Safe Luxury

Is it safe to remove a cat's stitches at home?

My cat was spayed recently, and they didn't give her the dissolvable stitches. Now (out of lack of time to get to the vet's office), my mother insists that she can safely remove the stitches herself with scissors or a nail clipper! I've had to talk her out of it a few times already because I despise the idea. Which one of us is the crazy one?

Public Comments

1. Neither, but if your cat can hold still-ish and your mom is confident definitely save the trip to the vet and do it yourself. Just make sure it's not infected and the stitches have been in long enough :-)
2. not you. leave them the HECK alone. do you want to waste your money for the spaying with an infected and very unhappy cat. not to mention serious health risks are def possible
3. you can remove the stitches if you are extra careful as not to cut the cats skin and as long as your mother knows what shes doing. removing stitches is difficult though, so be careful and good luck.
4. Please make an appointment with the vet and let them remove the stitches. You paid for this service as part of the spay surgery costs. It also give the vet the chance to check the incision to be sure there are no problems. Kitty will not like lying on her back and you or mother messing with her belly. She may still be a little tender, too. When you or mother come at her with the scissors or the nail clipper, you and/or mother may be very tender from all the claw marks! Purrs to you and kitty.
5. I have done this on more than one occasion under the same circumstances...just make sure the clippers or whatever you use is sanitized or cleaned with hydrogen peroxide so there will be no infection
6. Dear APZ*** ..... just tell your mom to rather take kitty to the vet. Just one slip of the scissors or scratch to the arm (because your cat definately won't sit , lie still) and the wound could be sliced open again and your mom really will have to pay for more stitches to a septic wound. When the vet takes the stitches out he will be looking for any tell-tale signs of infection or possible infections. It is a checking visit. Rather be SAFE than sorry!!!!! Your mom has already paid for the procedure, and the vet won't be charging again, he will be checking. Tell your mom that. Thanks for being a caring person!!! luv peppa