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

Original poster

How to keep a plastic cone on?!

33 replies

IamChipmunk · 17/02/2025 20:34

Kitten has been neutered today. He will not keep the cone on at all! Doesn't seem too bothered about licking the wound so far and we are getting round it by making sure he is supervised but can't do that overnight.
Do I just need to hope that he doesn't infect himself?
He seems 'fine', was starving and keeps trying to play and run about.

His sister is hissing at him and won't go near him which is really sad but hopefully that will pass once he smells like home again.

Any ideas how to keep the cone on?

OP posts:
Springadorable · 17/02/2025 21:05

It should be tied on with bandage gauze. It does have to be very snug to get it to stay on. It's really important he wears it though, it doesn't take much at all to damage the wound or infect it.

dementedpixie · 17/02/2025 21:12

Neither of my boys were given a cone to wear after neutering. I'm not sure it's required for male cats as the incisions are so tiny

murasaki · 17/02/2025 21:15

There are inflatable collars that apparently are more palatable than the cone of shame, maybe worth a look? Mine was like houdini with the cone.

dementedpixie · 17/02/2025 21:19

I wouldn't be buying another collar for the sake of tiny incisions from neutering.

murasaki · 17/02/2025 21:21

True, it is needed more for girls.

Original poster
IamChipmunk · 17/02/2025 21:58

@murasaki thanks. Will have a look. Sister kitten is being spayed in a few weeks, so can also use for her.
He has been OK at not trying to lick himself so far so hoping will be OK until plan b arrives!

@Springadorable it's tied on with bandage quite tight, he is still getting it off with his back legs!

@dementedpixie Hopefully he will be fine as he is being a nightmare to keep still, quiet, less food than normal and on his own! The cone was the last straw! He is not a happy kitty!

Thanks everyone, appreciate the advice

OP posts:
murasaki · 17/02/2025 21:59

Mine was so smart she found an open door, on carpet, so there was a sort of triangular space between it and the wall, got it wedged and backed out. I was impressed.

PeppiKoala · 17/02/2025 23:08

IamChipmunk · 17/02/2025 21:58

@murasaki thanks. Will have a look. Sister kitten is being spayed in a few weeks, so can also use for her.
He has been OK at not trying to lick himself so far so hoping will be OK until plan b arrives!

@Springadorable it's tied on with bandage quite tight, he is still getting it off with his back legs!

@dementedpixie Hopefully he will be fine as he is being a nightmare to keep still, quiet, less food than normal and on his own! The cone was the last straw! He is not a happy kitty!

Thanks everyone, appreciate the advice

For the female cat get a medishirt. The vets should sell them. Like a babygro that covers the wound but they can still go to the toilet etc. so much better. My cat had major surgery and the shirt totally protects the wound.

murasaki · 17/02/2025 23:10

Anything the vet sells you comes with a massive mark up though....

Theunamedcat · 17/02/2025 23:15

Order her a medshirt now so you don't pay a high price later

My cat has a doughnut he doesn't always keep it on but he will take it off and use it as a pillow

Chocolatecustardcreamsrule · 17/02/2025 23:19

Neither of mine wore a cone and they were absolutely fine, like pp said the cut is so small that it doesn’t really need it. The vet said they tend to leave it alone but pop one on if they start to not leave it alone.

CurlewKate · 17/02/2025 23:24

My cats have never had cones for spaying or neutering. I'd just take it off.

VikingLady · 17/02/2025 23:32

Our vet said to take it off because they w ere hurting themselves trying to remove them, and just keep them with us fur a few days so we could guide them away from bothering/grooming the wound before it had sealed. Both were fine.

He said if we couldn't keep an eye on them we could get a baby vest (newborn or preemie size) and cut the bum hole out fit toileting.

murasaki · 17/02/2025 23:35

I'd have had as much chance of getting a vest on Percy as I would have of flying to the moon. Even getting her in the box for the vet is a two person, closed door and a towel job. On arrival, she always behaves impeccably, of course....

stormsandsunshine · 17/02/2025 23:39

Our medisuit only cost a few pounds more at the vet than if I’d got one from pets at home, and it was then the vet’s problem to ensure that it was the right size (as I found measuring a cat is not that easy) and to put it in the cat. You can get very cheap ones on Amazon, but they often have dubious reviews.

Having said that, one of my cats hated the medisuit and bit at where the wound was continually until after 6 days she had worn a hole in the suit (and then had to wear a cone as she was clearly trying to get to her stitches). The suit worked really well for her sister though - and if you have more than 1 cat the suits also prevent them licking each other’s wounds.

Scampuss · 18/02/2025 00:32

Springadorable · 17/02/2025 21:05

It should be tied on with bandage gauze. It does have to be very snug to get it to stay on. It's really important he wears it though, it doesn't take much at all to damage the wound or infect it.

After minor surgery, my (small adult) cat got hers off easily with the bandage tie but switching it for a quick release collar worked perfectly (she immediately demonstrated that the quick release worked when she got stuck in a gap, but after that the cone remained in place). I've kept the collar with the cone for next time the clumsy daredevil has a mishap...

biscuitsandbooks · 18/02/2025 07:01

We've had multiple male and female kittens neutered over the years and none of them have ever been sent home with a cone.

Unless they mess with their stitches, they really don't need it.

Toddlerteaplease · 18/02/2025 07:32

Get one of these. But I suspect he'll probably be ok without anything.

How to keep a plastic cone on?!
Toddlerteaplease · 18/02/2025 07:36

The vibes caused more distress with all of mine. They were all fine without.

EmpressaurusKitty · 18/02/2025 07:39

I fostered a pair of girls who were spayed while they were with me. One took her cone off 3 times on the way home, but then completely ignored her stitches so she was allowed to keep it off.

The other tried very hard to get at her stitches, so she needed to keep hers on. Fortunately she wasn’t as much of a Houdini as her friend.

I found cat TV on YouTube really helpful for keeping them entertained while they were recovering.

TodaysFishIsTroutALaCreme · 18/02/2025 07:44

We used onsies that we got from the vets as one of our girls caused herself mouth injuries trying to get the cone off. On the plus side, they look super cute in them. Velcro took hers in her stride but Jemima pretty much refused to do anything when wearing it so we ended up wearing her.

How to keep a plastic cone on?!
Original poster
IamChipmunk · 18/02/2025 09:09

Hi, morning update. Patient seems fine despite no cone on overnight. Wound looks fine, less swollen than yesterday. So looks like he hasn't messed with it too much.
He is raging that he has to stay in one small room and not allowed to run about but will keep that going until his check at vets on Thurs!

Hopefully sister cat will be better with him today as he will smell more like home!

Have ordered the medical shirt and will save for sister cat when she is done in a few weeks.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 18/02/2025 11:37

@IamChipmunk I was not advised to keep my kittens in one room after neutering and they didn't have a follow up appointment either. I just had to contact the vet if there were any issues. Do you get charged for this follow up appointment?

purser25 · 18/02/2025 11:45

When our cat had a bad. Leg I just got a baby long sleeved tea shirt from a charity shop it worked well.

How to keep a plastic cone on?!