Types, selection and use of blankets for cats and cats

Cats and cats need to choose correctly not only toys and other similar accessories, but also blankets. These things are required by the pet for the postoperative period, especially when it comes to abdominal operations related to the abdominal cavity. Today we will find out what types of blankets exist, and how they should be correctly selected for cats and cats.

The blanket is a very useful thing that animals need after performing various operations. Such medical bandages easily cover the wound left on the body of a cat or cat. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fact that after a particular operation, painful sensations can irritate the animal, and it will begin to pay unnecessary attention to the area affected during the procedure: gnaw, bite or scratch. The blanket will also protect from these unfavorable consequences - it will close the cat's access to the remaining seam.

The blanket easily connects the remaining edges of the wound on the pet's body to each other. Thanks to this, healing occurs faster with the first pull. The regeneration process will noticeably accelerate, and the cat will suffer less from the unpleasant postoperative period. The reserves of the animal's body will be consumed insignificantly.A well-made and fixed blanket does not allow the muscle walls of the abdominal cavity to stretch or weaken too much. This prevents further sagging of the cat's abdomen.

The main advantages of ready-made blankets for cats are the following important points:

• such products are environmentally friendly and do not adversely affect the health and general condition of the operated animal;
• they have good strength qualities - it is very difficult to break them;
• such products allow air to pass through well, and this is simply necessary for a healing suture;
• have simple and comfortable Velcro or zippers.

Do not think that the blanket is the only type of medical bandage. In fact, there are several varieties of it. Different types of blankets differ in their characteristics and design. Let's get to know them better.

Hairless cats are often cold when there are cold seasons outside. This not only gives pets significant discomfort, but can also lead to the development of colds. In such circumstances, a special warm blanket would be an excellent solution. Most often, caring owners of Sphynxes and Cornish Rexes turn to such things. These types of blankets outwardly look like simple sleeveless jackets.

The best and most comfortable are warm blankets made made of soft fabric with a large pile. Such things effectively protect hairless or short-haired cats from low temperatures and cold gusts of wind. Even during a walk, your pet will be warm and comfortable in a cozy blanket.

Separately, it is worth highlighting knitted woolen blankets that fit the body well. These specimens are especially warm and have an excellent warming effect. They are very comfortable for cats and cats.

Among cats and cats, there are many individuals that suffer from allergic molting. In this case, the owners constantly have to vacuum the furniture in the house, but this is only a temporary measure - soon all surfaces are again covered with hairs that have fallen from the pet's body.

In situations like this, many people look closely at hairless cats, mistakenly believing that the lack of hair makes them completely hassle-free. Such individuals have another common ailment - profuse sweating. Because of this, stains can remain on upholstered furniture, which can be very difficult to remove completely.

In the above situations, home blankets can be a real salvation. These products easily and simply absorb the secretions from the body of hairless cats. Loss of wool with such blankets is also noticeably limited. That is why home products are so popular and in demand today. However, most of the home models of blankets still belong to the category of interesting wardrobe items for animals.

When walking with an animal outside in cloudy weather, you should save a small raincoat for your pet. Such models, as a rule, have a hood and are fastened under the neck and belly of the cat. Raincoats are sewn from special water-repellent fabrics such as nylon or vinyl chloride. Polyamide fiber of saturated colors is in no way inferior to transparent film in its properties and characteristics. If a downpour suddenly starts, an animal in such a cape will only wet its paws.

Initially, after various operations, cats were put on a special Elizabethan collar. It was a large cone that was fixed on the animal's neck and did not allow him to reach the wound. Of course, such things were very disturbing for the pets and caused unnecessary stress. In addition, pets in such collars could not properly wash their faces, and it was problematic to eat in them - the edges constantly beat against the bowl, the food did not always get into the animal's mouth. Moving around the house with such a collar was also problematic, it threatened injury: the cat could catch on furniture, doors or jambs.

It is not surprising that the blanket has become a wonderful replacement for this outdated device. In such a thing with a zipper or Velcro, the pet can freely move around the house, eat normally, and even play. Although protective robes may slightly hinder the movement of cats and cats, they still will not prevent pets from leading a normal life. Thanks to this, the recovery process is much easier and faster.

Medical varieties of blankets for cats are sold at veterinary pharmacies and pet stores. They are most often made from suitable nonwovens. There is no lint in the specified base, and they do not crumble. Such blankets can be easily trimmed to make it easier for the pet to walk in them. The compressed fibers are excellent at absorbing liquids. Due to this, the surface of the wound does not get wet and always remains dry, as required.

As for factory blankets, they are made from a variety of fabrics, for example:

• cotton;
• viscose;
• spunbond;
• meltblown.

Choosing a blanket for a cat or a cat, for example, after castration or sterilization, must be very careful and careful. It should be based on the following important criteria.

• Material. Choose postoperative blankets that are made from sustainable and safe materials. This thing must be breathable. It is advisable to buy blankets that easily absorb liquid so that the animal's wound always remains dry and not wet.
• Retainers. Check the quality of the fixing parts. Most often, blankets are made with zippers or with Velcro, as well as simple strings.
• The size. You should choose blankets, the size of which corresponds to the size of the pet itself. It is advisable to make all the necessary measurements in advance. You should find out the volume of the cat's chest, as well as the distance from the base of the shoulders to the tail. Usually, all the size parameters of the blanket are indicated on the package.
• Colour. In this case, one should pay attention to the color not at all because of its beauty, but because of its practicality. For example, on light-colored materials, it will be easier to notice any discharge coming from the wound. In addition, you can easily see that the product is dirty and needs to be sent to the wash.
• Workmanship. The blanket must be done correctly. It should not slide or slide off the body of the animal. If this thing is not made as it should be, then there will be no sense from it, and it will be difficult to put it on.There should be no protruding or crumbling threads on the material.
• Package. It is very important to pay due attention to the branded packaging in which the blanket is sold. This is a thing that will be in contact with the animal's body and the postoperative suture, so it should be very well sealed.

