Cone of shame

[mrw5641]

So my vet finally had me put the cone of shame on my cat since he kept opening his wound on his face.

Obviously he doesn't like it but I'm trying to best figure out his food situation.

Any suggestions for people who have gone through the cone?

 

[stephanietx]

Get a soft cone or cut down the one you have and cover the cut with tape to prevent cutting.

 

[mrw5641]

stephanietx thanks! What kind of tape is recommended that's pet safe?

He is scratching the side of his face so I'm not sure if that's my new options

 

[LTS3]

You can remove the cone to allow your cat to eat and get a brief break from wearing it. That's what I did when one of my cats wore a plastic cone.

Duct tape will work to cover any part that you cut. Or first aid tape.

 

[mrw5641]

LTS3 do you see an issue with keeping it off when I can keep constant eyes on him? It seems more likely he's scratching in the night then when we are awake and I can extra eyes on him

 

[daftcat75]

LTS3 do you see an issue with keeping it off when I can keep constant eyes on him? It seems more likely he's scratching in the night then when we are awake and I can extra eyes on him

As long as you can supervise him, sure. He doesn’t need to wear the cone. But if he starts scratching or your attention is divided, put the cone back on. And put it on at night when you can’t supervise him.

Maybe you start with an hour and see how he does without it and whether you can really keep your eyes on him. Even an hour without the cone I’m sure he’ll appreciate. It would be easier if you could confine him to a room while you supervise him since cats will roam and explore and disappear on very important cat business.

 

[mrw5641]

Thank you ! I woke up this morning and he's purring next to me so that makes me feel a bit better

 

[mrw5641]

LTS3 how did your cat do on the cone? How long did he / she have to keep it on for? When I do take it off, I am watching some hard I know when he blinks!

 

[daftcat75]

Krista wore her cone for a few days to a week. I don’t remember when I finally took it off of her. But it was before the two weeks she was supposed to wear it for. When I would watch her, she wasn’t scratching her incision (under her jaw.) She was mostly just making a mess with it in the food and then getting food on her when she’d lay her head down into the cone. In your case, because he has a history of scratching this open, I’d keep it on when you can’t supervise him and monitor the healing of his wound. When that’s healed, the cone can come off.

 

[mrw5641]

daftcat75 thank you! That is what I am thinking, I am going to let him eat, and enjoy himself while I watch him like a hawk and come Wednesday, it will have been 7 days since the cone was on and will email the vet to see what he thinks.