An Elizabethan collar, E collar or pet cone (sometimes humorously called a treat funnel, pet lamp-shade, pet radar dish, dog-saver, or cone of shame) is a protective medical device worn by an animal, usually a cat or dog. Shaped like a truncated cone, its purpose is to prevent the animal from biting or licking at its body or scratching at its head or neck while wounds or injuries heal. The collars are named from the ruffs worn in the Elizabethan era. A U.S. patent was filed by Frank L. Johnson in 1959. The device is generally attached to the pet's usual collar with strings or tabs passed through holes punched in the sides of the plastic. The neck of the collar should be short enough to let the animal eat and drink. Although most pets adjust to them quite well, others will not eat or drink with the collar in place and the collar is temporarily removed for meals. While purpose-made collars can be purchased from veterinarians or pet stores, they can also be made from plastic and cardboard or by using plastic flowerpots, wastebaskets, buckets or lampshades. Modern collars might involve soft fabric trim along the edges to increase comfort and velcro surfaces for ease of attachment and removal. Types of collars Plastic Made of low-density polyethylene, these collars are somewhat firm and do not allow the animal to reach an infected area by acting as a wall. These are usually secured to the neck of an animal by the use of a cotton padding roll through small loops at the base of the cone. Soft fabric Serving the same purpose as a plastic collar but being much easier on the animal, these collars are made of soft fabric and tighten through the use of Velcro or strings. While it may be more comfortable, these cones usually impede the vision of animals more than the plastic version. Inflatable Made with synthetic plastic that is suitable for inflating, these collars completely restrict the movements of the animals from reaching an affected area. These collars can be covered by soft fabric, and unlike the soft fabric collar, these do not impede the vision of the animal. The collars are secured through the use of velcro or a cord. Cervical Mimicking the same cervical collars humans wear, these collars serve the same purpose of completely preventing the neck from moving or turning.