Spayed kitten leaping everywhere and cannot keep on a cone or vest.

[Redredrobingoesbobobbobin]

Help. Newly spayed kitten who is some kind of Houdini. Got out of the cone within 3 minutes, rolling all over the place etc. got her a surgical vest (fitted by veterinary nurse) and it’s off even quicker, with much rolling around and general movements that are making me super nervous!

After the 4th try we’ve stopped, as I’m worried she’ll damage herself more with the taking on and off than if she just has it off. I’ll monitor the wound and we have a post op check booked in a few days.

Any words of wisdom or ideas as to how to keep her covered? She’s not frantically grooming or anything and is eating fine and has used the litter tray.

The only thing I can suggest is a kitten/ puppy pen for a few days, it will stop her from jumping but can't stop her licking the wound.

If she's not paying attention to the wound, she should be OK. The main risk is if they incessantly lick and pick at it, it can get infected - you would know if that happened as the wound becomes inflamed and the kitten shows obvious pain (happened to one of mine).

None of my cats have ever worn a cone of shame or surgical vest.

As long as they leave the wounds alone there is no need to worry about them having a cone or vest.

I agree, none of my girls ever had a cone or vest. They cleaned the wound gently but left it alone mostly.
I think it causes more stress forcing them to wear them. Good luck

DSisCat was leaping about the windows, trying to catch flies, a few hours after coming home from the vets! It didn’t seem to impede her recovery in any way? I could only assume, as a young female, around 6 months old, she healed quickly! There don’t seem to have been adverse effects; she’s now 7.

The incision was so high up her flank, I doubt she could reach it, to pick at it.

My cat was very upset by the cone of shame yesterday. I've taken it off as ages not touching her face at all.

Couldn't even get the cone on my two. They were fine without (with vets blessing)

Tbf either me or DD were home pretty much all the time so we could stop them grooming. They didn't do it much though

If it was a straightforward spay I wouldn’t have thought any measure like a cone or vest would be necessary. We’ve just taken our kittens home afterwards and treated them as usual but kept an eye on them.

My relative who’s a vet does them for us (we have many cats!) and focuses on keeping the incision site small to aid healing but always reminds me before hand that they will make the incision bigger if circumstances warrant it.

Were there any complications that would have meant she has a larger than usual incision site? When was she spayed?

Thanks all, she had an abdominal incision as was in season and they were concerns she may be pregnant (there was no chance but they were being cautious). Not quite 6 months old.

So far she seems fine. She’s leaping about the place like a loon, the writhing around with the cone/vest on seemed far more likely to do harm. I’ll keep an eye on her and the site.

Thanks all, she had an abdominal incision as was in season and they were concerns she may be pregnant (there was no chance but they were being cautious). Not quite 6 months old.

I don’t know about the technicalities of a cat in season; but DSisCat was pregnant by DBroCat (after being at it like rabbits all weekend); and the incision was high up, nearish to her spine.

She should be OK, 99% of the time cats will leave wounds alone. They are more sensible than dogs that way.