Help please. My cat's cone was too short and he damaged the neuter incision.

[Lily Scott]

It looks like it is healing nicely. Your a good cat mom!

It seems to be improving from what I can see!!

Horrible news. Just now i saw it bleeding like this.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Thank you so much. Is he allowed to go outside? Because he has nothing to do inside, my parents are getting sick of him and i feel like he's only scratching at his scab because he's bored. So maybe if he went outside he would be distracted from the scab. If it is a good idea, the earliest I would let him out would be Monday. Is this a bad idea?

Horrible news. Just now i saw it bleeding like this.

At first I would have told you that if you supervise him while outside, it might be OK; but not so sure it is such a good idea now that he has scratched the scab off again.

Does he normally spend time outside? Is he usually mostly an outdoor cat?

 

[Lily Scott]

At first I would have told you that if you supervise him while outside, it might be OK; but not so sure it is such a good idea now that he has scratched the scab off again.

Does he normally spend time outside? Is he usually mostly an outdoor cat?

Yes, he usually an outdoor cat

 

[FeebysOwner]

How are you currently confining him? In a crate, in a single room, or? If in a crate, maybe let him free to roam a single room, to help ward off boredom? Can you secure places in that room so that he can't crawl into/under some obscure place where you can't get to him? Do you have toys for him?

I am sorry, if you told us he was an outdoor cat and I missed that, it could have changed a few things over the course of this time. Does he come inside to be fed. What are his usual routines?

 

[Lily Scott]

How are you currently confining him? In a crate, in a single room, or? If in a crate, maybe let him free to roam a single room, to help ward off boredom? Can you secure places in that room so that he can't crawl into/under some obscure place where you can't get to him? Do you have toys for him?

I am sorry, if you told us he was an outdoor cat and I missed that, it could have changed a few things over the course of this time. Does he come inside to be fed. What are his usual routines?

He's going around the whole house. The area is hardening but still kind of bleeding I'm seriously considering letting him outside he hates it inside and I'm starting to think it will never heal, how is it gonna heal of he just keeps scratching

 

[FeebysOwner]

How do you feed him - outside normally? Does he normally let you touch him when he was spending his 'normal' life outside? If you let him back outside, how will you be able to check his incision to see what is going on?

 

[Lily Scott]

He eats and sleeps inside, he spends most of the day time outside. He is very social loves pets but now he's so crazy and energetic and tries to dash outta he door. S silent meowlook mentioned feral cats are tnr the same day, I'm seriously considering letting him out because it's driving me insane i have no other way of making sure he'll let it heal.

 

[FeebysOwner]

So, you could check his incision and treat it as needed once you let him out? The only thing I would worry about now is if you think he will avoid coming back inside due to this whole time he has been confined. Is it possible to entice him back inside with treats, or human food, if he doesn't choose to come back inside?

Knowing what I now know, you might try letting him outside, but only if you can supervise him for small amounts of time outside and then gradually let him out more and more over time. That is something only you can determine about him since you know him best.

 

[Lily Scott]

So, you could check his incision and treat it as needed once you let him out? The only thing I would worry about now is if you think he will avoid coming back inside due to this whole time he has been confined. Is it possible to entice him back inside with treats, or human food, if he doesn't choose to come back inside?

Knowing what I now know, you might try letting him outside, but only if you can supervise him for small amounts of time outside and then gradually let him out more and more over time. That is something only you can determine about him since you know him best.

Yes I know for sure he will come back. He has been coming inside and going out for his whole life. I'm worried about the cone. I hear cats aren't supposed to wear comes outside? But how will I prevent him from licking if i remove the cone

 

[fionasmom]

A cone outside is not safe unless you are supervising him for the entire time that he is outside and he stays with you. If you remove it, he may start to lick again very intently. If you bring him outside without the cone, will he stay with you or jump a wall? If you let him out, it should only be for a short period of time with supervision, so that he can burn off a little energy.

