If your cat is licking a spot on their body to the point of baldness or they are recovering from surgery, you’ll need to use a cone collar, also known as an e-collar and the “cone of shame.” It effectively prevents your cat from licking, biting, or scratching sensitive areas, enabling everything to heal properly. Your next step is finding a cone collar that will work best for your cat.
We researched and developed reviews of eight cone collars that should help your cat. There are various types to choose from, so hopefully, one of these should do the job of giving your cat time to heal in relative comfort.
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A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2024
Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall | All Four Paws Comfy Cone E-Collar for Dogs & Cats |
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Best Value | SunGrow Post-Surgery Soft Cone Dog & Cat Recovery Collar |
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Premium Choice | ANWA Adjustable Cat Cone Collar |
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Best for Kittens | Vivifying Cat Cone Adjustable Recovery Pet Cone |
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HYLYUN Cat Recovery Collar |
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The 8 Best Cat Cone Collars
1. All Four Paws Comfy Cone E-Collar for Dogs & Cats — Best Overall
Color: | Black |
Sizes: | X-small, small, small-long, medium, medium-X-long, large, X-large, XX-large |
Material: | Nylon |
The best overall cat cone collar is All Four Paws Comfy Cone E-Collar for Dogs & Cats. It’s available in eight sizes, and it’s made with nylon, making it water resistant and easy to clean. It includes elastic loops where your cat’s collar can be threaded through for added security.
It has plastic stays for added rigidity that are removable for a softer cone, and it can be folded down over your cat’s shoulders, freeing them up for eating dinner. The main issue with this cone is that it is made with solid nylon, which reduces the cat’s visibility a fair bit.
- Available in eight sizes
- Made with nylon, which is water resistant and easy to clean
- Features elastic loops for your cat’s collar to be threaded through
- Removable plastic stays for a soft or firm e-collar
- Can be folded back for dinnertime
- Reduces visibility
2. SunGrow Post-Surgery Soft Cone Dog & Cat Recovery Collar — Best Value
Color: | Pink |
Sizes: | Small or medium |
Material: | Soft fabric and foam |
The best cat cone collar for the money is the SunGrow Post-Surgery Soft Cone Dog & Cat Recovery Collar. It’s made with soft fabric and a memory foam-like interior, making for a cozy pillow for your cat. It’s also durable, water resistant, and wider than many other cones, so it doesn’t cut off your cat’s vision as much.
It’s adjustable to ensure a good fit and is lightweight and comfortable overall. However, some cats might figure out how to get it off, and it’s too large for most kittens and small cats.
- Affordable
- Soft fabric with foam interior
- Durable and water resistant
- Doesn’t cut off visibility as much as some other cones
- Adjustable
- Some cats might pull it off
- Too big for small cats
3. ANWA Adjustable Cat Cone Collar — Premium Choice
Color: | Orange, kiwi, dragon fruit, pineapple, strawberry, or watermelon |
Sizes: | Small or medium |
Material: | Cotton and polyester |
The ANWA Adjustable Cat Cone Collar is our premium choice pick, and it’s so cute! There are six designs to choose from, each looking like a slice of fruit. These are more like big, puffy collars rather than cones, so they allow peripheral vision and act like soft, cushy pillows.
The design also enables cats to eat normally without interference from the collar, and it has a drawstring that enables you to adjust it to your cat’s neck. But it is more expensive than most other collars and is only effective for cats with upper body wounds. If your cat’s problem areas are the back or front paws, they might be able to reach them.
- Six designs: kiwi, orange, strawberry, pineapple, dragon fruit, and watermelon
- Allows peripheral vision
- Like a big poofy pillow
- Cats can eat normally
- Drawstring enables adjusting
- Pricey
- Not effective for lower body wounds
4. Vivifying Cat Cone Adjustable Recovery Pet Cone — Best for Kittens
Color: | Black and transparent |
Sizes: | Small or medium |
Material: | PVC Plastic |
The Vivifying Cat Cone Adjustable Recovery Pet Cone is a great option for kittens and is reasonably priced. This is a traditional e-cone that can be adjustable with hook-and-loop fasteners and has been designed specifically for small animals like kittens. It’s semi-transparent, allowing some peripheral vision, and is lightweight, making it easier for kittens to wear. It’s also easy to clean.
