The plastic cone from the vet solves one problem and creates several. The cat cannot reach the stitches, but it also cannot judge doorways, cannot eat neatly and cannot sleep comfortably against anything. A padded donut sits round the neck instead, holding the head far enough back from the body to stop the licking while leaving the whole field of vision clear.

Because it is soft, the cat can rest a chin on it and sleep, and that matters more than it sounds during the week or two after a spay or a wound repair: a cat that cannot settle is a cat that keeps working at the collar instead of healing. It fastens adjustably at the back of the neck and comes in three sizes, so it can be set snug enough that it cannot be reversed out of.

• Soft padded donut rather than a rigid cone
• Leaves vision and whiskers clear
• Adjustable fastening at the back of the neck
• Three sizes, small, medium and large
• Light, at 60g to 120g depending on size
• Comfortable to eat and sleep in

A donut does not suit every wound. It works well for surgical sites on the belly and chest and for over-grooming, but a determined cat with a long body can still reach a hind leg, a tail base or a paw in one. Ask your vet which they want used before swapping out the cone you were sent home with.

Who it's for: Cats recovering from spays, neutering or skin treatment whose owners want them able to see, eat and sleep normally while they heal.