Pip - the kitten question

[radfringe]

We brought Pip home from the vet yesterday, she was spayed.

She has stitches and started picking at them last night. As a temporary measure we took a sock, cut off the toe and made a "belly band". Problem is the "belly band" has a tendency to roll up. We tried reinforcing it with tape - but for some strange reason Pip will just flop on the floor and refuse to move. Take the tape off, and she's fine.

Ennywho - I will be calling the vet today for one of those "cone heads". The cone-head will solve the problem of being able to pick at the stitches, but it presents a secondary dilemma.

We have a gate between where the litter boxes are, cat food bowls and the rest of the house to prevent our dogs from eating the cat food or helping themselves to the litter box.

The cats are able to get through the gate - HOWEVER - if we put a cone head on Pip - she will probably not be able to fit through the gate.

Is there any "topical" ointment/spray we could put on her stiches to make them taste bad and discourage her from picking at them? We tried GREEN APPLE - she seems to like it

She goes back to the vet on the 28th to have the stitches removed

[japple]

1. My kitty got a cone when she was spayed, but she was so

small and was soon able to get it off. I've seen a type of collar somewhere on the internet that looks like one of those head/neck rests that airline passengers use. I think it either has ties or velcro to secure it around the neck. I'll look around and see if I can find a picture. You might be able to create one yourself.

[japple]

2. Here's an inflatable one from Petco.

I couldn't find the neckroll one I was looking for.

But I bet she could get out of that too. At one point, my kitten got the ties stuck in her mouth and might have choked if I hadn't been there to cut them off. I bet you could make a better collar with a wide strip of velcro. Put it around her neck so that it would hold her neck straight and not allow her to bend towards her tummy. It would be flexible enough for her to eat and drink, but she wouldn't be able to get it tangled in her mouth.

[Lorien]

3. I'd stick with the cone

and maybe keep her inside the gate. We had many a newly spayed female cat who ripped out her stitches and needed emergency surgery to put her back together when I was doing pet rescue. Those cones can save you-and her- a lot of grief.

My Pip sends his well wishes and says "take care of your "stuff"!:

[BrklynLiberal]

7. I see Pip is a real comedian :D

[radfringe]

8. The "belly band" cut-up t-shirt didn't last long

we did get a cone - she kept getting stuck trying to "back" through the gate.

Another DUer had suggested rubbing camphophenic around but NOT ON the incision - the smell will keep her from licking/picking at the stitches. We gave it a try - it worked!!!

Here she is playing around the cord wood rack:

[virgdem]

4. Just a suggestion that may or may not work...

when my little 17 year old, Doodle, had surgery to remove a fibrosarcoma on her back, the vet suggested an infant side snap on shirt (Gerber-0-3 months) so that she would not lick the wound site. It might not work, as the stitches are easier to get to on the stomach area, but it might be worth a try. Good luck.

[radfringe]

5. I cut up an old t-shirt

put holes in it for her front feet, wrapped the rest around and secured it with some duck tape at the "seam". then using one leg of a panty hose (with foot cut off) - slipped that over her.

works good

[BrklynLiberal]

6. Necessity really is the mother of invention....

:D

[MissHoneychurch]

9. Is that Pip?

[radfringe]

10. whoa!!! could be a relative...but that's not my Pip

[MadMaddie]

11. Duck tape! Gods gift to human race!