 

[silent meowlook]

Hi. Try to keep him in a little longer. Try taking the cone off and see what he does.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I agree about taking the cone off first. I did not realize that you still had it on him. It could make a difference. Tbh, it is better that he lick at it some than to continually scratch the scab off.

 

[Lily Scott]

I agree about taking the cone off first. I did not realize that you still had it on him. It could make a difference. Tbh, it is better that he lick at it some than to continually scratch the scab off.

Hi. Try to keep him in a little longer. Try taking the cone off and see what he does.

A cone outside is not safe unless you are supervising him for the entire time that he is outside and he stays with you. If you remove it, he may start to lick again very intently. If you bring him outside without the cone, will he stay with you or jump a wall? If you let him out, it should only be for a short period of time with supervision, so that he can burn off a little energy.

He is currently napping right now so I'll remove the cone and see what he does when he's awake. I should mention that i do remove the cone multiple times a day to let him groom himself, however when he does try to lick the wound, i don't let him. I know for sure he won't run off if he's let out, so him running off is not my concern. My concern is if the wound will be damaged further, I'm waiting for the scab to harden before allowing him to go out, possibly later today if not tomorrow. He is very bored inside so i think he's only picking and slapping at the wound because he's bored and it itches.

 

[Lily Scott]

A cone outside is not safe unless you are supervising him for the entire time that he is outside and he stays with you. If you remove it, he may start to lick again very intently. If you bring him outside without the cone, will he stay with you or jump a wall? If you let him out, it should only be for a short period of time with supervision, so that he can burn off a little energy.

I agree about taking the cone off first. I did not realize that you still had it on him. It could make a difference. Tbh, it is better that he lick at it some than to continually scratch the scab off.

Hi. Try to keep him in a little longer. Try taking the cone off and see what he does.

Also, this is what the wound looks like now. It seems like it's absolutely covered in loose cat hair debris but if i try to remove it it damages the area. So i don't really know what to do

 

[FeebysOwner]

Don't worry about anything that you can't get off that area. It already looks better than before. Excessive cleaning by you is only going to irritate the area even more. You can clean as much as you can, and then quit.

Remember one thing above all else - the more exasperated and frustrated you are, the more he is too. Cats pick up on vibes from their caretakers.

 

[Lily Scott]

Don't worry about anything that you can't get off that area. It already looks better than before. Excessive cleaning by you is only going to irritate the area even more. You can clean as much as you can, and then quit.

Remember one thing above all else - the more exasperated and frustrated you are, the more he is too. Cats pick up on vibes from their caretakers.

Hi. Try to keep him in a little longer. Try taking the cone off and see what he does.

A cone outside is not safe unless you are supervising him for the entire time that he is outside and he stays with you. If you remove it, he may start to lick again very intently. If you bring him outside without the cone, will he stay with you or jump a wall? If you let him out, it should only be for a short period of time with supervision, so that he can burn off a little energy.

I have just removed his cone and I'm now monitoring him. There's still residue from the ointment that i used (before knowing that it's better to leave it alone) so I'm worried he will harm the area by licking or biting it. The fur around area that i put the ointment on is crispy. The bleeding area has dried so i am considering letting him out but i won't let him out with you guy's input.

 

[FeebysOwner]

So, exactly how long has it been since you took the cone off - I presume not long. If you cannot monitor him outside to begin with, then I would say no. What is the rush? This is not going to be resolved just by letting him outside. Patience.

 

[Lily Scott]

So, exactly how long has it been since you took the cone off - I presume not long. If you cannot monitor him outside to begin with, then I would say no. What is the rush? This is not going to be resolved just by letting him outside. Patience.

I can monitor him, but I'm worried about the wound. But it has scabbed. Just now he was scratching it without the cone but then he remmebered he no longer wore a cone and he licked it once. Then he got up and went to drink water.

 

[FeebysOwner]

That doesn't sound bad actually. Keep up the good work!!

 

[silent meowlook]

If you can, keep him in at least another day. Play with him as much as you can to get his energy out.