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What's worse than pilling a cat - giving eyedrops!



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 30th 05, 08:21 PM
external usenet poster
 
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Default What's worse than pilling a cat - giving eyedrops!

Current 3 out of 4 of us have conjunctivitis - that's me, Thenie and
Cindy (Motley the tortie terror is fine, but will probably end up with
gummy eyes). Dr Vet has kindly prescribed 2 sets of drops -
antibiotics (5 days) and anti-inflammatory (2 days) both 3 times daily.
Now I thought that pilling a cat could be difficult, but at least you
can appeal to a cat's greed and hide a pill in something yummy.
Eyedrops are much, much worse, especially when you're a single
kitty-mother and you have to manage the restraint part as well as
aiming the drop at the right place.

So far I've done 2 doses per cat and my hands tell the story of each
dose. Thenie the 6 year old was okay. For a "hunting, shooting and
fishing" country cat that regularly brings home mice and pigeons (but
never saves any pigeon for the rest of us) she is very mellow about
having drops put in. She grumps about it, but soon forgives and just
wants a cuddle.

Cindy the 14 year old has already remodelled several of my fingers. Dr
Vet removed most of her teeth 6 years ago (chronic gingivitis), but
thoughtfully left an upper and lower fang that meet. And they meet
through flesh as well, or at least through the web between thumb and
forefinger. Her claws are like little razors. Worse, I feel so guilty
as she sulks for ages afterwards and won't come near me even if I'm
offering heavy duty kitty treats! Of course, each sessin is worse
because she knows what's about to happen.

I have 4 more days of this to look forward to! I'm estiamting that by
day 3 I will need antibiotics as well - but for my fingers, not my
itchy eyes! And my doctor told me off today about my high blood
pressure and racing pulse - I bet he's never had to wrestle an angry
cat (you know they can turn 180 degrees *inside* their fur and you
somehow end up looking at their tail and not their eyes?) and try to
persuade it that the nasty eye drops will make it feel better!

Anyhow, I'd better mop the blood off the keyboard and see if Cindy has
finally forgiven me. I cuddled her and she purred, but it was her
"angry sulky purr", a sort of "I'm only purring under duress" purr. In
anticipation, when I went grocery shopping today, I bought every type
of favourite food and kitty treat that the supermarket stocked. It
looks like I'm going to need them!

  #3  
Old March 31st 05, 02:16 AM
Sparks
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Posts: n/a
Default

I have the little story someone wrote about how to give a cat a pill,
but I am not sure where it is stored right now.


This one?

1. Pick up the cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm
as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either
side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while
holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth.
Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from under chair. Cradle cat
in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take a new pill from foil wrap. Cradle cat in left arm holding
rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill
to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top
of wardrobe. Call spouse in from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between the knees. Holding
front and rear paws, ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse
to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler
into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap.
Make a note to buy a new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully
sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set aside for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with it's head
just visible from beneath spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking
straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down straw.

9. Check label to make sure that pill is not harmful to humans. Drink
glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm
and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10.Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in
cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force
mouth open with spoon, flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply
cold compress to cheek and check records for last tetanus shot.
throw t-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call the fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road.
Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid
cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly
to leg of dining room table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from garage.
Force cat's mouth open with small trowel. Push pill into mouth followed}
by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 pint
of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room. Sit quietly
while doctor stitches finger and forearm and removes pill remnants
from right eye. Stop by furniture store on the way home to order
a new table.

15. Arrange for vet to make housecall


  #4  
Old March 31st 05, 08:58 AM
Tee411
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Posts: n/a
Default

What's worse than pilling a cat? Cathaterizing the cat everyday for 2 1/2
months to remove urine from its bladder. Kitty is fine now.


wrote in message
oups.com...
Current 3 out of 4 of us have conjunctivitis - that's me, Thenie and
Cindy (Motley the tortie terror is fine, but will probably end up with
gummy eyes). Dr Vet has kindly prescribed 2 sets of drops -
antibiotics (5 days) and anti-inflammatory (2 days) both 3 times daily.
Now I thought that pilling a cat could be difficult, but at least you
can appeal to a cat's greed and hide a pill in something yummy.
Eyedrops are much, much worse, especially when you're a single
kitty-mother and you have to manage the restraint part as well as
aiming the drop at the right place.

So far I've done 2 doses per cat and my hands tell the story of each
dose. Thenie the 6 year old was okay. For a "hunting, shooting and
fishing" country cat that regularly brings home mice and pigeons (but
never saves any pigeon for the rest of us) she is very mellow about
having drops put in. She grumps about it, but soon forgives and just
wants a cuddle.

Cindy the 14 year old has already remodelled several of my fingers. Dr
Vet removed most of her teeth 6 years ago (chronic gingivitis), but
thoughtfully left an upper and lower fang that meet. And they meet
through flesh as well, or at least through the web between thumb and
forefinger. Her claws are like little razors. Worse, I feel so guilty
as she sulks for ages afterwards and won't come near me even if I'm
offering heavy duty kitty treats! Of course, each sessin is worse
because she knows what's about to happen.

