My spayed cat's stitches are irritated. What ointment can I use?

Poor girl. : ( You can safely try Stridex pads along with a very thin layer of Neosporin or a topical antibiotic ointment from your local petstore. However, if it still hasn't healed well you should go back to your vet to see if another antibiotic can be tried or even consider a skin culture to find out what medication will be effective at clearing things up. Best wishes with your fur baby Marie and I hope that her chin area heals up well soon! Take care.

Cats are little stinkers! You may have to try a longer than normal rigid e-collar, or you can look for the bowl style that are used in cats. You could try a large tube sock as a dress (cut holes for head and arms). You could attach string or elastic to make "stirrups" that pull the shirt down. As for cleaning, a warm wet washcloth is all that is needed. Though, since it appears red and swollen, I would recommend taking her to the vet for evaluation and possibly to start antibiotics.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There could be an infection developing or even inflammation that will make healing more difficult. I recommend having them evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment which will likely include the use of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications. Good luck and have a good day!

No, I would not use triple antibiotic ointment on Cyos's nose. Although quite safe on superficial wounds, cats groom and ingest most of the topical ointment you apply and therefore should be used only under direct veterinary supervision and if there are no other appropriate options. Many human ointments contain multiple other ingredients which are not necessarily safe to be swallowed. I would bring him into the vet, and the vet can prescribe him oral antibiotics for the infected scratch.

I would not recommend applying neosporin without the direct prescription from your vet. Cats are prone to grooming and ingesting ointments and can have significant side effects. Antibiotic dreams will not improve healing in healthy wounds and should not be used unless the wound has an infection, in which case oral or injectable medications are usually preferred

Ideally the wound should be covered by using a plaster (primapore), a pet shirt or a net bandage. Please post a picture of it on the forum so we will be able to give you a more specific answer and advices on how likely an infection is. Antibiotics might be needed.

Pramoxine (the pain reliever in Neosporine plus) is a topical anesthetic. It is unlikely that it will hurt your kitty if you only put a little of the cream on. I would wipe off the rest. It is never a good idea to use medications for humans on cats or dogs, as many of them are toxic, especially for cats. Also Neomycin (one of the antibiotics in the ointment you used) can cause severe allergic reactions, making the lesion on which you put it , worse. Your vet should examine the irritation on her neck, unless you know its cause. Often cats with food allergies start scratching their neck and head excessively causing them to hurt themselves.