Cat Has Been In Cone For Two Months... Grooming Questions Now That It's Time To Remove?

[Sunshine32]

My cat Murphy has been in a cone for around two months. His obsessive licking turned into very bad hot spots that turned into a staph infection. We completed the two weeks of ointment and medicine, but the vet mentioned it might not be a bad idea to leave the cone on until the skin heals completely and the fur starts growing back.

His fur has grown back now for the most part (it's patchier in that area), but looking good overall! Once the spots healed the area doesn't seem to bother him or itch but I'm a bit worried he's going to go crazy and obsessively lick it again as soon as I take it off. Especially because it's been so long since he was able to groom. I've been brushing him regularly and have used wipes on him once or twice but even so his furs gotten fairly greasy from lack of grooming.

Should I just take it off and let him do his thing or should I wipe him down good with wipes first? I definitely don't think he'd let me bathe him. Any thoughts or advice?

 

[Kieka]

I'd give him a bath so it doesn't trigger some sort of overreaction on his part to the condition it is in or see a professional groomer. If those really aren't an option then a goo wipe down and brushing before removing the cone. If he starts over grooming again you could try putting a baby shirt or pet shirt on him so he can't over groom anymore.

 

[Sunshine32]

I'd give him a bath so it doesn't trigger some sort of overreaction on his part to the condition it is in or see a professional groomer. If those really aren't an option then a goo wipe down and brushing before removing the cone. If he starts over grooming again you could try putting a baby shirt or pet shirt on him so he can't over groom anymore.

I could try bathing him but I really don't think I'd be able to hold him down. Maybe it would be a good idea to at least call a professional groomer and ask - I never thought of that! We tried baby onesies and even one of those surgical cat suits on him before the cone but he would get out of the onesies right away and the eventually he scratched/bit/licked right through the surgical suit.

 

[susanm9006]

I could try bathing him but I really don't think I'd be able to hold him down. Maybe it would be a good idea to at least call a professional groomer and ask - I never thought of that! We tried baby onesies and even one of those surgical cat suits on him before the cone but he would get out of the onesies right away and the eventually he scratched/bit/licked right through the surgical suit.

If you have a shower stall with a door, you can wash a cat in there with minimal hysterics and no need to hold him down. You don’t pour water on him, you just use buckets of warm water and sponges to wet him down and rinse him after shampooing. I have washed a couple foster cats this way as well as my current girl and it went just fine.

 

[FakeGourmet]

As an FYI, I do have an excessive licker, but it's due to food allergy. Vet said that recent studies indicate most of the cases of excessive licking is due to food allergy rather than mental problems.