How to Keep an Elizabethan Collar on a Cat

Elizabethan collars are used to prevent your cat from licking and biting at a wound or surgery site, providing opportunity for the wound to heal. Elizabethan collars, or E-collars, are typically made from hard, thin plastic and are worn around your cat's neck. Cats often dislike these collars, becoming experts at escaping them. Securing to your cat's normal collar will aid in keeping the E-collar in place if proper fitting doesn't work.

Things You'll Need

  • Sewing tape measure
  • Craft knife
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your cats neck using a sewing tape measure.

    • 2

      Consult your vet to ensure that using an Elizabethan collar is appropriate for your cat's condition.

    • 3

      Select the appropriate size based on your measurements. The E-collar should fit snugly to ensure that your cat can't remove it.

    • 4

      If your cat is able to escape the properly fitted E-collar, consider attaching the E-collar to its regular collar. You can do this by purchasing a cat collar that comes equipped with slots to fit an E-collar, or you can make your own.

    • 5

      Lay the E-collar flat on a workbench. Use a craft knife to create slits at even intervals around the bottom of the collar, approximately a half-inch from the bottom. Ensure that these slits are wide enough to thread the collar through.

    • 6

      Feed your cat's regular collar through the slats and fasten the collar securely around your cat's neck.