The Cone (Asia Update)

So how is my fur baby a little over three weeks since surgery? She is doing well.

I took her cone off last Wednesday to see what would happen. I kept checking on her in five-ten minute intervals (she was on the back porch). I looked at her arm about two hours after cone removal and she had gotten to all three of her wounds. And she really gnawed at her arm one and it looked red and irritated. So, the cone went back on.

I have been trying to give Asia cone breaks, but I cannot trust her alone yet without the cone. Her wounds are just about healed, but I hate for her undo all the progress she has made - so the cone stays. She is a very slow healer anyway, but the place under her arm is especially hard to heal because of the location of the incision and the intense surgery that took place there.

She is learning to live with the cone, but I know she wants it off. I want it off for her. She is such a compulsive licker - I know that I cannot remove it until I feel she is completely ready. I've even been giving her a Benadryl type medication for cats to see if maybe her licking is due to an allergic reaction. But even on the meds (when the cone is off), she licks (she mainly goes for the belly). My old vet believed it was "psychological." I completely believe that is the case. There's not much I can do about it unfortunately. The kitty "Prozac" never helped a few years ago and it's not like I can send Asia to a kitty rehab. The cone kind of has been her rehab - but I can't keep her in a cone forever. I think her belly will be bare to the end.

One more visit to the vet on Tuesday and I will see what she says. Fingers crossed that the cone is off for good by Wednesday. I never imagined I would still be dealing with a "coned" cat after three weeks. Ugh.