The rigid plastic cone from the vet works, and most cats hate it. They walk into doorframes, they cannot find the food bowl, and some of them simply sit still for a fortnight rather than deal with it. A padded fabric collar is the softer answer for the many cases where the job is only to keep a tongue away from a healing patch of skin, not to armour the whole animal.

Shaped like a flower and quilted through, the collar sits around the neck and holds its shape without the hard rim that catches on furniture. It weighs between 55 g and 90 g depending on size, which is little enough that most cats stop noticing it within a day. Four sizes cover kittens through to larger adults, and the fabric wipes clean and folds flat between uses rather than living awkwardly in a cupboard.

• Padded fabric collar in a flower shape
• Four sizes, XS to L
• 55 g to 90 g depending on size
• Adjustable around the neck
• Leaves eating, drinking and sleeping easier than a hard cone
• Wipes clean and folds flat for storage

On what a soft cone will and will not do. A flexible collar is a deterrent, not a barrier. A determined cat can still reach a hind leg or the base of the tail, and for stitches your vet wants completely protected, follow their advice rather than ours. Check the wound daily for the first few days, and if the collar is being defeated, go back to the rigid one.

Who it's for: Owners of cats recovering from routine surgery or a skin irritation who want something kinder to live with than hard plastic.