan’s physical condition was stable, I carefully wrapped it warmly and took it home.
After returning home, Ma Tuan put on an Elizabethan collar. This thing, jokingly called a “donut”, although restricting its movement, was a necessary measure to protect its wound. Fortunately, Ma Tuan didn’t seem to feel much discomfort because of the operation. Four hours after the sterilization, it showed a strong appetite. It not only ate well but also drank happily, and then fell asleep soundly, as if the operation was just a short interlude for it. Looking at the way it lay on the floor with its two hind hooves spread wide apart, I couldn’t help but feel funny and sorry for it.
In the following five days, Ma Tuan’s recovery was perfect. Although it had a small conflict with Chunjuan, another cat in the house, and accidentally fell when trying to jump onto the table and hit the part that had just had the operation, the tenacious recovery ability of small animals was vividly demonstrated at this moment. Its wound didn’t open, and there was no abnormal secretion. Watching Ma Tuan regain its vitality day by day, I was sincerely happy and deeply felt the worry – free and obedient nature of these two cats in the house during the sterilization process.
Looking back on Ma Tuan’s childhood, not long after it came home, when it was about three months old, it was already chubby and very cute. During the cold days at the beginning of autumn, I specially made a small piece of clothing for it, full of anticipation that it would like it. But it showed resistance, and its appearance seemed to be protesting silently. Ma Tuan also had a special preference for sleeping behind the door. To prevent it from catching a cold, I specially placed a small carpet there. Now that it has grown up, the space behind the door can no longer accommodate its growing body.
Now, every day when I see Ma Tuan and Chunjuan standing side by side in front of the tea table, enthusiastically enjoying their food, my heart is filled with happiness. Surrounded by these two lovely cats, I truly feel the beauty and warmth of life. Ma Tuan’s sterilization journey, although accompanied by worry and twists and turns, finally achieved health and growth. This experience is not only an important milestone in Ma Tuan’s cat life but also a testimony to the deep affection between me and it. I look forward to spending more happy times with them in the future and witnessing more wonderful moments of theirs.
Leave a Reply