Cone of Shame

[ali_kat]

Pepi has damaged the tip of his tail today - not a clue how! But he has @ 1 inch cut that has had to be stitched.

The Vet said that if he tried to lick it, he would have to wear a Cone to stop him, or he'd tear the stitches out

So, I've just put it on my normally timid cat after he started to lick.

He paniced. As in wet himself paniced

I've had to remove it, I can't be that cruel. But how else do I stop him licking?

Any suggestions please?

[davepoth]

Cone on head is better than the tail getting infected and having to be cut off. Tell him to CTFU.

[bexVN]

Ali I'd seriously try again, it'll be hard, I had to put one on my little timid girl for the first time a while back, admittedly she didn't wet herself but she did walk around backwards/ jumped backwards etc tried to pull it off her head for over half an hour before she started to settle down. Once she got used to it she was fine and I'd just take it off her to eat and have chance for a drink. I also removed the cover off a litter tray to make it easier for her to use,

How long did you try for?

There are not many other solutions except a bandage which brings its own problems and potential complications.

Hope it sorts out quickly.

[ali_kat]

Very true

I shall double dose him with his anti anxiety pills & try again!

Thanks both, I just hated seeing him like that

[bexVN]

ali_kat said:

Very true

I shall double dose him with his anti anxiety pills & try again!

Thanks both, I just hated seeing him like that

I agree, it's horrible and I know you've had problems with stress (with him if I'm right) so I realise the worry, wish there was an easier answer for you. We've just had a cat spend over a week with us because the owners said they couldn't keep a collar on their cat, yet she was as good as gold wearing it with us!

[ali_kat]

you are right Bex, I was kinda hoping there was another way, that this was just the cheap option!

I'll persevere!

Thanks x

(hope Fitz is a bit better today xx)

[bexVN]

He actually does seem to be, no miraculous recovery but right now he is actually sleeping curled up on my lap (his usual spot) which he hasn't done properly for days, so we are really hoping it was due to the meds. We need to give it a couple more days yet (and he needs an eye ck on Mon - whole other problem!) but I cannot tell you how relieved I'm feeling right now

[ali_kat]

Fingers crossed!

x

[K77 CTR]

Try the soft-e collar, my cat wasn't bothered by it and happily wore it for nearly 3 months. He hates the Elizabethan collar (as do I, makes me sad seeing them struggle with them)

[ali_kat]

Where did you get it from please J?

Traumatic night I was up at 5am yesterday, so carried him to bed just after my last post! Exhausted! With the cone on.

He sat on the bed & cried. Bast hissed, spat & shouted at us both, attacking my feet when I started to doze, until I got fed up & shut her out of the room at 2ish. Pepi & I snuggled up with my hand under him.

I woke to a wet hand and crying Pepi about 2:15 - he'd wet the bed, not even tried to move , he got pillows, duvet, duvet topper (thank heavens!) and a bit of mattress '

After I stripped the bed, soaked up the wet mattress as best I cpuld & soaked it in the odour eliminator! I went to bed in the spare room, Pepi was under the bed and slept!

4ish I was woken again, this time by him landing on the bed, how he got up there I dont know - the cone was open & bandage round his neck & foreleg, and that bed is at least twice the height of a normal bed (it's antique). He crawled under the duvet, I removed the cone & he has been hiding at the bottom of the bed under the duvet since, with that scared purr they do he hasn't washed himself (at all yet).

He won't even come out from under the duvet for Tuna!

Googling other options there are inflateable & soft ones & ones that go the other way round but I can only find USA links

One woman improvised with a stuffed sock!

I'm worried he'll get caught again, friends cat nearly died doing that (caught leg in his collar during the working day)

[VinceFox]

Credit to you for caring this much Ali, love thate there are genuine animal lovers on here

[ali_kat]

thank you

I feel a bit over protective tbh but am worried as I've had problems with him as he is so timid I don't want his to make him worse

[VinceFox]

Pics?

[bexVN]

Oh hell, that is not good , there are other collar styles around it may be worth phoning your vets to see if they have alternatives or can order one in for you but they won't be able to get one straight away. You may have to get the tail bandaged after all. It'll just be important that they keep it light and not too tight.

Take the collar off for now let him recover but you'll just have to be very vigilant.

[ali_kat]

VinceFox said:

Pics?

Of his tail? lol

That looks like Simba at the moment!


DSC00115 by ali_kat_xx, on Flickr

Pepi is on the left, Little Miss Noisy aka Bast (appropriately lengthened to bsatard last night) is on the right

[VinceFox]

EEEEEEEE!!

I wouldnt trust those two as far as i could throw them. They have the clear look of plotting something about them

[ali_kat]

bexVN said:

Oh hell, that is not good , there are other collar styles around it may be worth phoning your vets to see if they have alternatives or can order one in for you but they won't be able to get one straight away. You may have to get the tail bandaged after all. It'll just be important that they keep it light and not too tight.

Take the collar off for now let him recover but you'll just have to be very vigilant.

No Becks

It's off; she is locked in the study, he has finally come downstairs & eaten and is having a wash He appears to be carefully licking around the wound.

He's purring and back to loving me again hew: See how long that lasts when I put the cone back on later as I have to go out

Ring the Vet today? It's not an emergency!

[bexVN]

Does depend on your vet. You can just phone for advice. Do your vets do their own out of hrs?

[Thevet]

If you want a soft collar and can't get one from your vet, pm me and I'll send you one in the post, as every day goes by without complications, the less you'll need a collar, but until the tail is fully healed, it's possible that your cat could chew/damage the unhealed part.

[ali_kat]

bexVN said:

Does depend on your vet. You can just phone for advice. Do your vets do their own out of hrs?

They are on call, not on site, and the amswer machine says in 'Geninue Emergency' only; which this isn't.

Mad cat lady that I am, even I know that this is not an emergency