Bandage for a cat: rules of use, photos, advice from veterinarians

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Despite the large number of opponents of cat sterilization, this procedure is very important, because it not only significantly simplifies the process of keeping them, but also leads to a decrease in the number of homeless animals. According to statistics, the operation does not cause any problems and is easy, which cannot be said about the rehabilitation period. During the recovery, a special bandage for the cat is installed. Let's take a closer look at what a blanket is, how to tie it correctly, and why it is needed.

General information and purpose

Before we talk about how to tie a bandage on a cat, let's look at what it is and what functions it performs. In simple terms, a blanket is a special “cover” that is put on the animal’s stomach and tightened tightly.

It simultaneously performs the following tasks:

• prevents infection andpathogens into an open wound;
• does not tear the seam and lick the abdominal area of the cat, which is trying to speed up the healing process, which in practice leads to the exact opposite result;
• after cats have been neutered, the bandage helps to increase muscle tone and prevent sagging belly.

Thus, the imposition of a blanket plays a very important role, since it allows you to avoid the development of many negative consequences.

Homemade blanket at home

It is not necessary to buy a bandage for a cat after sterilization. With your own hands, it can be made from various improvised means. At the same time, you may not even know how to cut and sew.

Next, we will look at the most common options that will allow you to make a good bandage. And so that it does not become contaminated with ichor and always remains clean, you can put a regular sanitary pad that will absorb all the secretions. However, in order to prevent the spread of pathogenic microflora, they should be changed every day.

In addition, it is recommended to periodically take air baths so that the wound can breathe. This contributes to the speedy recovery of the animal and its return to a normal lifestyle.

Tights blanket

This bandage for a cat is one of the simplest, because it does not require any special manipulations. However, only new orpre-washed tights. In addition, the material from which they are sewn must have a high density so that the blanket fits as closely as possible to the body of the animal.

So, how to make such a bandage? Very simple! Take tights and cut off a piece 20 centimeters long from them, then put it on the cat. It is worth noting that this technique has both advantages and disadvantages.

Among the main advantages are the following:

• easy to make;
• cheap;
• no need to take measurements;
• tights are soft and elastic, so they do not hinder the movement of the animal and do not cause him any inconvenience.

As for the cons, they are:

• since the blanket has no strings, it will slip from time to time;
• a cat can easily damage tights;
• nylon gets dirty easily, so you will need to make new blankets regularly.

Post-operative bandage for a cat from pantyhose is very simple, but not the best option. More interesting methods of making it from improvised means will be discussed later.

Sock blankets

This method is almost identical to the one described above. To make a bandage, you need to find a sock of the right size and cut off the front of it so that you can put it on the body of the animal.

This blanket has the following advantages:

• great selection of sock sizes;
• low cost;
• high strength fabric;
• lack of bandages.

Among the cons are:

• since no fastening methods are provided, the cat often removes such a bandage;
• cheap socks are made from low quality raw materials, so they tend to shed quickly, which can cause wound infection.

Thus, this method of swaddling animals that have undergone neutering is also not the best. Its only advantage is the low cost of socks.

A blanket made from old children's clothes

If you still have unnecessary blouses or undershirts, they are perfect for sewing a bandage for a cat. The main thing is to choose things that will be well fixed on the body of the animal, without causing him any particular inconvenience. First, you will need to take measurements from your pet, and then sew a blanket over them on a sewing machine. And you also need to think about how it will be attached. To do this, you can provide ties, buttons or Velcro. This option has absolutely no disadvantages, but only one advantage, which is that you do not have to spend money on buying materials.

Towel blankets

What makes them special? If the method of making a bandage with children's things did not work out, for example, you simply did not have them or there are problems with choosing the right size, then you can make it from towels. Perhaps such a blanket can be considered one of the best, since it combines simplicitytailoring, efficiency and practicality.

To make a bandage for a cat, you will need an ordinary cotton towel, in which four holes are cut for the paws of animals. Ribbons are also sewn on the ends of the fabric, acting as ties that fix the blanket on the back of a four-legged friend.

Pros of the technique:

• everyone has towels;
• no need to have high sewing skills.

The disadvantages include the fact that the fabric does not have sufficient elasticity and density, so the bandages do not fit well to the body and are often torn.

Sewing rugs at home

If you have tried all the methods described above, but they did not suit you, then in this case you can make a bandage for a cat with your own hands from scratch. Homemade rugs are in many ways superior to similar ones made from improvised means, but even here they were not without drawbacks.

