Spayed Cat, Kittens, and Bitter Apple, oh my.

[Youlanda]

Alright. Last Saturday I finally got kittens of my own. I've waited years and now I am the proud guardian of a male long haired silver tabby and a short haired male marmalade tabby.

They're 9 weeks old now and have been more than ready and willing to emerge from their 'safe arrival place'. Unfortunately, having just moved to the area where I am, my boyfriend, myself, and my other roommate aren't ready for them. We've gone ahead and kitten-proofed our bedroom and bathroom (which attach to the 5x5 walk-in closet where the kittens started out).

To add fuel to the problem we just got my boyfriend's two year old extremely intelligent half siamese half domestic black cat spayed. She's got a cone on her head to prevent her from licking her ow stitches (which should dissolve on their own in a week or two). We spayed her about 5 days ago.

Now, because we don't want her jumping up on our desks and monitors, we've got her in our bedroom too. The cat and the kittens seem to mesh fine. Last night was the first time the kittens were let roam around our bedroom. I woke up to find three sleeping cats all curled up between my boyfriend and I on the bed. (It was very cute.)

Here's the problem. I dozed for a little bit and woke up to the sound of licking. The kittens were grooming her, no problems so far, it's a bonding thing. BUT our overly intelligent spayed cat has them licking her shaved belly. I don't know if it's because they still want to nurse or if she's just really darn smart and if she can't get at her wounds herself she'll have someone else do it.

I'm worried the kittens will mess up the stitches, thus defeating the point of having the cone on the recovering spayed cat's head.

I do have something, bitter apple (which we've been spraying all our electric cords with), I think would keep the kittens from grooming her there but I'm afraid it may stop them from grooming her at all and/or dissolve the stitches.

Will Bitter Apple dissolve the stitches if I apply it to the spayed recovering female's belly?

Will it make the kittens stop grooming her and make bonding all the more difficult?

Is this sitation an 'emergency' that I should call the vet about? Should I confine the kittens back in that tiny little space?

[Traci]

It would be more feasible to seperate them again until the sutures have absorbed (approx 10 days post-op). Since they've all bonded with no problems at this point, sepearting them for several more days will not jeaopardize that bond, and would be safer for the adult female. You can't risk infection at the suture site.

In the meantime, when you are there to strictly supervise her, you can take her e-collar off during times of cuddling, letting her eat, etc, but put it back on at the first sign of her licking her incision site.