Cat in a Cone: Any Tips?

SuperStarHoney

Title says it all really..............My Cat had an operation today to have a small lump removed from beside his ear. He came home with a cone around his neck and has to keep this on for the next two weeks. Needless to say he's not impressed, he keeps bumping into everything and can't seem to get into a comfortable position to relax or sleep.

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for making his life a little easier over the next fortnight?

Blueprint

You can get soft cloth cones instead of the hard plastic ones: http://cgi.ebay.ie/Soft-e-Dog-Collar-Lampshade-Cone-softe-small-vet-SIZE-2-/200511542431?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Dogs&hash=item2eaf6b549f

I think some of the pet shops do them. Might freak him out less!

foxinsox

Oh, that's misery for the cat..
My cat had to have that on for three weeks once.. nightmare..

Whatever you do, do NOT under any circumstances take it off the cat, even for a second, no matter how much you love the cat. You will never ever get it back on the cat. I learnt this

So the cat can eat/drink properly, two small bowls together, one upside down on the floor, stick the other one on top of it (right way up) with blu tac or something. Sounds stupid but it works. Think about it, if normal feeding bowl is on floor the cat can't get at it, so you have to elevate their food and drink.

Use babywipes to wipe the cone daily or when needed, there will be food and all sorts on it.

The cat will get more used to it, it is distressing to watch, but the cat would do more damage to let the cat at the site of operation.

I kept my cat in the house as much as possible so he wouldn't get bullied by other cats.

Best of luck

FastFuse

Soft cone, definitely. Harder to keep clean but for the cats comfort when sleeping it makes a difference.

He will be miserable regardless. If he likes it, just constantly talk to him and reassure him.

Kali_Kalika

SuperStarHoney wrote: »

Title says it all really..............My Cat had an operation today to have a small lump removed from beside his ear. He came home with a cone around his neck and has to keep this on for the next two weeks. Needless to say he's not impressed, he keeps bumping into everything and can't seem to get into a comfortable position to relax or sleep.

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for making his life a little easier over the next fortnight?

I can say this works in all situations but it has for me when I had to get my 2 males neutered, it at least made life bearable for me and them at the time! They were lil guys at the time and the cones/buckets whatever you call them were massive. They couldn't see where they were going - running into walls, doors, legs - and after 2 days of this they were frustrated and my legs were solid black and blue from the feckin cones! So I just slipped them off briefly and trimmed them back a good few inches, it was thin plastic so very easy to cut through - and then put them back on - trimming off the "extra" made it less sharp so if they did whack into you it hurt less - they could see where they were going again (barely noticed that the cones were on!) and yet anytime they went to lick or chew the wound it would still be covered by the plastic cone and they couldn't reach it - so it was win win win all around - everyone was much happier because of it and when they went back for the post-op check the vet laughed and said it was an ingenius idea that she'd heard everyone complaining about them but no one had figured out to do that. So - its just an idea that I know worked for me so I thought I might pass it on and see if its any help to yourself.

planetX

Kali_Kalika wrote: »

I can say this works in all situations but it has for me when I had to get my 2 males neutered, it at least made life bearable for me and them at the time! They were lil guys at the time and the cones/buckets whatever you call them were massive. They couldn't see where they were going - running into walls, doors, legs - and after 2 days of this they were frustrated and my legs were solid black and blue from the feckin cones! So I just slipped them off briefly and trimmed them back a good few inches, it was thin plastic so very easy to cut through - and then put them back on - trimming off the "extra" made it less sharp so if they did whack into you it hurt less - they could see where they were going again (barely noticed that the cones were on!) and yet anytime they went to lick or chew the wound it would still be covered by the plastic cone and they couldn't reach it - so it was win win win all around - everyone was much happier because of it and when they went back for the post-op check the vet laughed and said it was an ingenius idea that she'd heard everyone complaining about them but no one had figured out to do that. So - its just an idea that I know worked for me so I thought I might pass it on and see if its any help to yourself.

that's a really good idea, wish I'd thought of it. My cat had major leg surgery and came home in a cone and it was the most traumatic part of it. You need to find bowls for food and water that he can reach - I ended up buying a tiny little hamster bowl that the whole cone would go around. My cat ended up so depressed that she stopped eating anyway, and she would sit and lick the plastic cone because she couldn't groom. We suffered through a week thinking it was for the best, and when I told the vet how distressed she was he told me I should have just removed the cone:(
Oh, and you need to remember to scratch your cats chin a lot for him, and keep his eyes clear.

SuperStarHoney

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm reluctant to cut the cone as I think he could scrape at it with his paw given were the incision is (just at the front of his ear). I have ordered a soft collar online so I'll see how that goes when it arrives.

He seems in a lot better spirits today (he lay down for his belly rubs!!) so I think he's getting used to it and seems to be able to get at his food and water without too much trouble.

The vet said he'd call when he gets the results of the analysis of the lump on Friday so I'll ask him then if there's any leeway with the collar and the two weeks indoors.

October

Last year my cat had a leg amputated and because of complications, he had the cone on for about a month. Despite the cone, he still manage to get to his wound so I had to get a really big cone that was really meant for a dog!! But after the first few days he adapted and managed really well. He was even able to walk upstairs with the big cone on - he just figured out how to do it and it was no problem.

Give your cat another day or two and he will learn how to manage with it. Best of luck!