Hi,

My 7 month old kitten was spayed on Thursday.  The vet would like me to
keep the e-collar on her for a minimum of 2 weeks until the stitches
heal, so she cannot bite or lick them.

I feel terrible watching her in the collar, since it seems to have a
psychological effect on her.  She refuses to eat, even though she can
reach into the food bowl with the collar on.  However, the moment I
remove the collar, she tries to bite at the stitches.

I've been reading previous posts, and it seems like 2 weeks is rather
long.  When I asked my vet if there was an alternative to the e-collar,
I was told "no, you MUST keep the collar on".

Is my vet just ultra conservative, or does this sound correct?  A lazer
was used for the incision, so I'm not sure if this makes a difference.

Does anyone know of some safe alternatives to the e-collar?  I tried
cutting the sleeve off a long sleeve t-shirt and putting her in it, but
that seems to make her even more depressed.  I was thinking of perhaps
a safe topical cream, but my vet is insisting the collar is the only
way.

Thanks,
Kristin