Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Already a member? Sign in
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Cat ear ripped after fight. Is a DIY cone safe or should I see a vet?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

My cat just got in a fight with our other cat and now her ear has ripped. She keeps trying to scratch at it, and she won't let me near her to apply anything. Should I just let her be? I constructed a DIY cone for her out of a sock and stuffing of plastic bags. She is blind though and will resist. Would it be safer to put it on or let her be for the night?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 11th, 2020

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about June. Oh no, poor girl. No do not leave this homemade cone on her tonight, and I don't recommend using it. It's not safe. Her ear may need stitches, and the best thing to do for her is take her into a vet immediately to get treated. Best of luck.

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My kitten lost almost half of her ear , but type of treatment should i use to try and cure her wound ??
It is honestly best to leave this alone. It will heal just fine on it's own. Ears are very vascular (lots of blood supply) so the more you mess with it the more likely it is to bleed. If it keeps bleeding it will not heal. Just leave it alone. If she is trying to scratch it you will need to get her a cone to wear until the ear is completely healed. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-ecollars/contech-procone-soft-recovery-collar Hope this helps. Best wishes.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I accidentaly cut the skin of my kitten under the ear while im trying to remove clumps of fur, i felt really really bad and dont want to hold a scissor again, it seems like she didnt feel it and it didnt bleed. Also the Kitten do not show signs of d
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Sorry to hear that. This is a type of open wound that at least on the pictures it seems like it will require sutures to heal properly. Also, these wounds tend to get infected so antibiotics would be recommended. Pain medications are usually used as these tend to be painful. I recommend that you have Hera evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, I think my cat got caught in a wired fence and came back home with an ugly wound. I took her to the vet and he cleaned it up and gave me a mild skin lotion without alcohol asking me to use it 3 times a day keeping the skin humid. I will appreciat
Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Boncuk. Poor girl, that looks awful. I would put a cone on her head so she cannot lick the wounds. You can get one from the vet if you do not have one already. I would keep her indoors at all times during the next 2 weeks to enable her to heal. Do not let her outside at all. Keep the wound area clean and dry, and monitor for signs of infection. If you see pus, swelling, warmth to the touch, she's lethargic, or has a loss of appetite, take her back into the vet immediately. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi, my cat had gotten in a fight with another cat and there was a wound behind his ear, it wasn't so bad but then he kept scratching it and now there is a hole about 1cm.what should I do at home about it? Will it heal itself?
Oh dear, this is a sizable wound! If the wound was initially caused by a fight with another cat, I am concerned that it may be quite infected from the other cat's nails or teeth. You can start by putting an e-collar (cone) on your cat to prevent him from scratching at the wound, causing further skin damage. Also you can try cleaning the wound with a dilute betadine solution, but be sure to rinse and dry the wound thoroughly. However, you are most likely going to need to take your cat to the vet for a course of oral antibiotics to treat any existing infection. I hope that all goes well!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Training & Behavior
Luna started scratching herself again, it's always on her head around her ears so I need to protect those areas. I don't want to make her uncomfortable with a cone again so I was thinking some sort of hat would be a good idea. I saw some ideas onlin
Oh my goodness, those hats are so cute! The problem with the hats is that typically cats hate wearing them, and you might have a lot of problems keeping one on Luna. I found a website called Pampered Whiskers, and they sell hats for cats. I will put the link below for you to check them out. You might also consider using an inflatable recovery collar for her instead of the traditional Ecollar. It looks like a donut, and it doesn't come out past her face which will keep her from bumping into things. I found one on Amazon, so I would google "inflatable recovery collar" to find it. Finally, I would make an appointment her vet to diagnose the cause of her itching her ears (it could be an ear infection, mites, fleas, or allergies) so it can be treated. Best of luck, I hope this helps! https://www.pamperedwhiskers.com
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My dog bit my cats ear, it cut her ear into two pieces last night. She had another small bite at the bottom of the ear as well. I’ve cleaned it and put ointment on it. Should I take her in?
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Boots. I do recommend that she sees a veterinarian today. The ear wound needs to be thoroughly cleaned and and examined. She may need antibiotics or even surgery to help it heal. In the meantime, do not allow her to paw at it. Place an E-collar on her if needed to prevent any further self trauma. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
6 month old kitten spayed today. She is very stressed out and won't keep her collar on. She's trying to bite her stitches and trying to jump on furniture. All vets are closed as it's nighttime, what can we do?
You can try to use a pet shirt or baby onesie to cover the stitches. Or make a belly bandage using whatever you have around the house - like clean dish towels and duct tape. If you have a small kennel or carrier, Bonnie may need to stay in there to stay confined since excessive running or jumping can cause internal sutures to loosen up and cause bleeding problems. You may call your vet tomorrow or look at pet stores for different styles of e-collars. Some are shaped like a cone, some are floppy like a sunhat and can be worn pointing towards the shoulders, and some are inflatable donuts.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Oliver just got neutered today, and I was wondering if him using his back leg to try to scratch his ear with a rapid kicking motion (he has a cone on) is too much movement. Our vet said that he shouldnt be active, but I didnt think to ask if scratchi
Thanks for using Boop by Petco! That most likely would be fine. If you do see him doing it try to tell him not to do it just to be extra cautious though this is likely just fine and should not result in incision issues. Good luck and have a good night!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cat was spayed yesterday and wont stop licking her incision. It looks open just a little and a little bit wet like it could be infected. Should i take her back to the vet???
Hello, thank you for using Boop by Petco. The incision does not look infected now, but if she does not leave it alone, she could open things up. She will probably need to wear a protective cone for a couple of days to allow healing. For tonight, if you have an infant T shirt, or a stretched out tube sock, you can make a little body jacket for her. She may not be too happy with this, but it will definitely take her mind off her incision. Have your vet take a look at the incision tomorrow. He may also have a product you can put around the incision with a yucky taste to stop the licking. Good luck & take care.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi my dog has a cut on her ear its very red and bleeding im not sure if she has scratched it her self
Hello and thank you for reaching out to Boop by Petco. I'm sorry to hear that Willow has a cut on her ear. It is possible that she caused it herself by scratching, but if you did not observe it happening, she could have traumatized it on something else, or been wounded by another animal. Based on your description of the wound, I recommend bringing her to your local veterinarian to have her evaluated. At the very least, the wound likely needs to be cleaned and flushed with a sterile solution to prevent infection. Depending on how deep or infected the wound is, it may require more extensive management such as surgical closure of the wound, or bandages. Willow likely also needs an Elizabethan (cone) collar to prevent her from further traumatizing the wound. Unfortunately, dogs like to scratch at their ears and can make it very hard for wounds to heal. If the wound is superficial and Willow is otherwise healthy, you may be able to apply compression to the wound to get it to stop bleeding,
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Cat Supplies Cat Food Cat Recovery Cones & Surgical Suits Cat Ear & Eye Care Cat First Aid Dog Recovery Cones & Surgical Suits Cat Eyedrops & Ear Medication Cat Toys Cat Health & Wellness Dog Ear Care Touchcat Cat Recovery Cones & Surgical Suits Well & Good Cat Recovery Cones & Surgical Suits Suitical Cat Recovery Cones & Surgical Suits All Four Paws Cat Recovery Cones & Surgical Suits Pet Honesty Cat Ear & Eye Care Vetnique Labs Cat Ear & Eye Care Suitical Cat First Aid PetAlive Cat Ear & Eye Care Pet Parents Cat Ear & Eye Care Vet Worthy Cat First Aid
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored