Cone Of Shame Not Helping :( Please Help

[Kflowers]

Every day Meffy (nice name) doesn't snag it, you'll feel more secure.

 

[blumarine916]

Every day Meffy (nice name) doesn't snag it, you'll feel more secure.

You have no idea the relief I feel each time I check her wound. Now I’m afraid to lift her because that’s how I found out she’s hurting. I keep thinking what if it happens again?

Im such a wreck I know.

 

[Kflowers]

It's better to lift her and cuddle her and find out than to not find out for a couple of days. She'll let you know if picking her up hurts, or if she is busy and needs to go stare at that piece of dust...

You're really doing quite well. This takes practice. The difference years of having cats and just getting started, is that after years the panic stays at bay until after the trip to the vet, the week or two of meds, and then comes out as panic attacks in the middle of the night. (that way no one else knows.) See you're good.

 

[blumarine916]

I’ve actually had her for 7 years now. But this is the first time I had to send her to the vet to be stitched up twice in a year. She’s never had any problems for the past 7 years.

How many cats do you have?

 

[Kflowers]

I'm down to one and one dog. For a couple of decades I had 7 -8 at a time, total was 25 (again not all at the same time.) As we began to slow down we stopped getting new cats. We went through a short period of just dogs.

Then a stray, who was tossed out of a car on our street had kittens under our deck. She no longer trusted people so we couldn't catch her. We didn't want to take the kittens, they were still 5 weeks when raccoons got two of the kittens and the mother. We saved the last one, Sweet Gum. We would have saved them all if we could have, but it is as it is. She likes us and we like her and do the best we can for her. (Okay, she doesn't think the rescue dog is doing the best we can for her, but there you are.)

 

[blumarine916]

Update : The 2nd wound seemed to be dry and scabbed over for now. It’s been about 5 days since it last bled. How long should I leave it until I take off the cone?
Once the cone is off, is it okay for my cat to lick it? I know she’s definitely going to lick town the moment the cone comes off.

 

[Jem]

Considering your cat is a licker, I would keep the cone on until the scab has healed the wound and fallen off on it's own. At least most of it anyway. You don't want her to pick and lick at the scab and rip it off before the wound underneath has closed and have to start all over again. At this stage, her wound can be itchy, so she will probably still want to lick at it.
You could, if you are watching her, remove the cone to cuddle and such, but if she starts to lick put it back on.
I just wouldn't take a chance. One more week of the cone to be safe? Or one more month of the cone if she rips the scab off???

 

[blumarine916]

New update - The scab has fallen off when I checked this morning. Yay. So I’ll just give it a few more days to heal. It’s kind of pinkish now but otherwise dry. Do I continue with the ointment?

However, Meffy’s behavior early this morning jolted me out of bed at about 4am. I heard growling and hissing in the toilet then Meffy got into a fight with my other cat Meymey, whom I assume was using the litter box. i don’t know what caused it because they were ok last night. Meffy chased the other girl until she ran underneath the dining table (her hiding place). I told them to stop and simply grabbed Meffy to lock her in my bedroom until morning.

Any idea what caused this sudden aggression? I have two litter boxes but both are in the same place. To be honest, Meffy hasn’t been very nice to my other cat since her first surgery 3 months ago. They would get along one day then Meffy would growl/hiss at her the next. It’s so stressful. I feel bad for my other cat because she’s a timid little sweetheart and doesn’t deserve such aggression. She 6 years old.

Hope someone can advice me on this. I had to go to work this morning so I just left them hoping they won’t kill each other while I’m gone. I’m worried right now.

 

[Kflowers]

Step one, put the litter boxes in two different rooms. One should be close to Meymey's safe place. Second, when was the last time Meymey saw the vet? When you're focused on one, it's easy to miss the little, tiny hints that another isn't feeling well. Of course Meffy may still be annoyed about the cone. Did her injury occur when this fighting started? She hasn't been in the cone for 3 months has she?

 

[blumarine916]

Step one, put the litter boxes in two different rooms. One should be close to Meymey's safe place. Second, when was the last time Meymey saw the vet? When you're focused on one, it's easy to miss the little, tiny hints that another isn't feeling well. Of course Meffy may still be annoyed about the cone. Did her injury occur when this fighting started? She hasn't been in the cone for 3 months has she?

Meymey got her shots last year and will be due soon. She hasn’t acted or appeared sick but then she’s always been a timid girl who is afraid of a lot of things (loud noises, strange sounds and most of all...anyone else besides me). My boyfriend lives with me since we got her but she still avoids him until today. It’s been 6 years. I’ll try to get another litter box for her room. They were okay when I came home from work earlier this evening. Hopefully no 4am toilet catfights tonight.

When a scab falls off a healing wound, will that pink skin be safe if my cat licks it? It’s been 9 days since it last bled. Sorry to keep fussing over a tiny wound. I know how other people’s cats have bigger problems than mine but I just want reassurance.

 

[Kflowers]

Every cat illness or injury is a matter of concern. Some are more difficult to deal, some are more dangerous, but the kitties are equally precious and equally due what help you can find for them.

Given that, I don't have an answer for you. We dealt with a large scab, but to my memory, she left it alone, didn't get a cone and it healed and fell off. That makes it different from your kit's experience, but I'm sure there are others who have had experiences similar to yours.

 

[RCM mom]

My Moo hissed at Charlie after Charlie's surgery/cone/meds so think it is just strange things going on that has them at odds now. Mine are fine now and back to normal. Vet told me Ok to remove cone once stitches and scabs are gone as long as Charlie to is not constantly licking. Vet says he will lick as it will still feel funny, itchy and that is fine to a limit. He did fuss for a day or two but then didn't bother, so cone off should be fine unless you see obsessive licking. As for ointment I would have to ask Vet as it may help with itching but you don't want it getting licked off. Holding him, destrackting with toys or brushing can help. But it sure sounds like you are on the right track and things will be normal soon. Charlie's hair is almost grown back and his happened in September! Keep up the good work!

 

[blumarine916]

Here’s a pic of the area after the scab fell off on Thursday night. It’s dry but reddish. I try not to touch since I don’t know if it’s still hurting.
Can’t believe I lost 3kg worrying over this

 

[blumarine916]

Ok so I decided to give Meffy a break from the cone while I watch. She hasn’t had a break at all for 3 weeks and I feel so bad for her. So I took off the cone and watched her for a good 15 minutes. She started cleaning herself on other parts then lastly, her tongue maybe licked over the newly healed wound 2-3 times before I quickly put the cone back on. It was bleeding again ! Noo...I feel so terrible now! If I only I hadn’t given her the break. I didn’t the skin was so thin i would break so easily.

There was just a drop of blood which I have gently cleaned with some iodine. It’s dried now but....I’m such a wreck for being so stupid.

 

[Kflowers]

Either you or she is going to have to wash her, for her peace of mind and the sake of her fur. Imagine not taking a bath for 4 weeks. She probably doesn't like the way she smells or feels, so, yes, she washed. That she left the healed place to last means she's trying. Three licks isn't much of a wash.

I wonder if your vet has something like the new skin for humans?

 

[blumarine916]

Either you or she is going to have to wash her, for her peace of mind and the sake of her fur. Imagine not taking a bath for 4 weeks. She probably doesn't like the way she smells or feels, so, yes, she washed. That she left the healed place to last means she's trying. Three licks isn't much of a wash.

I wonder if your vet has something like the new skin for humans?

Sadly no. We’re not that advanced in animal care yet. There may be such things in the bigger cities but not where I live.

Some people don’t let their cats wear the cone when they have abcsess wound. Does this mean they just allow the cat to lick their wounds and wait for it to heal on its own? I’m thinking of just letting her deal with it and see how it goes.

 

[blumarine916]

I bought on Amazon My Pet Vet for skin and wounds, it is a natural safe wound care that to put on area to stop itching and helps stops them from licking

I just ordered this product. Once it arrives I will use it on Meffy. The reviews are quite positive so here’s hoping it works.

 

[Kflowers]

hoping right there with you

 

[blumarine916]

On a lighter note, I was brushing Meffy just and thought to give her a little break from the cone again since she seemed to have relaxed. The moment I took it off, she bolted away like “I’m freeee!!” I chased her around the house to put it back on. So glad this is the button type so I didn’t have to force her head through a hole. Once it’s back on, Meffy went limp, resigning to her fate in the cone once again. Drama kitty.

 

[Kflowers]

She may be missing having a good run. The cone collides with things which would diminish the fun of zipping through the house. She doesn't fit where she once did and it's a bit of a slam on her 'shoulders' when she hits something.

The upside is that she's not a rottie, or a mastiff. Their cones can zen out your house in one afternoon.