How soon after anesthesia will my cat be back to normal?

Returning to normal entails more than just coming out of anesthesia. It usually takes several hours, if not until the next day, for the cat to return to their full normal self after anesthesia. Sometimes, it can even take a couple of days, especially with the narcotics and pain medications we use. However, this does not mean they are not able to go home after they've recovered for several hours after anesthesia. They're usually back to looking around, able to get up and walk around their kennels, and can be safely transported home and put into a recovery place.