If you’re a pet owner, you’ve probably come across the ‘Elizabethan collar’ (also known as e-collar or e-cone … infamously called the cone of shame), bravely sported by my cat Elvie in the picture above (where’s he’s already manage to start undoing it – see the open flap at the top).
If you haven’t come across it, I hope you never have to, but, if your pets go in for surgery e.g. neutering, they’ll most like come home with a plastic e-collar to prevent them from chewing out their stitches.
Now some pets do not chew their stitches and so don’t need the collar, but others will become obsessive about cleaning and licking their injuries or just intent on chewing those stitches out. They need the e-collar pronto otherwise they risk their wounds becoming infected. (I once heard of a rabbit who managed to chew their stitches out whilst still at the vets after surgery!)
I’ll admit, from past positive experience, I was hopeful that Elvie would do fine without the collar. Although his surgery was extensive (most of his tail and one back leg were amputated recently) for the first couple of days he paid the stitches no great attention (and I had communicated with him about the issue, sent healing and tapped for him so he was comfortable).
Alas, my smugness was premature as by day 3 he’d started chewing the stitches and was well on the way to opening the wound up. So, the dreaded e-collar had to go on. I don’t blame him – he just wanted to lick it and clean it to make it better, even if he knew shouldn’t. (Ever had an itch you just couldn’t help scratching – it’s just like that).
He didn’t take kindly to it and I felt especially awful about it as I saw him with his balance further upset (it takes a while to get used to having 3 legs and a lot less tail), bumping into things and trying desperately to remove it.
So, I tapped*. Firstly for myself and my reactions (that icky feeling in my gut as I saw him bumping around, heard the collar scraping against the wall, watched him trying to eat with it on etc). Then I tapped for him, once I’d cleared my reaction. We’re doing ok now. He got used to it quite quickly – and soon relaxed enough to try sunbathing indoors!
Here are some pointers to remember when your pet needs an e-collar.
- It’s only temporary, and usually necessary, so hang on in there and don’t be tempted to take it off too soon. Follow your vets recommendations. If you remove it too soon and they chew or infect the stitches, they’ll just have to have the collar back on again while they heal.
- If your pet really has trouble eating with the collar on, you could remove it at meal times and replace it straight afterwards.
- There are brands available, soft cones etc, that can be more comfortable than the clear plastic cones the vet provides. Yet, some, especially the inflatable ones that look like flotation devices, may not prevent the animal reaching stitches on their tail or extremities (I had this happen with Elvie).
- To trial a ‘soft collar’ it may be wise to purchase it BEFORE your pet has it’s operation. Otherwise you may still have to us the regular plastic cone while you wait for delivery if you buy mail order.
- Try to stay calm and re-assure your pet.
- Use EFT tapping to relieve the stress and discomfort of the situation. See below.
I also have a blog post on helping your pet deal with confinement with some more tips that might be helpful for you. Click here to read that post (there’s a tapping video for it too).
This weeks video demonstrates how to tap both for yourself and your pet, when they have to wear the e-collar. Click here or on the picture below to watch the video.
Now, I’d love to hear from you. What have your e-collar experiences been? If you try tapping along with this week’s video, let me know how it has been useful for you and your pet.
Leave your comments below the blog post. Thank you.
Please share this post and video with those who would benefit from it. If you aren’t on my mailing list, sign up on the home page so you can get my newsletter and posts delivered straight to your inbox.
* If you don’t know what tapping is click here to find out.
Nice blog. Reads ever so smoothly.
Nice job.
[…] in and they might need an e-cone / e-collar if there is a risk of them chewing their stitches (I have a whole post about that here). They may also need different toileting arrangements to […]
My problem is that my cat keeps getting the E collar off – any suggestions?
Hi Lindsay. Cats can be crafty like that. The first thing is to make sure you have a normal collar on under the e-collar, so the e-collar can be threaded through it. That should keep it secure. If you already have a normal collar on under the e-collar it could be that it has a stretchy panel (as most cat collars do) which allows the cat to remove it or allows her to wriggle out of it.
