Yes, your cat may get nicer after the spay.
But cats, like humans, have their own personalities and temperaments that depend largely on genetics and upbringing. How spaying affects a cat will vary from one cat to another.
But generally, one common effect of neutering or spaying on all cats is that their behavior becomes nicer and gentler.
Spaying is a big life-changing event for your cat. Your cat will need you to help it feel comfortable and safe. Make sure you are there for your cat through this period of transition.
Your cat will lean onto you for emotional support, as days after spaying can be disorienting for it.
What changes in behavior can you expect after your cat is spayed or neutered? And how can you help your cat get through this difficult and disorienting change in a safe, calm, and soothing way?
Read along and we will answer all these questions so that you and your furry little buddy can sail through the recovery with ease!


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Why Is My Cat So Clingy After Spay?
Your cat might be clingy because it would be feeling scared and disoriented after the operation. The pain medicines you might be giving your cat on the advice of your vet could be an add-on to your cat’s confusion.

It is okay if your cat is so clingy after spay.
You are your cat’s comfort and hence your cat could want you to pet it, love it, be near it, etc. After the operation your cat might want to feel safe and secure, so be sure you make it feel so.
In case you have a kitten who is spayed, it is still small of course and so your kitten might need you even more.
Do not leave their side of the room until the kitten or cat is sleeping or dozing off. Just like a small kid would need attention and care when they are in pain even your little cat would want you to love it, and cuddle with it.
You should reassure your cat that you are with it and include your cat whenever you are with it.
Always keep talking to your cat even from the other room when you leave by its side.
Will Pet Calming Sprays Help Reduce My Cat After Spaying?
You could try the spray. There are specific sprays that should be sprayed in her environment. This is because whenever your cat is anxious it will feel calmer after spray.
If your cat is experiencing extreme stress and disorientation after the surgery, you can opt for pet calming sprays.
Pet calming sprays are essentially pheromones that mimic the appeasing or calming pheromones that naturally occur in cats. These calming pheromones are also available as plug-in diffusers, wipes, and collars.
The scent from these sprays can create a relaxing environment for the cat and help it calm its nerves.
The major benefit of pet calming sprays is that they do not have any harmful side effects. All that they do is mimic naturally occurring calming pheromones which help the cat realize that it is safe and it can relax.
Also, check out why my cat is very active after surgery
What Does The Clinginess Of Your Cat Indicate?
1. Loss Of Confidence
When your cat is clingy it is an indication that your cat has lost its confidence. You need to make sure you spend enough time with your cat so that it can restore its confidence.
You are your cat’s protector and not an inflictor of pain so you should be there for your cat during the tough phases it is facing.
2. Surgical Trauma
The surgical trauma your cat has been through is not understood by it.
It is having hormonal imbalances and your cat’s hormones are going in many different directions bringing in mood swings.
Your cat is scared, needs your cuddles, it is confusing, and needs reassurance that she is still going to live and will be okay.
3. Unpleasant Experience
Keep reassuring your cat until it gets over her experience. This experience was unpleasant for your cat or after being spayed it could have been through some unpleasant phase.
4. Sensitive
Your cat might not have had a loss of confidence, surgical trauma, and unpleasant experience rather might just be really sensitive.
Just be very sensitive at all times.
Also, check out Can A Neutered Cat Live With An Unneutered Cat?
Will My Cat Be More Affectionate After Spay?

That strictly depends on your cat. As your cat may or may not be so affectionate after spay.
When cats are spayed they no more have their heat cycles and during heat cycles, cats are extremely affectionate and vocal.
Hence after getting spayed your cat might be a bit calmer and reserved as it no more has heat cycles after getting spayed.
Your cat would not have the drive to mate and so might be quieter and won’t be prone to catcalls. Having no need to seek out mates a spayed cat would no longer attract males.
Though spaying can reduce or eliminate a range of your cat’s negative behaviors.
So spaying would reduce unwanted behaviors.
Contrary if see your cat will only trust you after it is spayed and will feel secure and comfortable around you so will be affectionate towards you.
Spayed cats would be easier to get along with as they are more gentle and affectionate.
Must Read: Why Did My Cat Become Mean After Spaying?
What Are the Factors That Affect the Affection of Cats?