The issues with this cone are that the manufacturer sticker can be difficult to remove and that it’s a bit stiff and uncomfortable.
- Affordable
- Adjustable with hook-and-loop fasteners
- Lightweight
- Semi-transparent
- Easy to clean
- Difficult to remove sticker
- Can be stiff and uncomfortable
5. HYLYUN Cat Recovery Collar
Color: | Yellow |
Sizes: | 71–11.8-inch necks |
Material: | Cotton |
The HYLYUN Cat Recovery Collar is a soft cone made with cotton for a comfortable recovery collar. It resembles a cute yellow flower and is quite adjustable. You can also try pushing it back for when your cat eats and drinks, and since it’s soft, it’s much easier for your cat to feel comfortable wearing it.
But some cats can slip out of it fairly quickly. Also, since it’s so soft and squishy, it might be less effective at protecting the area needing protection.
- Made with soft cotton
- Makes your cat look like a yellow flower
- Can be folded back for eating and drinking
- Comfortable to wear
- Some cats can get it off
- Too squishy
6. Suitical Recovery Suit for Cats
Color: | Black and gray camouflage |
Sizes: | XXX-small, XX-small, X-small, or small |
Material: | Cotton |
The Suitical Recovery Suit for Cats is a different option from the usual cones. It’s more like a bodysuit that protects your cat’s body from scratching and biting. It’s comfortable for cats to wear and doesn’t interfere with using the litterbox or eating and drinking.
It’s made with breathable cotton so the wound can heal well and is available in four different small sizes. However, it is expensive and ineffective at protecting wounds on the head or legs. Additionally, the sizing seems to run large.
- A bodysuit that’s effective for protection
- More comfortable than a standard cone
- Cats can eat, drink, and use the litterbox
- Made with breathable cotton to promote healing
- Comes in four small sizes
- Expensive
- Sizes tend to run large
- Doesn’t protect the head or legs
7. Woiworco Adjustable Cat Recover Cone
Color: | Blue, pink, or brown |
Sizes: | 7–10.6-inch necks |
Material: | Cotton |
The Woiworco Adjustable Cat Recover Cone is quite affordable and super cute, though it looks more like a donut than a cone. It comes in three colors—chocolate brown, pink, and blue—and has a drawstring to adjust the size perfectly. The shape of the donut gives your cat freedom to eat and drink and is comfortable when your cat sleeps.
It’s made with natural cotton, which makes it both lightweight and soft and doesn’t interfere with your cat’s peripheral vision. However, it’s only available in one size and is not effective for lower body wounds. Also, the drawstring doesn’t always hold.
- Affordable
- Cute donut design available in three colors
- Drawstring allows for a perfect fit
- Cats can eat, drink, and sleep comfortably
- Made with soft cotton
- Only available in one size
- Drawstring doesn’t always hold
- Not effective for lower body wounds
8. MIDOG Cone for Dogs & Cats
Color: | Blue, gray, red, or rose |
Sizes: | X-small, small, medium, large, X-large |
Material: | Polyester and PVC |
The MIDOG Cone for Dogs and Cats is affordable and available in four colors—blue, red, gray, and rose—and five sizes. This inflatable cone enables you to make it as full as you want, and it has a buckle to easily adjust the size. The cover also has a zipper so you can remove and wash it easily, and it has loops on the inside for your cat’s collar.
But since it’s inflatable, this means it can get punctured, and savvy cats will likely figure out how to get it off. Also, like with other cones of the same shape, it isn’t effective for lower body stitches or wounds.
