# Cat hates Elizabethan collar



## wicklow86 (Jan 23, 2013)

Hi all,

We had our latest CP foster cat spayed yesterday, she needs to wear the elizabethan collar to stop her licking the area. The vet had to fix a hernia so went in on her under rather than side. Unfortunately she is walking around with her head to the floor and cannot seem to get used to it, earlier she tried jumping onto her favourite chair and almost flew back from hitting the collar on the edge . Will she get used to it? I feel so sorry for her as she is so miserable and keeps walking backward trying to get it off. 

I have no experience of this as my family cats have all been spayed before we got them or in the one instance she did not require a collar.


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## MCWillow (Aug 26, 2011)

You could try an inflatable collar on her instead 

Comfy Collar an Alternative to Elizabethan Collar - From £7.43

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buster-279805-Inflatable-Collar-M/dp/B007GH3UES


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## MontyMaude (Feb 23, 2012)

She will get used to it, it just takes a day or so, my cat learnt to climb the cat tree in hers, you can make life easier for her whilst she were it by keeping the floor clear and blocking areas where she might get wedged in, and beware the pooper scooper abilities of the cone as Maudey caught hers in her poop when she turned to check it out, but baby wipes come in very handy for this.


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## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

Use a babygrow, much easier and doesn't stress the cats.


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## MontyMaude (Feb 23, 2012)

catcoonz said:


> Use a babygrow, much easier and doesn't stress the cats.


Unless it's Maudey bag who freaked out and wriggled out of it in 10 seconds flat  same with a cut up sock and stocking, the only thing that worked for her was the buster collar.


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## Satori (Apr 7, 2013)

I just kept an close eye on my girl, no collar. She licked around the wound, not on it, and after first day the novelty wore off and she just left it alone.


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## Gwen9244 (Nov 10, 2012)

When we had the girls spayed we had to keep the collars on them as Tilly was terrible for licking her stiches if the collar came off. They hated it at the start but we perservered and managed to keep them on for the 10 days. I do wish now though that I had bought the inflatable collar as Tilly was forever licking at the bandage holding the collar on and it sometimes got caught on her mouth.


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## wicklow86 (Jan 23, 2013)

Thanks for the replies everyone, she seems to be getting used to it. She has got a very shallow bowl of water and food which she seems to have no issue with using. 

I could not risk taking it off her as she is a cats protection cat so we need to be extra careful, she also is always washing so is very unlikely to ignore the stitches. 

The inflatable collar looks good, probably wouldn't arrive in time to be use to her but I am sure we will have plenty of other fosters who require spaying and a collar.


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## MoggyBaby (Mar 8, 2011)

When Oscar had his collar on, I raised his bowls up on little ramekins or half-sized tins to make it easier for him to eat.

I would also take it off when I was with him and could stop him scratching or licking the wound but put it back on when he was alone. This gave him some respite from it. 

Another option for the inflatable collar - get an old nylon stocking / tight leg and stuff it with some form of padding (rolled up teatowels etc) and put this round. Not too tight obviously and not over padded but just enough to stop her getting to her stitches.


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## Coonycats (Dec 19, 2013)

Hi, I'm new!!
When my cats have had surgery, I've made then fleece onesies...I've just used a piece of fleece,with holes cut out for their legs to go through, which then gather up over their backs and are fastened with safety pins. They've worked really well
The photo shows Håkan, my half Bengal who is no longer with me in his onesie, after surgery when he had lymphoma.


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## MoggyBaby (Mar 8, 2011)

Coonycats said:


> Hi, I'm new!!
> When my cats have had surgery, I've made then fleece onesies...I've just used a piece of fleece,with holes cut out for their legs to go through, which then gather up over their backs and are fastened with safety pins. They've worked really well
> The photo shows Håkan, my half Bengal who is no longer with me in his onesie, after surgery when he had lymphoma.


Welcome to the forum Coonycats, lovely to have you with us. 

Haken looks quite cosy there. Unfortunately not all cats like the feeling of 'onesies' and will fight against them. But is great if you do have cats who'll tolerate these as seeing them in the collars is heart-wrenching.


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## jill3 (Feb 18, 2009)

I had the same thing with Ollie! He also had an Hernia repaired at the same time.
He also got the collar caught in his mouth
So I took the collar off and watched him and he was fine.
So dump the collar and just watch her
It's horrible seeing them struggle with it:sad:


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## Space Chick (Dec 10, 2011)

Ah, the cone of shame!!

Yet to meet a cat that likes them 

I'd opt for the supervise with it off, put it on when you can't supervise approach


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## Citrineblue (Sep 28, 2012)

Luna was recently spayed they did a midline which was externally glued so no stitches. We had no weeping, and no cone, nor did she lick the area, the vet only shaved a very small area in comparison to my neighbour who had a flank spay. Was she stitched or glued? Truly Luna only fussed the area once or twice. The cone initially suggested was half her size and was provided by a nurse, I stated I wasn't going to make her wear it as she had to compete with our four boy cats in our household. Enough that she would smell of the vets. The vet then came and said to go without.


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## Citrineblue (Sep 28, 2012)

Leg bandage???


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## wicklow86 (Jan 23, 2013)

We have taken the collar off when in the room with her but the first thing she does is attempt to start washing the area, we have to keep our eyes glued to her. She was stitched, they look very neat and tidy. She is back to the vets Monday to have them checked on.

Last night my husband made up a old tight leg with padding but she hated it as much as the collar. Even though she is able to eat and drink and walk normally when it suits her she still keeps fumbling around like a drunk trying to get it off. 

If she is still bad with it today I am going to try the onsie idea I think.


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## Idontlikecoffee (Jan 20, 2012)

When Milo first had his collar on he went crazy, thundering around the room hissing and screeching to get it off, I just cried and cried seeing him so terrified and upset.

Luckily he gradually got used to it, and after a few days he did not seem to mind it at all, it got to the point where I could take it off for while, and when I put it back on him he did not care at all, I think he was quite happy to have it on.

I got him an inflateable collar but he could still get to his wound, he could also pull it off, which he never could do with the Elizabethan collar.


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