I have 4 more days of this to look forward to! I'm estiamting that by
day 3 I will need antibiotics as well - but for my fingers, not my
itchy eyes! And my doctor told me off today about my high blood
pressure and racing pulse - I bet he's never had to wrestle an angry
cat (you know they can turn 180 degrees *inside* their fur and you
somehow end up looking at their tail and not their eyes?) and try to
persuade it that the nasty eye drops will make it feel better!

Anyhow, I'd better mop the blood off the keyboard and see if Cindy has
finally forgiven me. I cuddled her and she purred, but it was her
"angry sulky purr", a sort of "I'm only purring under duress" purr. In
anticipation, when I went grocery shopping today, I bought every type
of favourite food and kitty treat that the supermarket stocked. It
looks like I'm going to need them!



  #5  
Old March 31st 05, 11:06 AM
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Sparks wrote:
I have the little story someone wrote about how to give a cat a

pill,
but I am not sure where it is stored right now.



15. Arrange for vet to make housecall



One of my previous cats, Holly, would not take pills and bit my finger
to the bone when I tried to pill her. The vet (a locum, not the usual
vet) accused me of being a wimp. She said a few bad things about
rescue cats being tatty and unhealthy and I complained to the practice
manager, that locum has never been there again. I challenged the vet
to give Holly a pill. Holly clawed her way out of towel wraps and
eventually the vet gave her an antibiotic jab. Holly had weak hind
legs, but to compensate, she had unusually powerful front legs and
shoulders.

Cindy forgave me after several hours and lots of bribes. This morning
was much less of a struggle and she forgave me straight away and
*begged* for the rewards!

  #6  
Old March 31st 05, 04:42 PM
Ivor Jones
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Posts: n/a
Default

wrote:
Sparks wrote:
I have the little story someone wrote about how to give a cat a
pill, but I am not sure where it is stored right now.



15. Arrange for vet to make housecall



One of my previous cats, Holly, would not take pills and bit my
finger to the bone when I tried to pill her. The vet (a locum, not
the usual vet) accused me of being a wimp. She said a few bad
things about rescue cats being tatty and unhealthy and I complained
to the practice manager, that locum has never been there again. I
challenged the vet to give Holly a pill. Holly clawed her way out
of towel wraps and eventually the vet gave her an antibiotic jab.
Holly had weak hind legs, but to compensate, she had unusually
powerful front legs and shoulders.

Cindy forgave me after several hours and lots of bribes. This
morning was much less of a struggle and she forgave me straight
away and *begged* for the rewards!


My Missy won't take pills at *any* price..! When I first had her from the
shelter, I tried to give her a worming pill. After wasting several, I
decided to call the vet, she said bring her round to the surgery. When we
got there, she tried with similar results..! Eventually, with three of us
(me, the nurse and the receptionist..!) holding her down, we finally got
the pill down..! Boy was she *angry* for ages afterwards ;-)

Now we've given up on tablets, if she needs worming we use Droncit, which
is a spot on liquid which acts on tapeworm, and Stronghold, which does
fleas and roundworm etc. If she needs antibiotics, it's round to the vet
for injections, strangely enough she doesn't seem to mind those..!

Ivor


  #7  
Old April 1st 05, 12:35 AM
the wharf rat
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Posts: n/a
Default


We used to crush the pills up with the back of a spoon and
mix them with canned sweetened condensed milk. The cats would lick them
right up.

  #8  
Old April 1st 05, 07:38 PM
Linda Terrell
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Posts: n/a
Default

Have you tried wearing leather gardening gloves?

LT


In article .com,
wrote:
  #9  
Old April 1st 05, 08:13 PM
Sarah Hotdesking
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Linda Terrell" wrote in message
...
Have you tried wearing leather gardening gloves?

Leather gardening gloves are great for holding onto a cat, but it's
impossible to manipulate a tiny, fiddly bottle of eyedrops into a squinty
blinking eye when wearing them! I've found that my cats love a play session
with long feathers and I use that as a reward after doing the drops. It
seems to get them over the sulky bit and is reducing their resistance to
being medicated because they associate it with having fun straight
afterwards. It works out a better bribe than cat treats and a lot more
healthy for all of us!

I use welder's gauntlets when handling young feral cats. With the real
tinies, I don't want to risk hurting them (always a danger when wearing
anything that makes your hands less sensitive) so I just grit my teeth and
accept that I will bleed and I will heal. Luckily kitten claws and teeth do
much less damage than those of half-grown ferals (at least kitten
teeth/claws don't go as deep). I make chain mail (armour) and I'm sometimes
tempted to reinforce the backs and arms of my gauntlets with sections of
chain!
--
Sarah H
Messybeast: http://www.messybeast.com
Dragonqueen:
http://www.shartwell.freeserve.co.uk...l-acronyms.htm
Doctors' acronyms decoded


 




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