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The litter tray

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

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Original poster

does my kitten need a cone after being spayed?

14 replies

toastandmarmiterocks · 17/12/2013 21:22

The vet advised it but she just seems so miserable with it on, she can't reach are food properly (I've had to pile it high on a plate). She can't curl up properly but maybe that is due to the op. I'm pretty clueless as to what is best. The leaflet the vet gave me advised no cone but in person they advised to use the cone. Very confusing if you ask me...

Should I take the cone off her?

OP posts:

thecatneuterer · 17/12/2013 21:26

We never put cones on cats after spaying. But then our stitches are internal, so can't really be chewed off. It's certainly very unusual to use a cone. I would take it off but keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn't 'worry' the area. So normal cleaning is ok, but not excessive attention.

Arudonto · 17/12/2013 21:31

only if u are there to watch her and make sure she does not go at her stitches.those few little stitches are the only thing between her and an open body wound.

thecatneuterer · 17/12/2013 21:33

It really depends how the stitches are done. Can you actually see the stitches?

Toomuch2young · 17/12/2013 21:36

A lot of vets use nylon skin sutures for cat spays, in this case keep the cone on until stitches are removed.
If they are not skin stitches it's less important.
You could take it off while your with her so she can eat and drink then put it back on when she's on her own.
Better than chewing her stitches out!

Toomuch2young · 17/12/2013 21:39

Also try raising her bowl up on a catalogue or yellow pages will help her get her mouth in the food easier.

Original poster

toastandmarmiterocks · 17/12/2013 21:50

Thank you, I can't really tell about the stitches. I can't see the classic looking stitches, if I'm honest it makes me feel a bit sick to look... I don't have to take her back at all so maybe they are internal stitches - dissolvable? She is definitely feeling sorry for herself, poor thing. I'm about to go to bed myself so I think I should leave the cone on tonight and call the vet to get more vague/contradictory advice tomorrow!

OP posts:

NaturalBaby · 17/12/2013 22:01

One of my girls managed to wriggle out of her cone several times so we just gave up and left it off - she licked the stitches a bit and pulled them a couple of times then left them alone. I would take it off and see what she does.

Lonecatwithkitten · 17/12/2013 22:37

I do my spays midline so on the tummy and therefore don't cut through muscle I cut between the muscles. A lot less painful and rarely seem to need cones.

CatOfTheDay · 17/12/2013 22:44

Our kitten was spayed a couple of weeks ago - she had the stitches on the outside that you can see as well as the internal ones, and we brought her home with a cone on.

She managed to wriggle out of it in less than an hour and thwarted all our attempts to put it back on, so we left it off to see how she went. She was really good and left the stitches alone.

Unfortunately she also decided to run around and pounce and jump all over the place too, and developed a seroma (build up of fluid) around the spey site. Which then sprung a leak......

So she's now back in the cone for a week (I asked the vet nurse to put it on as tight as it would go this time and so far so good!)

She's worked out how to eat - we've given her a bowl a bit smaller than her cone and put it on one of DP's little weights to raise it slightly. She puts the bottom of the cone on the edge to tip it slightly and the top of the cone goes over the top edge of the bowl whilst she eats - we were impressed! :)

Seems to be healing nicely now too so she'll be free soon.

sashh · 18/12/2013 13:05

I was given a cone for if she took an interest in her stitches, but she didn't so never had one on.

Original poster

toastandmarmiterocks · 18/12/2013 21:55

I spoke to my vet who is adamant the cone stays on for two weeks! Poor thing. We are going away so she is going to stay with my mum - big cat fan, has had cats & knows much more than me so she'll probably be better off with her! I think I will see what mum thinks, I can't see the cone staying on for two weeks, poor kitten is miserable!

OP posts:

VenusDeWillendorf · 22/12/2013 18:41

My cat had a lateral, not a midline incision, and i insisted on internal stitches. It was a little bit more expensive, but worth it.
She did not need a cone at all, ever, and had no abdominal hernia.

I don't know what kind of macramé stitches they've given your cat, but two weeks sounds absolutely impossible, not to say dangerous!
I would take off the cone and give her a warm spot on your knee.

Skittlez420 · 20/03/2017 14:56

my cat Eleanor just got fixed last Friday. She has the internal stitches i think bcuz she has no sutures just glue. they still told me to keep the cone on for 7 days. i honestly believe it depends on the cat, & the stitches. i mean 7 days isn't as long as 14 & if you can save yourself an unnecessary trip back to the vet why not? lol

Checklist · 24/03/2017 21:11

Our kitten didn't have a cone. The incision was high on her side, fairly near the spine. She never showed any interest in it, so the stitches clearly did not bother - 24 hours later, it was like nothing had happened to her! Leaping up the windows after flies!

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