Cats and elizabethan collars...
Discussion
I've (today) had my cat spayed, and the vet put an elizabethan collar round her neck after the operation, that she says has to stay on for 10 days.
As soon as we got her home and opened the cat carrier, she bolted out of it and ran straight into the side of the sofa until she'd dislodged it enough to get it off.
How the hell can I get this back on? It's still done up, so as far as I know I just have to slip it back over her head and ears, but I'm on my own and the cat refuses to come anywhere near me, even when I'm not holding the collar.
Is it really worth it? She doesn't seem to be licking the wound or pulling at the stitches at all, but then I can't keep an eye on her all the time - she's under my bed at the moment.
I'm hoping she'll just sleep it off and that I won't need to put the collar on, because even though my vet has strongly advised I do, I just can't get it back on! Any tips or helpful advice?
As soon as we got her home and opened the cat carrier, she bolted out of it and ran straight into the side of the sofa until she'd dislodged it enough to get it off.
How the hell can I get this back on? It's still done up, so as far as I know I just have to slip it back over her head and ears, but I'm on my own and the cat refuses to come anywhere near me, even when I'm not holding the collar.
Is it really worth it? She doesn't seem to be licking the wound or pulling at the stitches at all, but then I can't keep an eye on her all the time - she's under my bed at the moment.
I'm hoping she'll just sleep it off and that I won't need to put the collar on, because even though my vet has strongly advised I do, I just can't get it back on! Any tips or helpful advice?
No easy suggestions, if you sit her on your lap tucked into you as much as poss with her back to you, you may be able to slip it on that way as it'd be harder for her to wriggle away (though not impossible!).
Otherwise you could undo the collar and do it up around her neck again but this takes time. Failing that you need a second pair of hands.
If she is definitely not licking then don't worry, was she licking at wound in the vets?, it's a bit cautious of them to say must wear til stitches out unless she gave cause for concern.
Otherwise you could undo the collar and do it up around her neck again but this takes time. Failing that you need a second pair of hands.
If she is definitely not licking then don't worry, was she licking at wound in the vets?, it's a bit cautious of them to say must wear til stitches out unless she gave cause for concern.
1. Get a friend/family member to assist.
2. Sit on cat, with it reversed in between your legs
3. Friend/family member puts collar on whilst you are restraining the cat
I can't see how 10 days would be needed mind, I'd have thought that 1-2 days would be enough for a cat to heal a bit, they are resiliant little creatures.
Have you any valerian or anything as well to keep the cat calm? (assuming vet says that's ok).
2. Sit on cat, with it reversed in between your legs
3. Friend/family member puts collar on whilst you are restraining the cat
I can't see how 10 days would be needed mind, I'd have thought that 1-2 days would be enough for a cat to heal a bit, they are resiliant little creatures.
Have you any valerian or anything as well to keep the cat calm? (assuming vet says that's ok).
Bast did the same, made worse by her Brother hissing at her everyone he looked at her 
So it came off, and was put back on when I had to leave her out of my sight
Chilli being made to wear it too put paid to his hissing at her
They are actually quite easy to put on by yourself, if you can get her to sit on you, lulled into a false sense of security
She will need to wear it, and remember not to let her jump/get too much exercise (that's the hard part!) as that can rip the stitches out
So it came off, and was put back on when I had to leave her out of my sight
Chilli being made to wear it too put paid to his hissing at her
They are actually quite easy to put on by yourself, if you can get her to sit on you, lulled into a false sense of security
She will need to wear it, and remember not to let her jump/get too much exercise (that's the hard part!) as that can rip the stitches out
I eventually managed to get the collar back on for her post-op checkup last Friday.
By Sunday afternoon I had to take the collar off again, she was so stressed and depressed it was unreal, and she was weeing everywhere apart from the litter tray.
As soon as I took it off she was back to normal again.
Stitches out tomorrow morning, although she's pulled most of them out anyway :P She's an indoor cat anyway so hopefully it'll all be OK.
By Sunday afternoon I had to take the collar off again, she was so stressed and depressed it was unreal, and she was weeing everywhere apart from the litter tray.
As soon as I took it off she was back to normal again.
Stitches out tomorrow morning, although she's pulled most of them out anyway :P She's an indoor cat anyway so hopefully it'll all be OK.
bexVN said:
If she is definitely not licking then don't worry, was she licking at wound in the vets?, it's a bit cautious of them to say must wear til stitches out unless she gave cause for concern.
when we had Lily spayed the vet gave us one of the cones with instructions to put it on her if she started paying the stitches too much attention.She did lick them a few times but ignored them after that.
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