Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    Florence had to wear a collar after she was spayed - she only managed
    to get half the stitches out! She wore it for a week then had the
    stitches out. 10 days does sound a bit long. Florence had a centre line
    spay (on her tummy) so I don't know if that makes any difference. She
    also drooped her head when the collar was on, but the funniest thing
    was when we first put it on! She ran BACKWARDS trying to get out of it.
    We took it off when she was eating, but we had to watch her. If she
    went back for more food later she used the collar like a shovel!!
    
    I would call the vet - if they know that she hates the collar, they
    might let her "out" early!
    
    Lisa plus PR&F.
    
    PS We've got lots of snow here in the UK at the moment ...
    

    Prudence is another stitch remover.  When she was spayed (in her side),
    she had four stitches.  After a couple of days she had three.  I called
    the vet in a panic, who said not to worry, as long as the wound wasn't
    actually gaping, since there were plenty of stitches underneath to hold
    her together.  So we left well alone, the remaining three stitches
    lasted ten days, and everything was fine.
    
    A month or so later, she cut her side open (unconnected with the spay
    - don't ask me how she did it) and had six stitches; this was a much
    bigger cut.  I said to the vet who did the stitching that they might
    not last long, and again she said there were plenty of stitches
    underneath, and as long as the top ones lasted a couple of days
    everything should be fine.
    
    Again, Pru took one stitch out after a couple of days, and by the time
    they all came out she had four left.  Everything healed up fine, even
    though when the stitches came out she decided to peal the scab off
    (yuck).
    
    If Mandycat is anything like Pru, you have my sympathy; the thought of
    putting Prudence in a collar fills me with horror; she shows her
    displeasure by wrecking everything in sight.  Apart from that, I
    daren't put any kind of collar on her because I'm sure she'd strangle/
    hang herself (this is the cat which jumped on top of the wood burner a
    week after the gashed side incident, but that's another story ...)
    
    Helen.

    
    
    	That's okay - Sarah also removed all of her stitches the
    	day after her spay!! But, her incision was only _____ this
    	long (I'm not kidding you!), and the vet said just keep an
    	eye on it, it should be okay. And it was, but I couldn't
    	believe she took them out like that!!
    
    	Sherry
    

    Dian,
    
    Some vets can use a special skin adhesive to reconnect a wound.  An
    emergency vet used this on Monroe when he cut himself badly once.  It
    was new on the market then.  That was about 5 years ago.  The adhesive
    was like crazy glue for skin, and was sterile.  Worked like a charm.
    
    Anyway, you could try taking a thick atheletic type sock and cutting
    the toes out and then putting that around her tummy.  I have made
    little sock body stockings for Laci when she had stitches.  She left
    the stitches alone cause she was too busy trying to figure out how to
    get the sock off her body---remember, this is a Birman we are talking
    about and they are not rocket scientists. ;^)
    
    Jo

    Depending on the size of the cat an INFANTS undershirt would
    so nicely and nothing to cut off.
    
    We had a Saint Bernard once who had an elbow operation on one
    of her front legs and the opening was 5 inches long. She took
    the regular stitches out almost immediately, these were followe
    by piano wire and she got those out. Next came piano wire again
    and a knee sock. She never did find out how to get that off.
    
    Animals can be so persistant when they want things their way..!!
    
    Barbara & her 3M's

    Dian-
    
    If you use a sock or t-shirt and notice Mandy working it off, 
    my vet has suggested applying a few dabs of vanilla extract
    onto the bandage/sock.
    
    

    Hmm.. well HRH (bless her soul) had surgery on her hind paw once..
    and Happy took off her stocking that the vet put on.. and HRH
    removed her own stitches.. TWICE.. we then put a "baby stocking"
    on her.. white with just the right amount of lace.. and she
    did keep that on..!!  
      When Preschie was spayed, her stitched were  gone about
    5 days after her surgery,, I suspect she had help
    with that little "task." My vet suspected that either
    HRH or Happy assisted Preschie.. I must remember to
    check the incoming mail more closely.. to prevent
    Happy from taking a correspondence course in advanced
    medicene.
    Kate, Happy(next patient, please) Preschie(Hey, I want a green jacket
    too.. and a stethescope..)

