I went to pick up the girls at 4pm and they took a while to bring them out - turns out that when they went to put them in their basket, one of the nurses noticed that Bella had already taken out a stitch!!!
Rather than put another stitch in, they decided to staple it instead
Anyway, the girls were quiet on the way home but as soon as I got them into the kitchen, they became restless so I let them out - but not before shutting the kitchen door so that they were restricted to the kitchen and utility room only. Anyway, within minutes, they were going crazy - rushing around and crashing into things because they were both wearing buster collars and then they proceeded to roll onto their backs and use all their paws to try and get the collars off! Bella almost succeeded but the buster collar got caught between her mouth and she wasn't able to shift it or close her mouth. I helped extricate it but got a bit worried and called the surgery. The buster collar is a clip on one and to secure it some more, they had threaded a bandage through it but the bandage is so stretchy that I don't think it will last the night. Anyway, they suggested that I replace the bandage with a cat collar to make it more secure so I've done this with both girls.
I'm a bit stressed out at the moment because the girls haven't calmed down and are now leaping from floor to sofa, from sofa to footstool, from footstool to the second platform of their activity centre!! I'm absolutely terrified that they are going to tear their stitches
Does anyone know what I can do help them calm down? Is this normal?? Also, I would like to get some opinions on the after care advice I was given...
The girls should be restricted to a smaller space for the next 10 days - preferably somewhere calm and quiet so they can recover and the collars must stay on until the stitches are removed. I've got to take them for a check-up on Monday and then 7 days later, they go back to have their stitches removed
Now, as I've already mentioned, they are in a calm and quiet area but they are absolutely hyper! I'm also worried that they are going to go crazy if they are stuck in the kitchen for the next 10 days. We have a huge kitchen so it's not exactly cramped but you know how cats like to have a good old wander and I'm concerned about how unhappy they may get. What should I do?
I've managed to examine both of their tummies - Cindy's scar is small, clean and very neat. Bella's is a bit bigger, jagged and angry red - I suspect this is due to the fact that she managed to tear her stitches out
Also, and this is the last thing - promise!! What's the best way to feed them whilst they have these buster collars on? I've already put some wet food down for them in their small bowls but it's really obvious that they are having difficulty getting to the food - I know the main reason is because they haven't quite gotten the hang of the collars yet but I don't want them to starve. As a precaution, I've gotten 2 higher bowls and filled them to the brim with dry food - I know a lot of it will be wasted but at least with the dry food, I can pile it up high enough so that they can reach it to eat. Is there anything else I can do to help them eat?
The next 10 days are going to be the longest of my life
Or am I just being a worry wort? I keep telling myself that cats are intelligent and my girls will figure out a way to manage but I just can't help worrying
Oh, and I've just been asked by my husband to ask you guys something else. The girls have stopped running around and are now trying to groom themselves - obviously, it isn't working and all they are doing is licking the inside of the buster collar! What should we do??
Anyway, the girls were quiet on the way home but as soon as I got them into the kitchen, they became restless so I let them out - but not before shutting the kitchen door so that they were restricted to the kitchen and utility room only. Anyway, within minutes, they were going crazy - rushing around and crashing into things because they were both wearing buster collars and then they proceeded to roll onto their backs and use all their paws to try and get the collars off! Bella almost succeeded but the buster collar got caught between her mouth and she wasn't able to shift it or close her mouth. I helped extricate it but got a bit worried and called the surgery. The buster collar is a clip on one and to secure it some more, they had threaded a bandage through it but the bandage is so stretchy that I don't think it will last the night. Anyway, they suggested that I replace the bandage with a cat collar to make it more secure so I've done this with both girls.
I'm a bit stressed out at the moment because the girls haven't calmed down and are now leaping from floor to sofa, from sofa to footstool, from footstool to the second platform of their activity centre!! I'm absolutely terrified that they are going to tear their stitches
Does anyone know what I can do help them calm down? Is this normal?? Also, I would like to get some opinions on the after care advice I was given...
The girls should be restricted to a smaller space for the next 10 days - preferably somewhere calm and quiet so they can recover and the collars must stay on until the stitches are removed. I've got to take them for a check-up on Monday and then 7 days later, they go back to have their stitches removed
Now, as I've already mentioned, they are in a calm and quiet area but they are absolutely hyper! I'm also worried that they are going to go crazy if they are stuck in the kitchen for the next 10 days. We have a huge kitchen so it's not exactly cramped but you know how cats like to have a good old wander and I'm concerned about how unhappy they may get. What should I do?
I've managed to examine both of their tummies - Cindy's scar is small, clean and very neat. Bella's is a bit bigger, jagged and angry red - I suspect this is due to the fact that she managed to tear her stitches out
Also, and this is the last thing - promise!! What's the best way to feed them whilst they have these buster collars on? I've already put some wet food down for them in their small bowls but it's really obvious that they are having difficulty getting to the food - I know the main reason is because they haven't quite gotten the hang of the collars yet but I don't want them to starve. As a precaution, I've gotten 2 higher bowls and filled them to the brim with dry food - I know a lot of it will be wasted but at least with the dry food, I can pile it up high enough so that they can reach it to eat. Is there anything else I can do to help them eat?
The next 10 days are going to be the longest of my life
Oh, and I've just been asked by my husband to ask you guys something else. The girls have stopped running around and are now trying to groom themselves - obviously, it isn't working and all they are doing is licking the inside of the buster collar! What should we do??