Advanced home care protocols following feline surgery include validated pain assessment, wound monitoring, restricted activity management, and clear communication frameworks for owner concerns.
Advanced home care following feline surgery extends the welfare protection of the clinical environment into the home setting where the majority of recovery takes place. The knowledge gap between clinical and home care is a significant welfare risk — owners who do not recognize post-operative pain or who do not implement activity restriction correctly create welfare problems that develop invisibly between veterinary appointments. Welfare-centered perioperative programs treat owner education as a clinical intervention: investing in the knowledge transfer that enables owners to provide genuinely protective home care. The integration of telemedicine follow-up closes the observation gap during the critical immediate post-operative period.