My 5-month-old kitten is really moping after being spayed (the cone)

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Hi everyone,

It’s been a week since my kitten, Bibou, was spayed. At first, we didn’t put a cone on her, but then she managed to pull out one of her stitches (the purple thread). The vet had to put a staple in and gave me a cone to keep on her until this Friday. The problem is, she seems really depressed; she’s hardly eating anything at all and just sleeps and mopes around all day.

I was wondering if there could be any long-term psychological effects from this?

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7 answers
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    • ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    Spaying your cat is definitely the right decision, don't have any doubts about that.

    She won't suffer any long-term psychological effects from the procedure.

    We generally avoid putting bandages over the wound after a spay as they can actually make things worse by putting pressure on the abdomen. This often leads the cat to obsessively pick at it or even tear it off—potentially taking the stitches out with it.

    Using a buster collar (or cone) for a few days allows the wound to heal in the open air while preventing her from being able to reach it.

    However, if you feel the cone is making her "frantic" or "depressed", you could try taking it off, provided you keep a very close eye on her to ensure she doesn't start messing with the wound or causing irritation by licking it too much.

    Have a good day.

    Caroline - Veterinary student at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). Project Manager for a student-led veterinary consultancy. http://proveto.net/

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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Thanks for your replies everyone. My little one is resting and eating loads; she’s been up and about and played a bit. I think it's the cone and her adult teeth coming through that are really getting on her nerves. Fingers crossed that we can safely take this bloody cone off on Friday so she can get her spark back.
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    Blue_Cat
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    Hello again @Adblanc,

    Getting her spayed is A BRILLIANT IDEA!!!! Every cat expert and vet is in total agreement on that. There’s absolutely no need to feel guilty. And no, she won't suffer any psychological lasting effects, nor will she stop loving you, especially if you’re always gentle with her. However, she may have developed a real loathing for the cone, so don't show it to her anymore—keep it hidden away. I agree with Caroline; these days internal stitches are the norm, so your vet is a bit "old-school"... That being said, if the skin has knitted back together well, being a week post-op, I don't think there’s a massive risk if she fiddles with the stitches, especially as they’re held by the staple. Just keep an eye on how the scar is healing, making sure you stay very gentle and talk to her softly.

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    Caroline9244
    Caroline9244 Icon representing the flag French
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    I don’t have any answers for you, but it’s a shame your vet didn’t use internal stitches. When I had Nyx spayed, she came home without a cone because the stitches were internal and the incision was glued—it was spot on. She did have a bit of a lick, obviously, but everything stayed perfectly in place!
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Oh god, I don't know what to do anymore. I've taken her cone off but even so, she's still giving me the cold shoulder, meowing and biting me when I touch her. Basically, I've really upset her by making her wear that cone... I'm absolutely gutted and feeling so down, I keep thinking that getting her spayed wasn't a good idea. Is she going to hold a grudge for life?
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Yeah, but my vet strongly advised against a bandage because my cat might be even more determined to get it off, which would only make things worse.

    I just want to know if she’ll have any long-term psychological effects, given that I take her cone off every evening so she can groom herself.

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    Blue_Cat
    Blue_cat Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    Some cats really don’t get on with cones; personally, I’ve always avoided putting them on my cats. She might cope better with a bandage over the stitches, wrapped around her middle, not too tight.

    Translated from French

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