The three main factors that affect any cat’s affection are:
1. The Cat’s Breed
On the most basic level, a cat’s behavior and personality are affected by its genes. Thus, different breeds of cats may have different levels of affection and different ways of displaying their affection.
Some of the friendliest cat breeds are Persian, Siamese, Ragdoll, Maine coon, and Sphynx.
2. The Cat’s Upbringing and Environment
A cat’s upbringing in the first 4 months of its life may set a strong tone for its nature. Cats who are raised by humans in this crucial period tend to grow up to be friendlier with humans and other pets.
A lot of the cats that are rescued after this age, especially the cats who have reached their first heat cycle, have a difficult time adapting to humans.
Because they have never interacted with humans in their kitten phase, they may come off as scared, aloof, or aggressive during their initial interactions.
However, cats are amazing at adapting. So, with a little patience, you can win over the affection of any cat.
As long as you create the right nurturing environment, even adult cats will gradually come along and become more and more affectionate towards you.
3. Spaying or Neutering
Spaying and neutering eliminate heat cycles and thus directly eliminate any extreme behaviors associated with the cat’s heat cycles.
Cats who have been spayed or neutered, especially before reaching their first heat cycle, will grow up to be calmer, friendlier, and more affectionate with humans.
Interesting Read: Cat Not Pooping After Spay: Reasons & Solution
Will My Cats Personality And Behaviour Change After It Is Spayed?
Though the answer to this may vary at a higher chance the only thing that would change much is your cat’s behavior and not personality.

Your cat’s personality does not fully develop until it turns one year old at least.
So if your cat is spayed at such an early age itself then you should know its personality would have changed regardless of the spay.
Though as we know the behavior of your cat might change, the reason for the spay was that only,
Though you should consider if the spay surgery will affect your cat’s mental or physical well-being.
This is because spayed cats are usually prone to depression.
Your cat’s behavior will surely be affected after spay more due to the surgery itself.
Your cat might experience some tenderness and be less active. It might have some physical weakness and loss of appetite for a few days and then your cat should come back to normal.
Your cat will remain more tender and reserved after the surgery and her behavior will be calm as your cat must be having hormone fluctuations.
Also, check out why cat depressed wearing cone
Do Female Cats Become More or Less Aggressive After Spaying?
Aggression immediately after surgery is normal in both male and female cats. This aggression can be a result of feeling scared and vulnerable.
After the surgery, your cat will be in pain. Especially as the anesthesia slowly wears off, your cat may experience swings of high and low pain. It may make your cat feel disoriented and confused.
Female cats have abdominal surgery which has a bigger wound and more stitches than male cats. It is only natural that your female cat takes longer to come around and cool off.
During the post-op recovery period, female cats might require more time alone to rest and recover. Their vulnerability may sometimes be redirected into aggression.
However, after the recovery period, your female cat will become calmer. Since there won’t be any more hormonal surges due to heat cycles, your cat won’t experience any extreme behaviors either.
Do Male Cats Become Less Aggressive After Being Spayed?
Yes, male cats become less aggressive after spaying, especially if they have been neutered before reaching their first heat cycle.
Neutering a male cat is essentially a surgical procedure of removing his testicles. Removing the testicles means removing the source of testosterone in the cat. This means neutering will reduce a whole lot of hormone-driven behaviors of a male cat.
Your cat will become less territorial, less aggressive, and less likely to get into fights with other cats.
However, if your cat has been neutered after 1 or 2 years of age, its aggressive behavior is less likely to cool off.
Are Female Cats More Affectionate After Spaying?
Female cats become friendlier after spaying, but their disposition remains largely unchanged.
Female cats only show extreme behaviors during their heat cycles. So, spaying will definitely eliminate those extreme behaviors and make your cat calmer and more reserved. She won’t undertake any annoying serenades to attract a male cat.
But, other than the heat cycles, female cats tend to naturally be a lot calmer and friendlier than their male counterparts. So, spaying won’t have a huge impact on the behavior of a female cat.
Are Male Cats More Affectionate After Spaying?
If your male cat has been spayed before he reaches his first heat cycle, that is to say, if he is spayed before 1 year of age, it will likely grow more affectionate towards you.