The main difficulties are that sometimes it is very difficult to find the right size, as a result of which the “cover” has to be altered several times. There are still some problems with the choice of material. But if you do everything right, then the bandage will turn out to be of high quality.

Taking measurements for patterns

In order for a cat brace to be practical in use and not constantly fall off your four-legged friend, you need to correctly determine its size. Before sewing blankets, you must first take measurements.

For self-development patterns you will need the followingdata:

• chest volume;
• body length excluding tail;
• distance between paws.

Some felinologists also recommend taking into account the coverage of the limbs themselves in order to calculate the optimal length of the strings, but this can be done without this data. When you have completed all the measurements, they should be transferred to paper. In this case, you need to take a small stock, which will go to the cut. As for the type of seam, there is no fundamental difference here. You can use any that you are good at.

Which fabric is best to use?

In order for the cat bandage to perform its functions well after sterilization, it is very important to use high-quality material. When choosing, consider the following criteria:

• fabric should be soft and stretchy, but not too stretchy;
• threads, dust and other debris should not fall off the material;
• it is best to take undyed matter so that it does not shed.

It is worth noting that it is not recommended to use synthetic materials, because in the process of rubbing against the animal's hair, they will be electrified, which, in turn, will cause a lot of inconvenience to your pet.

Determine the method of fixing blankets

After the bandage is ready, you need to think about how you will attach it to the body of the animal. As a rule, two options are most often used - ribbons and Velcro, but which one is better and more practical? It is difficult to give any specific recommendations, since everything here dependsfrom the individual preferences of a particular person. So that you can decide on the method of fixing the blankets, let's look at the main pros and cons of each of them.

Tie Benefits:

• they can be made from any material;
• easy to sew;
• provide a good hold.

Lack of drawstrings:

• may cling to surrounding objects;
• a tightly tightened knot is problematic to untie.

Pros of Velcro:

• comfortable and practical;
• have a small size.

Disadvantages of Velcro:

• require additional cash costs;
• get dirty quickly, as a result of which they lose their qualities;
• A pet can learn how to unfasten them.

Determining the method of fixing the blanket, carefully weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of each of them, and choose the best option for yourself.

How to put on a blanket?

As you already understood when cats were neutered, a bandage is the only way to prevent infection of the wound and speed up the rehabilitation process. But as practice shows, most people have big problems with putting on blankets, because animals kick and do not give into their hands. To simplify your task, you should put the bandage on a flat surface and lay the animal sideways on it. After that, the edges are wound behind the body and fixed with ribbons or Velcro. Don't need to be too tightfix, the main thing is that the “case” fits snugly against the body, without hanging or sagging at the same time.

If you do not know how to tie a bandage on a cat, then by your wrong actions you can harm your pet. Too tight a tie not only hinders the movement of the animal, but also disrupts normal blood circulation, which is fraught with many serious consequences.

How and when should the blanket be removed?

You need to release the animal from the bandage in the same sequence as putting it on. The cat is laid on its side, after which the bandages are untied. Experts advise removing the blanket every day for about 30 minutes so that the wound can breathe. This is good for the healing process.

Completely get rid of the postoperative protective "cover" only after the cat has been examined by a veterinarian. It usually takes about one week to fully recover from surgery.

What if the animal learned to get rid of blankets on its own?

Many people wonder what to do if a cat removes the bandage after spaying. At the same time, a similar problem occurs not only with “covers” made from improvised means, but also with blankets sewn with your own hands from elastic and durable fabric, which have ribbons or Velcro. In this case, one of the following methods will help:

• limited physical mobility;
• installation of a surgical collar;
• sedatives.

Giving medications is not recommended withoutprior consultation with a veterinarian. It is better to put your pet in a basket or a regular cardboard box. This will limit the cat's mobility, and she will no longer be able to remove the blanket.

Vet Tips

The use of a postoperative bandage is associated with certain difficulties. Profiled experts recommend the following to simplify this task:

1. When tying the ribbons on the blanket, try to keep their ends as short as possible so that the animal is not caught or strangled.
2. In the first days of the rehabilitation period, you should always be with your pet, as he will try to remove the "cover".
3. If the wound is bleeding, put a sanitary pad under the bandage.
4. When the cat wants to use the toilet, do not completely remove the blanket from her. Just untie the last two ribbons.

Here, in fact, everything you need to know about postoperative bandages. However, in the end, it is worth noting that sterilization is a great emotional shock for the animal, so you must be very careful and patient with it. Only with proper care can your four-legged friend recover quickly.