# Alternatives to cone collars



## Isi (Oct 13, 2009)

Hi,

Amber was spayed yesterday and the vets gave her a cone/buster collar to wear for 14 (14!) days.

Obviously, she hates it. She took it off after about 20 minutes so I left her to it to see if we could manage without (none of my previous cats have ever worn one) but she was pulling at her stiches with her teeth after about 10 minutes.

The last thing we want is for her recovery to be delayed so we decided to perservere. She took it off overnight, we put it on when we got up, but she is thoroughly miserable. In fact, I have never seen such an unhappy cat and it's breaking my heart 

She really seems to have lost all of her mo-jo as she just sits/lies around letting us scratch her (in itself very unusual!) with the saddest eyes!

I want to find an alternative as I don't trust her not to pull the stitches out, but would be grateful if anyone had any feedback on the alternatives as they're not cheap and I don't want to get something that she'll hate even more!

Has anyone tried ProCollars - inflatable protective collars for dogs and cats I know it doesn't work if the wound is in certain places so would it protect a spay?

Or does anyone have any other suggestion??

I'm desperate to rescue her from her abject misery!!


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## Guest (Jan 27, 2010)

I haven't tried it as my cat hasn't been spayed yet but is due to be soon but someone rccommended cutting the toe off a pop sock and slipping it over the cats body, it doesn't stop them licking the wound but it stops them from pulling the stitches, but I would still use a collar if she is being left alone.


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## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

I know somebody who used one on a border terrier and had to swap back to a lamp shade as she could still reach her stitches.


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## Bellablue (Sep 5, 2009)

Poor Amber. Bella was not happy with her collar either when she was spayed a couple of months ago and managed to get it off once. I did feel really bad about her wearing it and spent loads of time scratching her head for her, but did keep it on for the full 10 days that our vet advised because she is a very licky cat and I know she wouldnt leave her wound alone. She did get more used to it after a few days ... but like your kitty she did seem quite depressed about the whole thing. Her wound healed beautifully though so it was worth it in the end


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## Clare7435 (Dec 17, 2009)

Isi said:


> Hi,
> 
> Amber was spayed yesterday and the vets gave her a cone/buster collar to wear for 14 (14!) days.
> 
> ...


I know it's hard to watch them upset but think of it in another way, how much more heartbraking it would be if she didn't have it on,
They seem bad but it's only because they dont like being restricted she's not in any pain from it, I would consider all the pros and cons before buying another expensive seemingly more comfortable one. How many times will it be used, is it worth it for a couple of weeks? Chances are she's gonna hate a different one just as much because it's stopping her doing what she really wants to do and that's get to them stitches, any animal will try and get to them because it's a foreign body in them that the dont like,
I took a look at the inflatable collar and I think that looks more irritating than the normal lamp shade ones.
I know it's hard to watch them in distress but it really is worth it when you think how long it'd take for the wound to heal without it,ifshe keeps gettin git off you coul always attatch it in so way to her collar which maes it more difficult to remove.
Hope she feels better soon 
Clare xx


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## Isi (Oct 13, 2009)

Thanks for your advice everyone. When I got back from work yesterday she still had the cone on, and kept it on all night. I was so proud of her!! I have resisted buying the inflatable one and am going to try and perserve as suggested.

The one benefit of all of this is that she has become very affectionate, wanting her head scratched all the time, which has been lovely for me!
Last night she spent hours next to me on the sofa being combed and scratched, and this morning I left her lying next to my OH in bed getting the same treatment!

We're going to try and last the distance as I know it's the right thing to do for her, so fingers crossed she has learnt to accept it grudgingly.

I do feel sorry for her brother though. He has no playmate and is getting much less attention that Amber. He seems to be taking refuge in eating!


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## Isi (Oct 13, 2009)

Bellablue said:


> Bella was not happy with her collar either when she was spayed a couple of months ago and managed to get it off once.


Is that Bella in your avatar? She is beautiful! How old is she?

I always wonder what our 2 will look like when they get older - especially Amber as she's quite a lot smaller than Jimmy. It's really strange to think of her one-day looking like a proper grown-up BSH!


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

When we had our bitch spayed in November she hated the buster collar too so I put one of my daughters old swimming costumes on her and it worked a treat and she was a lot comfier. Not sure if this would work with a cat though but I know how miserable those collars make them.

There is also the trimline recover collar for cats and dogs. dog first aid, bandages, recovery collars, tick twister tick removal, aloe vera (scroll down a bit)


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## anniebear (Jan 16, 2010)

Isi I could have written your post! My Kitty was neutuered yesterday and we had to put a collar on, she seems so sad and is trying to lick herself but cant


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## Midnight (Jan 17, 2009)

You could always try this ! 
Superior post-surgical feline & canine appliance. (Or: Dump the cone!) - Viewing All Comments


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## Isi (Oct 13, 2009)

anniebear said:


> Isi I could have written your post! My Kitty was neutuered yesterday and we had to put a collar on, she seems so sad and is trying to lick herself but cant


It's awful isn't it? It's so hard being cruel to be kind to something that can't understand what's going on!

I hope your cat deals with it ok and it's not too traumatic for you. If she lets you comb and scratch her it goes some way to making it easier!


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## Bellablue (Sep 5, 2009)

Isi said:


> Is that Bella in your avatar? She is beautiful! How old is she?
> 
> I always wonder what our 2 will look like when they get older - especially Amber as she's quite a lot smaller than Jimmy. It's really strange to think of her one-day looking like a proper grown-up BSH!


Yep thats Bella the little minx  She is 10 months old and not as big as Theo who is the same age. The trouble with them growing bigger is you start getting broody for the pitter patter of little paws again!


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## Effie's Mummy (Sep 11, 2009)

Aw bless her she does look a little fed up! I have taken Effie for spaying today and I'm waiting to find out how she takes to her buster collar. I didn't know there were any alternatives, so thanks for pointing that out it might be useful to us if she hate her plastic one!


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## fsgregs (Jul 9, 2013)

I have great news. I discovered that a dog T-shirt, available in most bigger pet stores, works like charm on cats as an alternative to cones. My cat had a big wound on her flank that needed stitches/staples. The Vet placed a cone on her, and it was so heart-rending. She tried going through our pet door with it, and bounced off. She could not eat or drink with it on, could not clean her fur and barely managed to sleep. My wife and I were miserable, as was my cat.

I visited this site and found references to home-made shirts for cats. Surely, there must be commercially sold shirts for cats. I failed to find any, but I did discover a whole line of T-shirts and sleeveless tank-tops for dogs at our local Petsmart store. I discovered the perfect one ... a sleeveless tank-top that fit her well (size medium). Put the legs through the tank top leg openings, and it fit perfectly, without coming off. The bottom of the shirt has elastic so it clung to her body, covering her flank wound completely. She got used to it within an hour, and ... NO CONE NEEDED. She could not lick the wound but could lick her face, paws, etc.

A week after her staples were removed, I took off the top. Her wound was completely closed and looked great. She licked it and did no damage because it had so thoroughly healed. 

To find your own supply and see what they look like, just do a web search for "dog tank tops". Hundreds of pictures will appear, and you will see how well these can replace that dreaded cone. Note that this only works for wounds to the cat's body, not its legs or paws.

Hope this helps!


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