    Dian,
    
    You could also try some vet wrap.  That stuff works great.  Kalliste
    never did figure out how to get it off. :^)  You would have to wrap it
    around her whole body though.   The tube sock worked really great for
    Laci though.  She looked very funny, a long tube body.  I bet Mandy
    would look even funnier.  With that long oriental body you would
    definitely need a knee sock size!!
    
    Jo

well, we tried the knee-sock with the toes cut out...you were right, Jo, it
was just the right size...and she did look funny.  I have never heard of
a cat laughing, but Hannah got the weirdest look on her face and made a
very different noise when she first saw Mandy -- I think it was a giggle.

Mandy was very UNHAPPY about the sock - and she tried various ingenious
approaches to remove it....and finally managed to hang the sock on a sharp
edge on the doggy gate I've never taken down - which allowed Mandy to
remove the D*^%$ED sock.  However, she seems to have decided that removing
the stitches gets her in body socks, so she has decided to leave this
set alone.  It is only two stitches we are talking about and it probably
doesn't matter, but I wanted them to last at least the weekend.  I don't
know how she removed the sock, but I found it hanging off the doggy gate...
maybe Hannah helped her figure it out...those two are "thick as thieves"
these days.  Now, when the itching is unbearable, Mandycat turns her back
to me and gets in a few quick licks on the stitches...I don't yell at her,
I just clear my throat and these two crystal blue eyes look at me with
the "But MOM!" look in them.  Is there anything I can do to make them itch
less?

I decided that leaving the collar on Mandy during the day would either
get her killed as she tried to jump up on things or get my bathroom trashed
if I locked her in there to keep her from jumping up on things.....I need
my toilet paper ON THE ROLL, not all over the bathroom...it looks SO tacky
when guests come over.  I'm never sure they really believe me when I tell
them the cat did it.

    Only all over the bathroom?  I've had toilet paper down the stairs,
    through the living room, and into the kitchen.
    
    Helen

    Even worse is coming home to "Those women things" all down
    the hallway.....:-)                      
    
    Lynne

    Well, Bumpytail redecorates with skeins of yarn EVERYWHERE if I
    am dumb enough to leave any out (which I am NOT anymore).  
    
    Good luck to Mandycat.
      Nancy

    Marshmallows all over the kitchen, each one with little pussycat
    tooth marks in it.  Must be like little white mousy-bodies :-)
    

    Pandora and Cocoa are Q-Tips freaks - If I'm not careful and put them 
    away every morning - I can find them everywhere!  I finally got a jar
    to put them in, it's easier to remember to put the lid back! ;-)
    
    Heather + Muff,Oscar,Pandora + Cocoa

    Mine like pom poms.  They have learned to open the drawers where I hide
    them.  Notyhing like picking up 200 pink, blue, yellow, orange, white
    you name the color pom poms.  I'm afraid to move my refrigerator again.
    Last time I found at least 350 pom poms under there.  No wonder I never
    have any when I go to make something.
    
    Furballs!!!!!!!!
    
    kim
    

Mandycat has still got one stitch in place....well, I figure it's better than
nothing.  She has perked up and is ready to play.  I read the part about how
she was supposed to take it easy for at least 5 days to her, but she just
said, 

 "No way, Mom.... now pick up that kitty tease and let's get some aerobics    
  going!!!  No?  Well then, get outta my way and I'll drag it around for
  the old flabbottoms to chase a little..."

Last I saw her, she was dragging the kitty tease toy down the hall with
Nick and Hannah chasing her. I went to bed.  I'm pretty sure Mandycat will
live.