Does my cat need an e-collar after neuter to stop licking the wound?

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!

The Ecollar will need to stay on for a couple of days while the wound is initially healing, but as long as Dodger leaves the incision alone, you can take it off after four to seven days. It can take up to 10 days for the incision to fully heal, and if he is licking it excessively when the collar is removed, then it will have to stay on. He won't hurt himself in the collar, a lot of cats are annoyed by them, but it's important to make sure they aren't allowed to lick the incision. Licking in the incision will interrupt the healing process and will introduce infection into the area.

It is not quite normal, however it is possible that he was licking the incision and aggravated it. If he keeps licking, it will not heal like it should and he may even lick bacteria into the wound. You may want to put an e-collar on him so he cannot reach the wound. It should then heal without problem.

It looks like Mordred may have been pulling out her sutures. In 2 pictures there are 3 while in the third picture there are only two. I would recommend taking her back to the veterinarian to have them evaluate her and also recommend getting her an elizabethan collar. Typically after this procedure, it is best to keep them quiet for about 10 days but cats are hard to keep quiet so we do the best we can to help them recover. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Oh Chandler, what a naughty kitty. They are so good at removing their cone! It looks like there is a little prolapsed tissue there likely from where he opened the incision. As long as he keeps his cone on overnight it will likely be okay to see you vet tomorrow. They can then make sure he doesn't need a suture and/or antibiotics. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Get an elizabethan collar for him and hopefully this will keep both areas protected from his scratching. They make hard and soft varieties of these collars. Make sure he wears it at all times as even a little disruption to the area will send back the healing process. If he is not getting better with your home care treatment in a week or so, have him examined by his veterinarian as he may need systemic medications. You can usually find these collars at most pet stores, all vet clinics and online as well. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Cats are little stinkers! You may have to try a longer than normal rigid e-collar, or you can look for the bowl style that are used in cats. You could try a large tube sock as a dress (cut holes for head and arms). You could attach string or elastic to make "stirrups" that pull the shirt down. As for cleaning, a warm wet washcloth is all that is needed. Though, since it appears red and swollen, I would recommend taking her to the vet for evaluation and possibly to start antibiotics.