Cat wearing a cone questions

[Kanin]

Maggie has to wear a cone for a while because she won't stop licking a wound. I'm worried that it's going to strangle her, or that she'll get it partway off and suffocate, or something. Is it safe for her to wear it when I'm not at home? At night?

She looks rather hilarious but I feel really bad for her 😞 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just make sure that you block off areas (like under beds) where she might get stuck but otherwise she should be fine wearing it 24/7. 

[Terabith]

She should be fine, but if you want an alternative, most cats wear a size 0-3 month onesie.

[Kanin]

1 minute ago, Terabith said:

She should be fine, but if you want an alternative, most cats wear a size 0-3 month onesie.

Ha, that's awesome, but it's a... rear end issue.

[Kanin]

7 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Just make sure that you block off areas (like under beds) where she might get stuck but otherwise she should be fine wearing it 24/7. 

I didn't even think of that. Thank you for the reminder.

[MEmama]

Poor Maggie! 😞  Do you have other pets that might want to play with the cone, or try to help free her?

[Storygirl]

1 hour ago, Mainer said:

Ha, that's awesome, but it's a... rear end issue.

My dog had to wear a cone for an extended period of time after being spayed, because a little part of her wound took longer to heal. I made her a homemade bodysuit that had an open space in the tail area. You could cut up a onesie to create the needed hygiene hole.

[Selkie]

Poor kitty! My animals have always done better with the softer cone collars (from Amazon or Chewy) rather than the plastic ones from the vet's office. The softer ones make it so much easier for them to rest comfortably, and I think they seem safer, too.

[Kanin]

She's slowly adapting to life in a cone... purring... and then trying to get it off. I keep laughing at how comical she looks, but then feel guilty. 

[Stacia]

Poor Maggie.

Keep an eye on her. When my dd's cat was a kitten, she had a cone after surgery. Her head & neck were so small that even the smallest size cone was a wee bit loose. The vet office secured it with a bit of tied gauze. But, the kitten was maniacal about getting it off & kept managing to get the edge of the cone &/or the gauze jammed in her jaws (being therefore unable to shut her mouth). I ended up removing it altogether because it was an unsafe situation for her. I haven't had that situation with other cats but did want to mention it so you are aware to check her often.

[sassenach]

3 hours ago, Mainer said:

She's slowly adapting to life in a cone... purring... and then trying to get it off. I keep laughing at how comical she looks, but then feel guilty. 

I think you’ve captured the essence of how cats feel about cones. 

[ktgrok]

5 hours ago, Selkie said:

Poor kitty! My animals have always done better with the softer cone collars (from Amazon or Chewy) rather than the plastic ones from the vet's office. The softer ones make it so much easier for them to rest comfortably, and I think they seem safer, too.

Yes, totally worth it to get the nicer cone. They sell them at PetCo now I think. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/all-four-paws-tan-comfy-cone-x-large-1275186?cm_mmc=PLA-GG-_-PTC_P_SUP_PLA-GG_FY19_SBU04_Dog_Supplements+Remedies_SMRT-_-81278909507-_-A&kpid=go_6526276215_81278909507_383949158103_pla-710330990313_c&utm_config=tad0iunwp&utm_campaign=PTC_P_SUP_PLA-GG_FY19_SBU04_Dog_Supplements%2BRemedies_SMRT&utm_source=google&gclid=CjwKCAiAj-_xBRBjEiwAmRbqYj97ewUvV__UbJSYRexsGw2FjNIwlI0E4wn16mwX8PaimEr0sWFqIRoCecEQAvD_BwE

[catz]

Aww Maggie is a beautiful kitty.  Maybe sleep with one eye open?  🤣

[MercyA]

Poor babe! I have a dog, not a cat, but she does well with this inflatable collar: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045Y1JG6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[maize]

I've found I can often cut off part of the cone without it losing effectiveness; makes the cat more comfortable and makes eating easier.

[Kanin]

Thanks everyone! I think she's feeling better today. She ate a TON of food last night and this morning. I hadn't realized that she was eating less than usual, but she must have been uncomfortable. Now I just need to figure out how to give a cat a pill... she's on an anti-inflammatory for three days. Luckily I can stay home today (snow day!!) so I can give her some time off from the cone.

 

[Kanin]

12 hours ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Aww Maggie is a beautiful kitty.  Maybe sleep with one eye open?  🤣

Aww thanks 🙂 I had both eyes open for a long time last night because she kept walking on me and jamming the plastic cone into my face!

[Kanin]

17 hours ago, Stacia said:

Poor Maggie.

Keep an eye on her. When my dd's cat was a kitten, she had a cone after surgery. Her head & neck were so small that even the smallest size cone was a wee bit loose. The vet office secured it with a bit of tied gauze. But, the kitten was maniacal about getting it off & kept managing to get the edge of the cone &/or the gauze jammed in her jaws (being therefore unable to shut her mouth). I ended up removing it altogether because it was an unsafe situation for her. I haven't had that situation with other cats but did want to mention it so you are aware to check her often.

Oh gosh, that's exactly what worries me. I decided not to leave the cone on when I'm not home. Luckily it's a snow day so I can work here and keep an eye on her. Hopefully she won't need the cone for long.

[catz]

You're a good cat parent!  I hope she recovers soon, poor baby!  ❤️  

[Tanaqui]

Some animals just don't lick very much. I don't know why some do and some don't, but in my experience the easier they adapt to the cone, the less likely they are to need it long-term, or even at all. If you're having success keeping the cone off when you're at home, you may be able to ask the vet if you can just leave it off indefinitely.