Advise needed - kitten spayed but terrified of the collar round her neck :(

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I agree with you Sheryl.

I am pleased that she is doing better now and would just leave the collar on cos she will get used to it.

[sheryl]

Im glad to hear that she is coping a bit better now

I can never ucersatand why all vets dont use the internal stiches and glue isntead of external stitches - it is so much easier and less stressful for the cat.

[RoXyKaZ]

the vets cleaned the wound up and gave her a smaller collar which doesn't seem as bad now, however i did take this off her this morning as she was struggling to get her head in the food dish! and within a minute she turned and tugged at the stitches before i could stop her and it started weeping  so we put the collar back on and put the food in a bigger bowl!

The vet did say to try and stop her licking it as they do have a lot of germs in their mouth, i suppose from cleaning...

i just wish she'd understand that if she left it alone she wouldn't need the collar on!

She has to go back again tomorrow for it to be checked again, but we all had a much better night sleep!

We did try putting a sock around her to cover up the stitches and she went crazy running around the room so that didn't work either!  She seems happier in herself now with the smaller collar as she isn't getting stuck on things as much.

Thanks for the advise so far - much appreciated 

[JackSpratt]

Does she lick the wound and pull at the stitches? Or just lick? I'm under the impression it's alright as long as the cat doesn't pull - saliva is a naturally antiseptic. (So I'm told!)

[Desley (booktigger)]

I have done well with collars this year, Phoebe didn't bother at all, and they did internal stitches and glue on the last two - although Kizzy still had to wear one cos she irritated her skin, not the scar - the one cat I didn't want to put a collar on!! I would see how she goes without it, if she really bothers it, then put it back on. Phoebe happily just licked hers - she did fray the ends of her stitches, but no other damage.

[moiramassey]

I wish I had had that French option when Mitzi was spayed. Long story, but she could get the lampshade off whatever we did and whoever put it on and, yes, the stitches were pulled out etc, etc. Nightmare.

The superglue that finally replaced the external stitches was, however, excellent and managed to withstand her assault until the incision healed (unlike the staples, she had all those out). I would ring your vet and talk to him. Maybe he will come up with something.

None of my other female cats (I have had six) in all) even touched their stitches. However, Mitzi was something else!

Roxy would probably be fine without the lampshade, but that's what I thought about Mitzi (based on the previous five) and, wow, was I wrong.

[swampmaxmum]

just a thought, but in France the vets don't all use collars as know that cats just get them off in 5 mins, so they use a fairly tight fitting white jersey elasticated bandage with holes cut for legs - of course les chats get them off, but you buy a roll (keep in place with sticky bandage too) so just replace. They tolerate it better than a collar (although you have to keep it just tight enough so they pick at it without getting it off). I think we replaced ours every day or two. Got to say I got some funny looks from vets here when I suggested it though.

[Dawn F]

Tilly didn't have a collar either they said she would only need one if she pulled at the stitches, she did lick them a bit but not bite them so we didn't bother and she was fine like Gillian said see what the vet thinks about leaving if off as long as she isn't tugging at them

[Gillian Harvey]

My Gwyn didnt have a collar when she was spayed and although she did lick the wound a little it didnt do any harm. She would have been terrified of a collar too. I think you'll find that if you take the collar off, the initial interest in the stiches will wear off and she'll leave them alone - but as you are seeing the vet tonight see what he says about leaving it off.

[RoXyKaZ]

Has she got visible stitches or under the skin and glue?

She has got visible stiches which have to be removed after 10 days...

She has got one of those types of collars - it doesn't seem overly big for her, just big enough to stop her getting at the stiches... maybe there isn't anything more that we can do to help her and we just have to stick it out?

[sheryl]

Has she got visible stitches or under the skin and glue?

You can buy the dreaded "lampshade" collars from PAH which are smaller and not as hard as the ones from the vets and may not be so uncomfortable for her.

[RoXyKaZ]

Our kitten Roxy has been spayed yesterday however she is really scared of the plastic collar that they have put around her neck.  The vet has told us we can take it off her when we are with her as long as we make sure she dosen't lick or chew the stitches.... she has to have them removed in 10 days and has to wear the collar until then.

When she hasn't got it on she is quite happy and seems herself however we can't watch her all day (OT works from home so is there with her), as soon as you turn your back for a second she starts licking the wound.  She gets really scared when she has the collar on and i spent most of last night trying to comfort her resulting in very little sleep!

We are due back at the vets tonight for her to have the wound checked so i will ask them advise as well when i take her.  Her brother Link is also acting strange around her when she has the collar on as he obviously doesn't understand whats going on and why shes wearing it (he hasn't tried to clean the wound for her - yet! - we are trying to keep them apart to prevent that happening...

In the meantime does anyone have any advise on this as i don't think i'll survive 10 nights without much sleep!

Thank you