Abernathy (orange guy) update, and question UTI

"Rhonda" wrote:

Finally, I had to hold his mouth shut while
he still tried to throw his head around. I stroked his throat and heard
him gulp. What a wonderful sound!!!

He sat there, wedged between my legs, stunned. He didn't move for a full
minute. He didn't know what happened. Then I got more chicken into him,
petting him until he started purring again, and he curled up in that
wedged position! Of course I had to sit on the floor for 15 minutes
because I couldn't disturb him.


Aww, Rhonda. I can just imagine how tough this must be with a cat whose
trust
you are trying to win back. I don't know what he would do without you. You
are
keeping Abernathy, right?

Hi Diane,

I have actually seen that, I'm just not good at it. Walter is great at
it, so he usually pills our cats when needed. He can't do this former
feral guy yet though -- I'm the one that can get close to Abernathy at
this point.

It's probably been about 2 years since I've had to pill a cat, I've got
13 more days to practice, though. I will try the
either-side-of-the-head method tonight.

Rhonda

Diane wrote:


I wish I could show you my veterinarian's technique. He puts his hand
over the top of their head, pulls the head way back ("it can't hurt
them"), which forces them to open their jaw (he's got his finger and
thumb on either side of the mouth), and plops the pill way down, and
does it so fast and firmly the cat's swallowed before it knows what
happened, so it's much less traumatic. I'm not sure I remember the exact
details since he demonstrated it, but that was the general idea. I got
pretty good at it, and it was indeed much less traumatic than my trying,
failing, trying again, etc., by which time the poor cat is really upset.

Yep, we are definitely keeping Abernathy! He's not a cat that should be
transferred around, and I would be worried sick about him somewhere else
at this point.

This morning, he was in the closet in my office, hissing away at me.
He's confused about everything, like being stuck in a room, and defaults
to fraidy-mode. I talked to him for a long time, petted him a few times,
and he finally came out and over to me for more pets. He purred and
flopped against me. He is such a bluffer!

Rhonda

cybercat wrote:


Aww, Rhonda. I can just imagine how tough this must be with a cat whose
trust you are trying to win back. I don't know what he would do without you. You
are keeping Abernathy, right?

"Diane" wrote in message
...

I wish I could show you my veterinarian's technique. He puts his hand
over the top of their head, pulls the head way back ("it can't hurt
them"), which forces them to open their jaw (he's got his finger and
thumb on either side of the mouth), and plops the pill way down, and
does it so fast and firmly the cat's swallowed before it knows what
happened,

Like this:

http://www.maxshouse.com/Medicating_Your_Cat.htm

"whitershadeofpale" wrote in message
oups.com...

Phil P. wrote:

Diets don't cause UTIs. Diets (dry food) and stress can unmask or
exacerbate feline interstitial cystitis.

You once said there was a much smaller incidence of cystitis in cats
who eat wet food.


Yes, I did. And?

"Diane" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Phil P." wrote:

"Diane" wrote in message
...

I wish I could show you my veterinarian's technique. He puts his hand
over the top of their head, pulls the head way back ("it can't hurt
them"), which forces them to open their jaw (he's got his finger and
thumb on either side of the mouth), and plops the pill way down, and
does it so fast and firmly the cat's swallowed before it knows what
happened,

Like this:

http://www.maxshouse.com/Medicating_Your_Cat.htm

Yes, the Andrew Edney one is it exactly, and speed is your friend.


Yep- its one smooth continuous motion. I start by petting the cat's head,
then in one swift motion, I tilt her head back while squeezing the sides of
her mandible to open her mouth. I hold the pill between my thumb and
forefinger of the other hand and use the index finder to press down on her
incisors to open her mouth a litter further and drop the pill into her
laryngopharynx. I hold her mouth shut while keeping it tilted back until I
feel her swallow and lick her lips. Sometimes a little scratch at the base
of the tail makes some cats swallow and lick their lips.

I'm not that brave with ferals- I use the pillpopper most of the time. ;-)