So, you could try a cat collar without a stretchy panel (just while they have to wear the e-collar) or some sort of cat harness that the e-collar could be attached to. Be sure to supervise your cat and don’t let them outdoors while they are wearing the e-collar and collar without a stretchy panel.
If all that fails, maybe try a different type of e-collar / e-cone. Also, be sure that the e-collar is relatively tight and not so loose that it is easy for the cat to remove. Obviously you don’t want it so tight it affects their breathing / eating, but do make sure it is quite tightly in place so the cat can’t easily wriggle or manouvre out of it. If you can get more than a little finger in the gap between the collar and their neck, it’s probaly too loose.
Hope this helps your situation Lindsay.
My problem is that my kitten keeps licking the inside of the e-cone. She does it for hours and hours and just will not stop.
Any suggestions?
Well, it might be best to consult your vey about that. In my opinion as a layperson. you could look at it in two ways, firstly that if she is busy licking the cone then she isn’t bothering her stitches, so if she only has the cone on for a short time, then it could be seen as a harmless distraction.
Or, if you were worried about her licking any harmful substance from the cone itself, you could coat the cone in a substance designed to deter them licking (there are special sprays made to stop pets chewing mail or furniture that should be safe for cats). Although, if that substance itself smelled strongly, that could be uncomfortable for the kitten, so it may be easier to just let her lick the cone and trust that the phase may pass quickly.
Have you tried doing any EFT tapping about it?
What should I use to clean the inside of the cone? He bled a little, and it looks nasty. I just didn’t want to use anything that would cause issues if he licks it or bother the incision. I’m trying to prevent infection, and he has a tendency to lick it. The incision is on his lower ear, so the cone touches it.
Most people clean the cone with warm soapy water. With that option just make sure to then rinse the cone with plain water afterwards so there are no residues or scent remaining from the soap. Then dry the cone (with a towel) before putting it back on your pet. Otherwise you could try cleaning it with alcohol, again rinsing it afterwards and drying it before putting it back on your pet.
Be sure your pet is being supervised while you’re cleaning the cone, to prevent them from licking the wound.
If the cone gets dirty very quickly e.g. if he bleeds on it, consider having two cones and swapping between them. If the wound keeps bleeding or if he is able to lick it while the cone is on check in with your veterinary practitioner for further advice.
My cat cant drink with that thing on. If I take it if I will not be able to get it back on. Tried elevating or a bigger bowl won’t work. She’s timid so won’t let us near her. She’s going to die because of this stupid cone!
I wonder if you can find a different type of collar. The blue inflatable one that I had a picture of Elvie wearing could be a bit easier to drink with it on.
It’s well worth asking your vet or veterinary nurse how you can deal with this issue, if you care concerned that your cat will get de-hydrated.
Cats can usually work out how to eat and drink with the collar on within a few hours. If she’s having problems after that (and you can’t take off the collar to let her drink), then get the vet’s advice.
I have a cone on my cat to hopefully stop her from over grooming. We got a soft blue one that has thin panels going up the length to make it semi rigged and it has a black soft collar that had a toggle to slide closed. It allows get to eat, drink, sings lay more comfortably but doesn’t allow her to lick herself. I think this is the best solution.
It’s great to find a collar that means it is easy for them to eat, drink and lie down in, especially if it will be on for an extended amount of time. Cats usually adapt to them quite quickly (even if they are initially less than happy about wearing them).
May you also find a good long term solution to the issue.
Hi, I was wondering if you could give me any advice. I had my cat declawed a few days ago. Unfortunately she is able to lick her paws even with the cone on. What should I do?
Hi Nathaniel, my advice would be to call your veterinary practice for advice if your cat is still doing this. Of course you can additionally do the tapping to help calm and comfort your cat so she doesn’t feel the need to keep licking, but make calling the vets practice the first priority.
Sometimes if a cat licks too much it can infect the area. Also, sometimes it could be that cat litter particles may get stuck in the paws. It’s best to consult your vet for advice.
I hope that helps.
My cat had an abscess lanced and a drainage tube placed. He is trying to bathe and flipping and flopping all over the place. Will he stop doing that as he realizes it will not work? It is only a few hours after surgery and I have never had to care for a cat with a Penrose tube in.
