The plastic cone is the part of recovery cats hate most. It catches on doorframes, blocks the food bowl, turns the litter tray into a wrestling match, and leaves a settled cat miserable for a fortnight over a wound that was healing perfectly well. A close-fitting suit solves the same problem from the other end: it covers the site rather than restricting the head, so the cat cannot reach the stitches but everything else about their day carries on more or less normally.

The fabric is a cotton and Lycra blend, and that mix is what makes it work. Enough stretch to move as the cat moves, enough recovery in the weave to sit flat over a stitched area instead of rucking up and exposing it every time they jump down from the sofa. It weighs between 135 and 160 grams depending on size, so there is very little for a small cat to carry, and it washes in the machine, which is worth knowing if the wound is weeping or the recovery is a long one.

• Cotton and Lycra blend, stretchy and breathable
• Covers the wound instead of restricting the head
• Sizes 3XS, 2XS, XS and S
• 135g to 160g depending on size
• Black
• Machine washable
• Vet-recommended alternative to an Elizabethan collar

On sizing and on limits. The range stops at S because it is cut for cats, so do not order it hopefully for a small dog. And a suit only helps where fabric can cover the wound. For an ear, a face or a foot, the cone your vet sent you home with is still the right answer, however much neither of you likes it.

Who it's for: Cats home from neutering or abdominal surgery, and cats with a body-site skin condition they will not leave alone.