It's been over a week in the cone for the Beest (except for those few trial run hours when I thought she'd gotten over herself). Anyhow, 9 days in the cone and she hasn't figured out how to function. Points in case:
- She keeps eating from the far side of the dish instead of what is piled directly in front of her. She uses the cone as a shovel, pushing the food to the far edge and up between the overlapping flap of the cone. Mess on the floor, mess in the cone, mess when she shakes her head, sending the food in the cone flap flying everywhere.
- She believes that the cone determines all. If she's going through a doorway and the cone edge hits the jamb, she'll be stopped dead in her tracks until I come move the cone the quarter-inch that sets her free. This applies to furniture, too. The thought of turning her head has not entered the Beestmind.
Credit where due, she's finally mastered using the catbox without dumping it over on top of herself. The hydrocortisone spray makes the cedar litter stick to her. I've combed more cedar out of her fur than what remained in the box.
The cone has kept her from biting her body fur off and her coat is growing in thick and healthy. However, she can still reach her tail, and by the look of it seems to spend every moment out of my sight chewing it. More spraying is needed. At least the bi-weekly gakking has stopped. Not enough fur on her tail to make a furball, I guess.
The Beest isn't the brightest star in the sky. And she's stubborn and obsessive. Habits aren't broken that quickly or easily. She may be in the cone for a long time to come, and I'll be gimping along after, cleaning up messes and moving her head for her, doing the thinking for her, until it's over. If she only had a brain...
MYSTERIOUS GARDEN
10 months ago
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9 comments:
Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on her tail feathers...that's what they told me to put on the plant leaves when our cat wouldn't leaf (geddit) them alone.
Can you keep a straight face while she's going through all those gyrations to eat? I'd be cracking up, and snapping her picture. Glad she's doing better, though. (whether she wants to or not)
Lawless- the vet said not to use pepper, since she has irritation from chewing and it'd burn her. I've soaked her tail in the spray, we'll see how it goes. oy.
Susan- It really is funny, and yeah I crack up. Then I feel guilty. She can't help being a knothead. :)
Aww, poor baby. I'm talking about both of you. Sounds like you two have miles to go on this program. Hang in there.
LMAO!! This sounds exactly like Spook when he was in his funnel. When he would hit the door or cabinet, he'd stop for 30 seconds. But, he turned his own head. When he was in the litter box, the cone would be flush to the wall- very funny!
Arleen- I just sprayed her tail but good, and she's been sitting staring at nothing for about 10 minutes. This is gonna be a loooong haul.
Lisa- She also uses the cone to huff catnip. Puts it flat down on the scratchpad and snuffs away. Spook sounds smarter than her- which is scary in itself!
My heart goes out to your both. I don't know whether it would be harder to be a dumb cat in a cone or the person who has to clean up after her. Without laughing. Much.
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