Help me turn my cat into a beautiful unicorn

October 1, 2013 9:31 PM

One Inflatable Unicorn Horn for Cats purchased. Only problem is I can't figure out how to get it on my cat's head!

There are no directions in the box.

Horn is inflatable and looks like this. There are two small elastics attached to each side of the horn in a four point system. I have no idea what to do with the elastics. I thought they were supposed to go around my cat's ears but they just fall off.

Help!

posted by timsneezed to Pets & Animals (12 answers total)

It looks like they go from side to side under the cat´s chin, as if it was a hat. One elastic in front of the ears, and the other behind them. That way the ears will keep the horn from tipping forward or backward.
posted by Fermin at 9:42 PM on October 1, 2013

There's a video here of a very unhappy cat getting it put on: the owner slipped both elastics under the chin, with the loops going around each ear, and twisted the horn around until it looked good. That might be very tight and uncomfortable for any cat, though.

Have you considered placing it on your cat's head without the elastics and just 'shopping your hand out of the picture?
posted by maudlin at 9:43 PM on October 1, 2013 [3 favorites]

That cat is very surly and displeased. From this I suspect that the elastics go under its chin somehow, as a child's paper cone birthday hat would.

I suggest you wear gardening gloves or similar for this more invasive attempt.

Good luck, and please post photos of your successes or failures!
posted by elizardbits at 9:44 PM on October 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

We bought one for a friend's cat. So far as we can tell they just fall off because the purpose of the object is the contemplation of the futility/hubris involved in making use of such an object, like using a cheese-string bungee cord or a chocolate fireguard.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 9:57 PM on October 1, 2013 [8 favorites]

Agreed that one elastic is before the ear and one behind.

Obligatory cat photo requested both before and after.

Before with the horn on, after with the cat covered in your blood.

That said, there might be other posibilities for positioning this inflatable* object that could provide much humor. Or great pain, as the case may be.


*inflatable objects and cats--LOL
posted by BlueHorse at 10:04 PM on October 1, 2013 [7 favorites]

I could say all kinds of things, but I'm just going to say: your cat doesn't want that thing on its head.

Even if you could fit it in place, it would be uncomfortable and possibly dangerous. If the elastic is strong enough that it can hold the thing in place and the cat wouldn't snap it, it's probably strong enough to cut into the cat's skin, pose a risk of strangulation, or something equally dangerous.

However I agree with the consensus here that the most likely danger is to you.

New to cat wrangling, are you? Just asking.
posted by tel3path at 12:12 AM on October 2, 2013 [12 favorites]

Put a document clip on the back of the cat's neck to immobilise him/her while you figure out how to, er, give your cat the horn.

Then, pictures or it didn't happen.
posted by essexjan at 3:16 AM on October 2, 2013 [2 favorites]

Did you see the look of distain on the cat in the picture?

We try to get adorable pictures of Eartha and Malcolm for the holidays. They don't approve. They don't like anything with elastic near them (except gumbands, which they stealthily steal, then attempt to devour.)

If you do this, have someone ready to snap the picture instantly, because your kitty will either deflate it with a swipe of her claws or she'll attempt to knock it off by running under the coffee table.

Then she'll sit in a corner and glare at you for approximately 48 hours.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:18 AM on October 2, 2013 [3 favorites]

Mod note: Hey, it's a silly enough question but keep the answers serious please, or I'll look at y'all like the cat in the picture.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane (staff) at 6:53 AM on October 2, 2013 [4 favorites]

We received the same horn as a New Year's gift.

Digby has a relatively large snout so as you can see in this picture he has both elastics in front of his ears. You can also see the look in the eyes of this, one of the sweetest, most passive (and dumb) cats I've known.

We tried the same method with the smaller snouted Pigeon but we only got one elastic on before she swiped at it (etc) and the horn did not stay on.

We have not put the horn back on any other cat.
posted by mountmccabe at 7:25 AM on October 2, 2013 [9 favorites]

i would say take the elastic off completely. it looks like there are little holes it goes through on the horn, yes? so take the elastic off. get some string or yarn, thread through the holes, and tie under kitty's chin. that's the best solution i can think of.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 4:13 PM on October 2, 2013

A million recommends for the Digby picture.
posted by glasseyes at 4:47 AM on October 3, 2013