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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Feeding a cat in a cone

30 replies

RoosterCogburn · 21/08/2015 16:00

Porr FatCat has had to have an op on his eye and is currently wearing a cone. He's not a happy boy and as his eye is stitched shut while it heals he's even more clumsy than usual.

Any suggestions to make feeding time easier for him? He loves his food so I'd like to make it easy for him to eat.

I'd rather not remove the collar at feeding time as it took two of us 20 minutes to get it on! Obviously if it is the only solution I will do.

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PurpleBananaPie · 21/08/2015 16:57

The type of bowl you are feeding him in will make a difference, ones with a lip or deep ones are not easy to eat from with a collar on, the collar catches on the lip and tips them over. My boy is also wearing a collar at present and his bowl is quite shallow but high, if that makes sense? He manages OK if he tilts his head/collar in a certain way.

RoosterCogburn · 21/08/2015 17:02

That makes sense - DH has suggested a shallow bowl raised up on a block of wood.
He (the cat) is still very groggy at the moment but he is determined to be up on his favourite shelf. We were worried about him falling so removed the chair he uses to climb - the bugger has still managed to get up there. I didn't think he could jump that high in normal circumstances let alone post-op and coned up. Any way, we've replaced the chair has he is obviously determined to be on the shelf.

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Girlfriend36 · 21/08/2015 17:54

I found putting the food on a saucer rather than a bowl helpful but I do remember the cone got really messy though!!

RoosterCogburn · 21/08/2015 18:15

Well, he doesn't want to eat right now which is unheard of.
We've left his food down and hopefully when he's feeling less groggy he'll start to eat and we can work out what type of dish will suit him best

He's not the most handsome of cats to start with but with one eye stitched closed and the cone on he is a sorry sight.
He's such a good natured cat and he keeps looking at us in disbelief as if to say "but why are you doing this to me?"

KittenCat is mesmerised by the cone so FatCat is now in splendid isolation where he can rest.

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Girlfriend36 · 21/08/2015 18:45

My girl cat had to keep a cone on for a week after she was spayed and the looks she gave me broke my heart! It was seriously like she was saying 'but why, what did I do to deserve this?" Poor puss cats

RoosterCogburn · 21/08/2015 19:29

Poor boy has just wee-ed massively on the floor.

It's going to be a long ten days!

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MillyMoo1113 · 21/08/2015 20:13

After my boy was neutered and had a cone on, he would only eat if I spoon fed him. He managed bits from a saucer but used to get so frustrated, spoon feeding was the only ways get anything into him

Hoppinggreen · 22/08/2015 10:17

I've had cats for well over 30 years and cones are a relatively new thing.
There was a thread recently about a cat being totally traumatised by a cone and the general advise was to take it off as they aren't necessary.
Hope your cat feels better soon.

Disclaimer - I'm not a vet and take no responsibility if you take the cone off and it goes wrong!!

Pipbin · 22/08/2015 13:13

When my girl had a cone we put a plastic dish on a block of wood propped up at an angle.
Poor boy with an eye stitched shut. No wonder he has weed on the floor, i think I would in his situation.

One thing I have seen is a thing that looks like an inflatable ring that you put round their necks.

RoosterCogburn · 22/08/2015 16:55

If we take the cone off he immediately rubs the eye, not just with his paw but against furniture. It has to be protected to heal so I'm afraid the cone has to stay on.

Pipbin, we've got an inflatable one but he can reach is eye with that one so it's no good

He seems more resigned today and less jumpy, if he hasn't eaten properly by this evening we're going to take it off, let him eat then pop it back on (I'm saying that as if it is easy, getting it on in the first place was a shouty nightmare)

He hasn't forgiven us. He's a very reserved by and it's always a job to get him to purr - at the moment we are getting icy silence!

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Ifiwasabadger · 22/08/2015 16:58

Not much to add but wanted to say bless fat cat and hope he feels better soon, sounds a trial for him.

TheDisillusionedAnarchist · 22/08/2015 17:06

When our cat had a cone on, we held the bowl at an angle for him to eat. But precious perhaps but it worked

RoosterCogburn · 22/08/2015 17:15

Thank you Ifiwas

Disillsioned I might try that as it would save removing the cone - when it comes to my cats I'm more than happy to be precious!

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RoosterCogburn · 23/08/2015 22:21

Well, he refused to be hand fed, or eat from an angled bowl.

We took the cone off so he could eat and he wouldn't.

DH big softy went out and bought some ludicously expensive Hills feline pouches. He put one in a bowl and was about to remove the cone when TubbyTabby rushed forward and scoffed the lot.

He then repaid DH for his kindness by wee-ing huuuuuugely on the floor.

Good job we love him so much

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Ifiwasabadger · 25/08/2015 18:44

I'm laughing at your DH getting stampeded when the good stuff came out! Glad he's eaten something. They are such a worry when they're ill.

RoosterCogburn · 25/08/2015 20:26

He's such a sod (the cat, not DH)

He is now willing to eat the good stuff but he still isn't talking to us, he hates the cone so much. He really isn't a great patient at all.

Luckily he has also mastered getting into the litter tray while wearing a cone!

He's going to have a big shock when the cone comes off and he has to go back to less expensive food.

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VelmaD · 25/08/2015 20:41

We have a cone too. Boy cat spayed today and sent home without one. Was back at vet a few hours later as he opened it up. Feeding hasn't been fun - have hand fed some treats and ended up giving up and taking the cone off for food, but he's a small and relatively calm boy so I could get it back on ok. 3 days we have got, and I'm getting the look of disgust as well.

RoosterCogburn · 25/08/2015 21:01

Velma hope your boy is feeling better soon

Ours is trying to look haughty but he is a fatty with one eye stitched shut and gunk all around it so he isn't quite pulling off that particular look!

KittenCat is so entranced by his cone that she isn't allowed near him at the moment as she thinks it is a toy.

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VelmaD · 25/08/2015 21:12

Currently both he and girl cat are asleep on my lap. They're 17weeks and gorgeous. Girl cat nearly suffocated boy cat by sitting in his cone though.

VelmaD · 25/08/2015 21:12

Rooster, hope his eye heals quick. Will his sight be affected?

RoosterCogburn · 25/08/2015 21:36

Thanks Velma, he has to go back when the stitch dissolves and his eye pop open. The vet thinks that should take 7-10 days so anytime after Friday.

The vet is fairly confident that his sight will be alright if the ulcer has healed - if not he may have to have it removed

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VelmaD · 25/08/2015 21:37

Ah bless him poor sod, how old is he?

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ThisFenceIsComfy · 25/08/2015 21:40

Ah the cone of shame. I had to post here too when my cat had cone trauma.

Can you cut a bit off the bottom of his cone that would make his eating side shallower but still stop him trying to rip his eye open?

RoosterCogburn · 25/08/2015 21:40

We're not sure, he turned up here as a very ill stray about 3 years ago.

We think he may be about 6 but it's hard to tell. He is the most lovely boy, very sweet natured and lovely with all our other cats.

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RoosterCogburn · 25/08/2015 21:41

Ooh, fence that's a good idea. If he starts struggling again I may try that

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