# Can I remove my cat's sutures by myself? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-remove-my-cats-sutures-by-myself/103217 "2002-04-12T13:08:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Church\_Key\_Kid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Church\_Key\_Kid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Church_Key_Kid)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-remove-my-cats-sutures-by-myself/103217/1 "2002-04-12T13:08:37Z")
My cat had some internal surgery 2 weeks ago and when he left the hospital, had 5 sutures sewn in to hold his lovely new hole together. 2 weeks later, the surgical wound is closed and is healing up quite nicely. However, the cat has already removed 3 of the 5 sutures on his own. Would it be safe for me to just cut and remove the other 2 sutures, so I do not have to pay for yet another hospital visit? Presumably, I would just snip one side of the suture and slide it out, correct? ---
**Author:** ![Merlot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-remove-my-cats-sutures-by-myself/103217/2 "2002-04-12T13:12:53Z")
Are you sure your vet would charge for an office visit to remove stitches? It might be included in the cost for the surgery as it is required follow-up. ---
**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-remove-my-cats-sutures-by-myself/103217/3 "2002-04-12T13:18:09Z")
> [@](#): > > Would it be safe for me to just cut and remove the other 2 sutures, so I do not have to pay for yet another hospital visit? I have done it. My vet didn’t mind. Told me to use an alcohol swab on the stitch before I pulled it through. The biggest problem was getting a small enough, sharp enough pair of scissors to get under the stitch and cut without pulling on it so much that it caused pain. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-remove-my-cats-sutures-by-myself/103217/4 "2002-04-12T14:42:47Z")
We had to remove our cat’s sutures from her neutering surgery after we got her. The cat society people told us to wait so many days to let it heal first. ---
**Author:** ![Peregrine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Peregrine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peregrine)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-remove-my-cats-sutures-by-myself/103217/5 "2002-04-12T14:56:12Z")
My vet told me to take the stitches out myself. Alcohol was not mentioned. The hardest part was getting the cat to hold still. But you know what? Ask your vet.