Is it alright to handle a snake post feeding and pre-defecation as long as it is 48 after feeding?

I don’t think it’ll be incredibly detrimental if you hold them after two days, but ideally I’d give it another day or two. I can’t claim to be an expert on snakes by any means, by I did come into frequent contact with red tails at a place of internship a few years ago, and my vague memories tell me that they were more squeamish and easily stressed then some of the other boas and pythons we had on a regular basis. Again, I want to stress that snakes are not my forte, so I may be wrong. You should probably try to contact an expert, knowledgeable keeper or a breeder for advice. But I, personally, like to err on the side of caution, especially when the health of another being is involved. So I would give him a couple more days.

Wouldn’t it be nicer to just pet some kitty or something?

It depends on the size of the meal. If a snake has a sizeable lump, they sometimes have a survival response if they are handled and that causes them to regurgitate their meal so they can get away. It’s perfectly natural if in the wild. If a Jaguar came upon an anaconda with a capybara in it’s gullet, the snake is at a serious disadvantage because it can’t get away fast with the added “luggage”. What is the snake and what is the meal?
I had a large python and I used to feed him rabbits. I wouldn’t handle him for at least a week. But he only ate once a month. But even if it’s a cornsnake, milksnake and it’s just a rodent, I would still wait a few days. :)