My cat can't stand her dressing after being spayed

J
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Hi everyone,

My 5-month-old kitten has just been spayed (she has an incision on each flank). She has a big dressing wrapped around her tummy, but she absolutely hates it. She had her operation at 9am, and by 7pm she'd already pulled out a bit of gauze that was sticking out and was frantically licking the bandage and trying to pull at the fibres.

Since she managed to pull one of the threads loose, the vet gave me a cone. That calmed her down for the first day, but today (she was operated on Tuesday morning, and it's now Thursday, so two days post-op), she's found a way to lick and pull at the bandage even with the cone on.

The vet told me she needs to keep the dressing on for 10 days. What do you think? I feel like it's counter-productive and she'd be much more relaxed if she didn't have the bandage on.

Have any of you had "difficult" cats when it comes to bandages? It's exhausting having to watch her 24/7 and seeing her so miserable.

Thanks a lot!

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    • Helixanne
    Helixanne Icon representing the flag French
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    And again, the stitch has clearly popped!! :)
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    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Just so you know, this is what a (single) scar on the tummy looks like after 48 hours:

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    Helixanne
    Helixanne Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there, phew, I’m so glad I didn’t have to go through that... my girl was spayed via the abdomen, just one stitch, no bandage, no cone... it was a month ago and you’d never even know now! So, how is it under the bandage for your kitty? Are they dissolvable stitches or do you have to have them taken out? The whole point is really just to stop her from pulling the stitches out by licking them... does she try to lick herself if you leave it open to the air for a bit?
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    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    You should really check with your vet; they’re the ones responsible for the aftercare.

    If your cat has any complications and you turn up to see him without the bandage, he might be a bit difficult about it...

    Personally, I’d give him a ring to explain the situation and get his go-ahead. I’d make it clear that while I wanted the neutering done, I didn’t sign up for post-op torture as an added extra.

    You need to be firm with him... at the end of the day, you’re the paying customer.

    (It’s fine to ask for opinions on a forum, but for any medical issues, always go through a vet—that’s their job and their responsibility.)

    Best regards

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    J
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    Hi, Thanks for your reply. The incisions on each side are normal: she had a flank spay rather than one through the abdomen. It’s very common nowadays. However, I was actually quite surprised to pick her up with a bandage on, as I thought vets were using them less and less these days to avoid any discomfort. The cone is bothering her a bit, but the bandage is the real problem. So, I was wondering if I could remove the bandage and just leave her with the cone.
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    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    Just so you know, my girl was spayed and didn't have anything at all afterwards. The vet didn't put on a bandage and just left the stitches exposed to the air.

    There was no cone on the cards either. I still had my doubts, though, and I was ready to put her in a sort of recovery suit—the kind where you put their four legs through and it buttons up the back, which stops the cat from licking their belly.

    In my opinion, no cat is built to put up with a bandage; they’ll never stop trying to get it off. If your cat stays indoors, the risk of infection is much lower.

    You might want to see if you can find a better solution with a different, more confident vet; a scar on each flank sounds like a bit of a botch job to me.

    Best regards

    Translated from French

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