My little guy Darth had perineal urethrostomy surgery last Monday, and recovery has been really rough on my husband and me. I’ve put him up in a spare bedroom with plenty of litter boxes/types of litter, water fountains, food, the works. He’s on buprenorphine, cerenia, mirtazapine, and trazodone, and I’ve been in regular communication with my vet. He also gets plenty of regular cuddle time and soft collar-free time.

His incision site is looking better, thankfully. The biggest issue I’m facing is that Darth is refusing to urinate in the litter box. I know that each cat heals differently, and he’s not really straining. The surgeon who did the procedure isn’t yet concerned. For me, however, I’ve been feeling the toll, wondering if he will never use the litter box again.

Rationally, I know recovery can be anywhere from 2-3 weeks, and I’m still in week 1. I guess I’m just hoping some anecdotes will put me at ease. Has anyone else experienced this with their post-PU cat? Did your cat refuse to use the litter box for the first week or so, and did they eventually get comfortable enough to do so again? Thank you very much for any insights.

Note: again, I’m already working with my primary and specialist vets very closely with progression photos and updates.

Photo of Darth for cat tax.