If this is not a medical, but a home blanket or a raincoat, then the choice should be given in favor of products made from high-quality and hypoallergenic materials. If the item is warm, then it should be soft and comfortable. It can be a fabric with a large pile or natural wool.

The blanket is put on cats immediately after a particular abdominal operation. Ideally, the veterinarian will put this thing on your pet for the first time, and then show you how to tie and remove it on the body. When putting blankets on the pet's body, you should exercise the utmost care, since postoperative wounds often cause severe pain. The animal will suffer from sudden and unpleasant movements of the owner. The blanket must be put on the pet as follows.

1. The fabric part is required to be applied to the pet's tummy and brought under the front legs. The ribbons should be carefully brought up to the back of the cat.
2. Now the ribbons will need to be tied in turn. The first and second pairs must be fixed on the cat's neck up to the area where the forelegs are located.
3. The third pair of ties will need to be carefully fixed behind the paws of the animal, and then connected to the ends of the second pair.
4. The fourth and fifth pairs of ribbons are placed on the back of the cat. The latter should be as close to the hind legs as possible.
5. As a result, there will be a couple of ribbons on each side - they will need to be carefully tied together in pairs. In this case, it will be necessary to bend around the thigh of the animal with a ring. The ends of both pairs on both sides will need to be tied together on the back in front of the tail.

After fastening the blanket, you need to make sure that it sits well and does not slip... But this does not mean at all that it should be tightened with the last effort on the body of the operated pet. Fix the cape conscientiously, but you do not need to overtighten it, otherwise the cat will be hurt and uncomfortable. Adjust the tension on the strings if necessary.

For added safety, veterinarians advise tying the ends of the ribbons in such a way that they have a very small free edge. Otherwise, there is a danger of strangling the pet with longer ribbons. In addition, you should not leave the animal alone in a blanket, since very often cats try to pull off the cape in order to lick the wound on their own.

During the first days after the operation, the blanket will need to be changed regularly, especially after the treatment of the stitches, which is carried out once a day. As soon as you notice that the wound has begun to heal, and the discharge from it has stopped, then the bandage can only be changed as it becomes dirty.

As for the complete rejection of the blanket, then it will be possible to proceed to this stage only after 10-14 days after sterilization, and not earlier. Moreover, it is worth acting only after consulting a veterinarian. Usually, all questions can be asked during a routine examination of the pet after the operation.

As mentioned earlier, it is quite possible to make a blanket with your own hands, and not only purchase it in a specialized store. So, you can make a good bandage yourself from a sock. Let's analyze in stages how to do it.

1. Take a sock that matches the size of the animal. You can use things made of nylon.
2. Cut holes in the sock for your pet's paws and tail. If the neck is too long, then it will need to be shortened.
3. Punch holes in the back, similar to those on the sneakers.
4. Pass the lace crosswise through the holes made. Try on the resulting blanket on the animal and tighten gently.

You can quickly and easily make a blanket of tights with your own hands. This is one of the most affordable options that does not require any special resources. However, it should be borne in mind that it is not recommended to use old tights for this, since absolute sterility must be observed in the postoperative areas.

In addition, it is advisable to look for high density tights. This type of "cover" will fit the pet's body much better, and will last much longer. Such a thing is done in an elementary way:

1. from the selected tights you need to cut off a piece with a length of 20 cm;
2. then the cut piece is put on the cat's tummy, and that's all.

The bandage can also be made from an old T-shirt or a new piece of fabric. If you are using new material, then you will need to determine some parameters of the pet in advance:

• its length from neck to tail;
• length from neck to shoulder blades;
• from croup to tail;
• girth of the neck;
• distance between the front legs;
• chest girth;
• circumference of the tummy in the groin area.

All the clarified data should be transferred to a piece of paper, making a schematic drawing of the future product. You will need to leave a small margin - 0.5-1 cm in length to make the ties. Next, you need to act like this.

1. Transfer all the marks you made to the prepared piece of fabric. It is advisable to apply textiles in two layers to make the blanket more durable.
2. Using the prepared diagram, cut out all the necessary parts. Fold in the seam allowances and sew on the sewing machine after overcasting the edges of the garment.
3. Next, sew on the strings.
4. The resulting product must be tested on a cat in order to make certain adjustments, if any are required.

The main advantage of this option is that it is possible to adjust the blanket to the specific structure and characteristics of the pet. True, it will take much more time to make such a cape than to make a copy from a sock or tights.

Let's take a look at some helpful tips that can come in handy when making or buying blankets.

• If you decide to make a blanket of fabric, then it is advisable to use a dense and monochromatic material, on which all dirt will be clearly visible. If you notice bloody footprints, then this will be a signal to visit your veterinarian immediately.
• If you want to use store bandages, then it is better to buy two (or more) copies at once, because after the operation, anything can happen.
• The length of the blanket must necessarily correspond to the length of the cat's back. As for the width, it should be enough for a full girth of the abdomen. The blanket cannot be too tight.
• If you are making a blanket yourself, then it is advisable to make the tying ribbons longer. They can be shortened if necessary.

For information on how to make a blanket for a cat from a sock or stocking with your own hands, see the next video.