Male cats indulge heavily in hormone-driven behaviors. Their tendency to be territorial, roam around, look for mates, and even fight other cats is largely driven by their primary reproductive hormone – testosterone.
Neutering your cat will take away his source of testosterone. So, it is more likely that he becomes friendly and affectionate.
Moreover, the neutering of male cats is a simpler surgery when compared to spaying female cats. Male cats require only 2 to 5 days to completely recover and return to their normal lifestyle.
This shorter recovery period and smoother post-op return to normalcy also aid in your cat being less disoriented and more affectionate quickly.
If you castrate your cat after 1 to 2 years of age, it is less likely for him to develop affectionate behavior.
Do Cats Act Weird After Being Spayed?
Female cats may show greater post-op aggression than male cats as spaying is more complicated and painful than neutering.
Spaying is an abdominal surgery that involves the removal of ovaries from the cat’s abdomen. A long abdominal incision is made through many layers, and it involves organ removal and sutures or staples. Spaying is a longer procedure with a longer recovery period.
If you have a female cat, chances are that she may be showing weird behaviors such as aggression, aloofness, or clinginess.
All this can be due to the pain and disorientation of the surgery and the effects of anesthesia.
Regardless of whether you have a male or a female cat, the entire process of spaying or neutering – from the journey to the vet to the surgery, and finally the post-op care – can be a lot for your cat to deal with. It is only natural for your cat to become hyper, aggressive, confused, or even clingy after the surgery.
Spaying and neutering are major life-changing surgeries for both male and female cats. Your cat may need 3 to 4 weeks to properly adjust to all the changes that it is experiencing as a result of being spayed or neutered.
Be sure to take extra care of your cat in this period of change, as this is when your furry little buddy needs you the most.
Interesting Read: Can I Feed My Cat After Neutering?
Frequently Asked Questions
Does your male cat still have urges after being spayed?
Yes, your male cat may still have urges after the surgery. It takes about one month for testosterone to completely leave the cat’s body after being neutered. Even after that period, it is not uncommon for male cats to hump furniture or other cats as a result of stress, UTIs, or other health or behavioral reasons.
What Does The Level Of Affection Of Your Cat Depend On?
The level of affection of your cat depends on the personality of the cat and not its gender.
Will My Cat Become Fatter After Spay?
After spay, if your cat lives a sedentary lifestyle and has unlimited access to food it is likely to gain weight.
Is It Necessary To Keep Control Over My Cats Eating Habits After Spay?
It is very necessary for your cat to maintain its health and for you to control your cats eating habits.
You should feed your cat high-quality food with a balanced diet and keep her active by playing around with her, using puzzle feeders, etc.
Do Cats Act Weird After Being Spayed?
After your cat’s spay surgery it is sure to behave a little weird for a few days.
Your cat can have reduced appetite and will be highly affected by sedatives, anesthesia, and pain relievers.
Final Words
You should make sure that your cat feels safe and secure after the spay.
Going to the vet and after the surgery, your cat might feel more insecure. You should keep calm and let your cat regain its confidence back.
There are times when each of us would need love and extra care and attention. So does your cat. Hence you should be patient and use this time to bond with your cat.
For more questions, you could always ask us.
Interesting Read: Cat Not Eating After Spay: Reasons & Solutions
I’m so glad I read this. I live in Florida and stole my neighbors cat. I really want it to feel calm and comfortable. My neighbors are Haitian and eat cats. This one was tied to a cinder block in there back yard with a rope. It was very distressed and it could see me and I gave it comforting sounds. It pulled the cider block up to the fence with all its might and I was able to grab it and cut it loose. When I went to let it run free it collapsed in my arm of exhaustion. I brought it inside and it was not hungry it was actual really full and had a huge belly. Since that moment three weeks ago this cat will not leave my side and I work from home. It is not very social and doesn’t like being held and only touched lightly with one hand but it will not leave my side. Needless to say I fell in love and we are inseparable. It doesn’t like affection but has to be so close to me it lays in my feet if I’m standing or sitting but darts off when I try to pet it much. Only small touches with one hand. Do you think the pheromones will help?
First of all, congratulations on becoming a cat parent. This is the best decision for sure.
Regarding your query, yes, most cats become nicer after being spayed.
You should surely consult your vet once and they will guide you further.
Happy cat parenting.