Hi dee, the first few hours after such a change are usually the worst for cats. I hope that he settled down quite quickly when he realised that he couldn’t get the tube out.
The tapping exercise should help calm you and him, so he settles better.
If he doesn’t get back in touch with your veterinary practitioner.
Hi Ferris,
WOW! Thank you so much!! JJ, my lovely little girl had major abdominal surgery six days ago. She’s also confined to a cage to prevent her from jumping or playing, as this would stretch her sutures literally to bursting point.
After just 7 minutes of following your tapping I feel the calmest I have felt since the end of last week. I’m going to focus on JJ now and tap for her. I know she will love it as much as I did.
Thanks so much again for your wonderful magic!
Martin
That is great news Martin. Thanks for sharing it with me. Feeling calm yourself also makes a big difference for your girl, as will tapping for her.
Thanks very much for your lovely reply Ferris. JJ has really benefited from the calmness. She’s naturally a very sweet natured and gentle cat, but the operation, the cone…and in particular the cage has been tough for her. Even her brother Jack seems to have picked up on the tapping. He’s started snoozing right up against the side of the cage and rubbing his head against it!
Hey there!
So my kitten HATES her e-collar. She cries when I have to put it on her (she just got spayed). I even had to do a halter to keep this thing on! You string elastic surgical tape through the cone and then wrap it underneath the cats underarms and tie it in a nice double knot on it’s back. It keeps them from being able to get it off their head. Something that helped me get the cone on her head initially was wrapping her in a towel to keep her calm and keep those little claws from finding my arms.
What’s interesting though is after I get the cone on her, she becomes SO calm. She’s usually very hyper and playful, but with a cone on she just wants to be held and cuddled. Manipulation or what? I have no idea? Anyone else have cat that does this?
Hope the halter and towel methods works for someone else’s crazy kitten! Good luck!
Hi Makenna,
Thanks for sharing what has helped you keep the e-collar on your cat.
They are amazing escape artists when it comes to the e-collar, so congratulations.
Interesting that she becomes very calm once the collar is on.
Hopefully it won’t be too long until it’s off and everything is back to normal.
All the best,
Ferris.
My kitty is feral and I just rescued him from the cold so he was just getting to know me when I had him neutered. He has trouble eating and drinking with the cone but is just lying around kinda depressed. I had never heard of tapping but I tried it focused on him and to my amazement he got up after and came over to me. Thank you so much. I am so thrilled and blessed that he understood what you taught me
Hi Rosanne, it’s great to hear your story.
I’m really glad that you tried the tapping and got such positive results so fast.
Thanks for sharing that story with me.
I hope your kitty makes a speedy recovery from his operation.
Hi there. I found your site because one of our cats injured an eye and came home from the vet wearing a cone. He doesn’t like it but seems to be handling it better this morning. However his brother took one look at him with the cone, bumping and scraping against the walls and fled upstairs and under the bed. He’s terrified of him! I finally separated them so Rudy (the terrified one) could feel more secure. Any suggestions to help him (and us!) get over this?
Hi Noelle, apologies that i didn’t see this comment earlier. I am hoping that the cat who was scared realises that it’s ok now.
If he is still nervous around his brother with the cone, then you could try some surrogate tapping to calm / soothe him.
You could also use the tapping to release any nervousness or worry that you may have about the situation (it’s hard to see our pets injured and then to see another fearful).
My free videos series has demonstrations of using the tapping that could be a starting point for you.
Please, no apologies necessary. I’m so very glad to have found your site. In the meantime I’ve signed up for the videos and will take some time to learn and watch during the holidays. My scared kitty is all better now. After His brother’s cone could come off, we slowly introduced them back together and all is well. However, I know that there will be times in the future when I’ll need to make use of your techniques, and I’ll be happy to know them. I also look forward to reading all of the material on your site. So happy to have found you! All the best to you and many thanks.
That is great news Noelle. I’m glad your boys are getting on fine again now.
Enjoy the videos. It’s a great idea to get familiar with the tapping technique BEFORE you really need it.
That way you’ll be more confident with it if / when you really need to use it.
It is such a useful technique, for us people as well as our pets.
Enjoy learning and practicing it.