- Affordable
- Available in four colors and five sizes
- Buckle adjusts the size
- Cover can be removed for easy cleaning
- Inner loops for cat collar
- Can get punctured
- Cats might figure out how to get it off
- Only for upper body wounds
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Cat Cone Collar
The many options on the market mean you aren’t necessarily limited to just traditional e-cones. But check out the buyer’s guide before you make your final decision. There are a few important tips to ensure that you purchase the best cone collar for your cat.
Style
The style of the cone depends on what part of your cat’s body you’re protecting and how your cat will react to it. If the cone cuts off most of your cat’s peripheral vision, they might be quite unhappy. So, if they need a traditional e-collar, aim for one that’s transparent.
An ideal option might be the plush kind that is donut shaped. If your cat is uncomfortable in a traditional cone, give one of these a try. It won’t cut off your cat’s visibility and can function as a comfortable pillow. That said, this type isn’t that effective at preventing your cat from licking and biting at any incision or wound on the lower half of their body.
Speak to your vet about the best cone for your cat for the area that needs protecting, in addition to your cat’s temperament.
Measuring
Measuring your cat’s neck for an e-collar is critical! You can’t just assume that a small will fit your small cat’s neck. Manufacturers use different sizes, so one small cone might be larger than another. Don’t go by your cat’s weight either, since the neck is the most important part.
You’ll need to measure around the neck where the collar rests and from the collar area to the tip of the nose. Double-check the manufacturer’s instructions on how to measure for their product.
Getting It On
This is the tricky part! No self-respecting cat wants to be seen in such an embarrassing contraption, so getting it on your cat will be a challenge. If your cat is laidback and you don’t anticipate much trouble, consider yourself lucky. But if you have a feisty cat, you should double-check how the collar should be put on.
The more complicated it is, the harder it will be to get on and take off, which can be tiring to deal with. For example, if you opt for the traditional e-collar, you will likely have to take it off when your cat needs to eat and drink, only to have to put it on again when they’re done. The easier it is to get on and off in these circumstances, the better.
Supervision
Try to keep your cat under supervision when they’re wearing the cone collar. Some cats have been known to get their leg trapped inside the collar, or they might get stuck in something like a stair railing. Speak to your vet about your options before purchasing a cone collar.
If you need to speak with a vet but can’t get to one, head over to PangoVet. It’s an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!
How We Selected Our List of Cat Cone Collars
Catster has an experienced, expert team of writers, editors, and veterinarians who carefully consider a wide range of parameters when choosing the cat cone collars. This includes but is not limited to customer reviews, brand reputation, veterinary experience, hands-on testing, and of course, our cats have a say in the process too! We aim to select and review only the best products available, to help you make the best possible choice and most informed decision for your and your cat’s needs.
Why Trust Catster?
A trusted online brand since 2001, Catster has a lot of experience with cat cone collars. Our team of cat-loving writers, editors, and veterinarians is dedicated to helping you make the best decision for your precious cats. Our aim is to provide the best information available for cat owners to help cats live their best life possible. To do this, we scour reviews from the most trusted sources available and this, combined with our veterinary team’s experience and expertise, helps us gather the best options available to readers. Our team is deeply invested in the health and welfare of cats the world over, and believes that expert knowledge and veterinary guidance will help you make the right choices—for you and your cats!
Conclusion
We love the All Four Paws Comfy Cone E-Collar for Dogs & Cats best of all, with its elastic loops for your cat’s collar and the ability to fold it over your cat’s shoulders so they can eat. They even look like they’re wearing a cape!
SunGrow’s Post-Surgery Soft Cone Dog & Cat Recovery Collar is soft with a foam interior, so it’s comfortable for your cat to wear and affordable.
Lastly, the ANWA Adjustable Cat Cone Collar is our premium choice pick because it’s adorable! It’s like your cat is walking around with a pillow around their neck that looks like a slice of fruit!
We hope that these reviews have led you to a cone collar that won’t upset your cat too much and will help keep them from causing too much damage!
Featured Image Credit: Sophie McAulay, Shutterstock