My cat had neck surgery, can't wear a cone. What are alternatives?

There are several different types of collars, so you may need to try a different kind. Some are hard plastic. These you need to feed over a collar or some thick string to secure it on the neck. Not too tight, but tight enough that it cannot easily slip over the ears. Another kind is a soft, floppy blue fabric-like collar. These are useful in cats because they can either go forward over the head or backwards to cover the body. When Oreo tries to lick her incision, it should scoot down to cover her. Another type is shaped like a bowl. It uses velcro to secure over the head. These are very effective but not very comfortable since they can be very heavy for kittens. Another option is to get a small baby onsie or kitten body suit. You can cut a small hole so that she can still go potty and for her tail to fit through. Another type of suit is called Suitical Recovery Suit for Cats - it has great reviews!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. You can try feeding her collar through her cone to make it more difficult to remove. Make the collar snug, but make sure you can place at least two fingers underneath. If this does not help, you can try securing it around her neck and then under her armpits and back up. This attaches it more like a harness if you leave a long enough piece of a guaze tie. I hope this information helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ideally, you find a way to make the e-collar fit. I do not really know what is exact issue you have with the e-collar but keep in mind that you can use things like pieces of clothing or other things to try to tighten it up if that is the issue. I would like to tell you that this is not going to be an issue but in reality this can be an issue if he gets to his incision depending on what kind of incision he has. It is very important he wears his e-collar to prevent something from happening to the incision. If nothing works, you could consider going to your local emergency hospital to get an e-collar as they would be open. Best of luck!

You can try to use a pet shirt or baby onesie to cover the stitches. Or make a belly bandage using whatever you have around the house - like clean dish towels and duct tape. If you have a small kennel or carrier, Bonnie may need to stay in there to stay confined since excessive running or jumping can cause internal sutures to loosen up and cause bleeding problems. You may call your vet tomorrow or look at pet stores for different styles of e-collars. Some are shaped like a cone, some are floppy like a sunhat and can be worn pointing towards the shoulders, and some are inflatable donuts.

The problem with the surgical suit is that it may not let the incision breathe as well as it should in order to quickly heal. You could try an inflatable collar - it looks like an airplane pillow and sold at the pet stores. Make sure you get a big enough size - if it is too small it won't work. This works well with most incisions on the body but doesn't work for anything on a leg/foot. I hope this helps!

You could try a baby/infant t-shirt to see if this will prevent her from getting to the stitches. You may also consider one of the inflatable collars that are more comfortable but still prevent them from licking incisions on their abdomen. You can usually find these are your local Petco or pet store. I hope this helps!

Hi, you could make a cone, but to be honest one bought from the store or vet is going to fit Luke much more comfortably. The best alternative to a cone I have seen was a very plush travel neck pillow that attached at the edges so it went all around the neck. This stopped the dog licking a spot on her mid back. Also as a temporary fix you could dress a small t shirt or even boxers over him to cover the lesion.