Cat can reach his stitches...

October

Hi,

My cat had an operation on his leg on Wednesday and although he's wearing a cone, I've just discovered he can reach the stitches. He's washing his leg and the stitches area at the moment but he's not trying to pull at them and they don't seem to irritate him and he doesn't appear to be in pain.

I'm worried now because he will be on his own tomorrow while I'm at work. The wound is clean and looks ok to my untrained eye.

I don't know what to do! Should I worry? I can go to the vet tomorrow evening and get a bigger cone but if the cone is any bigger he's going to have problems eating. Any advice?

Thanks

PurplePrincess

as mad as this sounds, could you put a small babygro on him, that will keep his leg covered. Not all cats will tolerate this but if he did it will keep him away from the stitches. Otherwise a bigger collar will be needed but as you said it makes it a whole lot difficult to eat/drink etc.
Even if he is just cleaning the area, he is prob running the risk of possibly infecting the wound.

sex panther

i know its for his stitches but that sounds so funny...a cat in a baby grow, def take a picture

Feargal as Luimneach

Cats rarely pull out their stiches.........

Ado86

I'd go back to your vet and get a bigger buster collar, because despite the fact that cats rarely pull out stitches, the saliva will irritate the wound and could lead to an infection.

October

Thanks for the replies. I'll ring the vet in the morning. His leg seems to be irritating him a little this evening although I haven't seen him near the stitches since.

He's confused enough with the cone, he'd hate a baby grow as well!!! Maybe I should bandage the leg although that will probably slow the healing. Will discuss with the vet.

He's on antibiotics since the operation as a precaution anyway so hopefully that will help.

Thanks

MsFifers

I've had 2 cats with stitches in the past and both times I just took off the collar as it was driving them insane and seemed to be squashing their ears. In both cases they just gave a quick lick of the stitches area but didn't do any damage at all.

Would you consider just leaving the cat without a collar - you could observe him for an evening when you are there, and if he is at the wound excessively then you could put the collar back on.

October

MsFifers wrote: »

I've had 2 cats with stitches in the past and both times I just took off the collar as it was driving them insane and seemed to be squashing their ears. In both cases they just gave a quick lick of the stitches area but didn't do any damage at all.

Would you consider just leaving the cat without a collar - you could observe him for an evening when you are there, and if he is at the wound excessively then you could put the collar back on.

I would love to take his collar off, it's driving him mad! I feel so sorry for him with it on! I think I might wait until Wednesday and that will be a week since the operation and take it off for the evening and see what he's like.

Thanks

morganafay

If it's been a good few days already then it's probably starting to heal. I'd take off the collar, personally, but then again I've never put a collar on any of my many many cats who've been spayed and none of them pulled out the stitches.

If the cat had been spayed or something then I'd say be careful and keep the collar on, but a leg wound isn't as serious.

Waiting til wednesday is a good idea, it'll be almost healed by then anyway. My last kitten who was spayed just had dissolving stitches and they were gone in about 6 days and the wound was fine.

October

morganafay wrote: »

If it's been a good few days already then it's probably starting to heal. I'd take off the collar, personally, but then again I've never put a collar on any of my many many cats who've been spayed and none of them pulled out the stitches.

If the cat had been spayed or something then I'd say be careful and keep the collar on, but a leg wound isn't as serious.

Waiting til wednesday is a good idea, it'll be almost healed by then anyway. My last kitten who was spayed just had dissolving stitches and they were gone in about 6 days and the wound was fine.

Thanks for the reply. I can see some healing already taking place. There are seven stitches in total. Will decide tomorrow evening!

Thanks

Graces7

We took collars off both our dogs immediately after spaying because they were scared silly with them on. Could not see where they were going etc.

There was no problem with stitches.

Previouly I left one on a cat for a few days but she was starting to get really depressed. So off it came.

Never saw these used before coming to Ireland.

October

He only lasted an hour with the cone off!!! In that time he had 1 stitch pulled out! It's staying on now for another week!

morganafay

Silly cat! :rolleyes:

My vet sends all dogs that are spayed home with collars now, just to cover herself, after one dog (a big fat labrador) pulled out her stitches and then ate some of her intestines and had to be pts

Luckily my cat being spayed just had internal stitches and didn't have to wear a collar, because it wouldn't have stayed on her long . . .

suraheg

Yeah my practice put all sutures under the skin so there's less chance of the animal pulling them out..

As for the person a few posts above me who said cats never pull their stitches out.. Literally today we had a cat who pulled all hers out.. We see cats more than dogs pull their stitches out!

October

The cat is driving me mad!!! I saw him this evening pulling at his stitches - and he has the cone on!! He can stretch out his leg far enough and reach the stitches! And he got sick - he regurgitates his food when a fur ball is on the way! But of course some of the food he regurgitated stayed in the cone and he was getting very distressed about that. Luckily I was here and could take off the cone to clean it but no furball came up so no doubt he will get sick again tomorrow and I'll be at work all day.

A good portion of the wound is healing very well but about a quarter of it isn't as healed and that's the section he pulls at. It doesn't even seem to hurt him. I think I'm more stressed out than he is!!!

Graces7

October wrote: »

The cat is driving me mad!!! I saw him this evening pulling at his stitches - and he has the cone on!! He can stretch out his leg far enough and reach the stitches! And he got sick - he regurgitates his food when a fur ball is on the way! But of course some of the food he regurgitated stayed in the cone and he was getting very distressed about that. Luckily I was here and could take off the cone to clean it but no furball came up so no doubt he will get sick again tomorrow and I'll be at work all day.

A good portion of the wound is healing very well but about a quarter of it isn't as healed and that's the section he pulls at. It doesn't even seem to hurt him. I think I'm more stressed out than he is!!!

Would bandaging it just while you are out help? The collar clearly is not working anyway. Sticky plaster atop a bandage would keep him busy a while

For your peace not his of course;)

Bookkeeper09

Can you attach something to the edge of the cone to make it a bit wider??....even a bit of cardboard?? when you are not there to supervise the cat.
We had our dog spayed about 2 months ago and she managed to take the cone off..she then took out 5 of her 6 stitches. Thankfully the Vet thought that she was healling well enough to not need the wound restitched!

October

Bookkeeper09 wrote: »

Can you attach something to the edge of the cone to make it a bit wider??....even a bit of cardboard?? when you are not there to supervise the cat.
We had our dog spayed about 2 months ago and she managed to take the cone off..she then took out 5 of her 6 stitches. Thankfully the Vet thought that she was healling well enough to not need the wound restitched!

Thanks Bookkeeper09, I had considered that but then he wouldn't be able to eat or drink. At least it's the weekend (almost!) and I will be around the house. Roll on next Wednesday when the stitiches come out