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I just had my cat neutered and he does not seem to be adjusting to the cone well at all. Feeding time is also difficult because he's very animated with his eating motions so it's nearly impossible to hand-feed him but it's also a massive chore to get the cone back on him.

What alternatives to the cone can I use so that he can feed and drink more easily but also keep him from irritating his injury? For full context, I also have a small dog.

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    i have had 4 cats spayed/neutered 2 male and 2 female and never used a cone on any of them,in males the wound closes in a few days so it is often no need for a cone.in female cats the area is often covered so the cat are not able to get to it.
    – trond hansen
    Commented Jan 20, 2019 at 16:28
  • related: How can I stop my cat from removing her cone?
    – Elmy ♦
    Commented Jan 21, 2019 at 15:50

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I've had to cone all my cats at one point or another, and none of them were fond of it. Here's the two best solutions I found:

  • The Comfy Cone is an example of a softer cone, and way better than the rigid ones my vets give. The plush material seems to bother the cats less, and it's less rigid (so they can work around it easier to eat) while still keeping them safely contained. I own a Small (a bit too big for my small cats, good on medium-large cats) and an X-Small (perfect for my 7-8lb cat).
  • Cat, small dog, or baby clothing, like hoodies, sweaters, and button-up shirts. As long as your pet isn't the kind to flail and struggle until they get it off, these have worked really fell for me in stopping them from grooming over wounds. Note that sizing is important (too small and they'll be uncomfortable, smidge too large and they'll slip a front leg off and get out)--if buying online, get 2-3 different sizes right around your pet's to be safe, since they're cheap.
  • Inflatable cones are another alternative. While I have no experience using them, they seem like a decent alternative if the field-of-view restriction of soft/hard cones are too much for your cat, and they can't be put into protective clothing either.
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    There's more, such as inflatable collars, or the soft flexible collars which are probably the most comfortable for cats, but also the most likely that the cat will get around caringvets.com/2018/01/…
    – Kai
    Commented Jan 21, 2019 at 15:43
  • @Kai Thank you, I've added an entry for inflatable cones/collars--I've never given them a shot (though I had heard of them), so I neglected to list them. I also modified the other entries to incorporate the ideas of the article you linked, thanks again :)
    – mech
    Commented Jan 21, 2019 at 16:22

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