A Cat in the Ointment
Over the years I have accumulated a great deal of experience in administering pills to cats. During this time, I have learned that there are three ways in which this can be accomplished:
a) crush pill, mix with food
b) place whole pill in tasty treat such as salmon or cheese
c) place pill on cat's tongue, close its mouth and wait for it to swallow
I've used these methods with varying degrees of success. In the process I have discovered that not all methods work for all cats, and one method that used successfully won't necessarily work on the same cat more than once.
I am now in the position where I can confidently declare that I would choose giving a cat a pill over trying to get ointment onto its eye.
I have had my arms shredded to ribbons by a less than compliant Zak each time I've had to put the ointment in his eye. I tried Kate's method, which is to put the ointment onto tissue and wipe the eye. This resulted in a struggle between cat and human and I did no more than smear the ointment on Zak's cheek. This will clearly not help to clear up his eye.
The bastard vet made it look so easy, and Zak was too stunned to protest. I guess that having a thermometer shoved up your bum would do that. Also the vet had me holding Zak so that he was out of claw's way when he did it.
What makes it worse is that the other cats have decided that I am a bit of a meanie for trying to stick something in Zakky's eye, and all but Mischa are giving me the cold shoulder.
So... I have one cat to give away to a lucky reader - tube of ointment comes free.*
*this statement is not necessarily true.
So we get a free cat, but we have to pay for the ointment?!? ;D
ReplyDeleteHaving had a lifetime of giving kitties tablets, I am astonished that administering ointment is harder than giving them pills. Whoa. That must be one hell of a job.
Last night Cat came in with a little stone stuck between his paw pads. He sounded like a tap routine every time he walked anywhere, so eventually we decided to do something about it. Needless to say, he wasn't appreciative of our efforts. For a moment, I actually thought * had received a claw to the eye...
Giving a cat a pill, a sometimes almost impossible task, is FAR preferable to putting ointment into ANY of its orifices!
ReplyDeleteWe had to put ointment into Winston's ear recently (which I'm sure is also MUCH easier than an eye!).
This was a two-person military procedure which involved one of us sneaking up on him, grabbing him and pinning him down at both ends while the other grabbed the ear and squirted.
He soon got very wise to this and simply didn't allow either of us anywhere near him at any point... cats are just too damn clever.
Only advice - get him when he's asleep and wear thick protective gear and gloves.
My worst sick cat experience was trying to hold one of my little buggers still in order to put drops in his ear. This wasn't so bad but once the drops were in there, I had to rub his ear so the drops got smushed around to all the right places. As soon as the liquid hit the inside of his ear, it was time for me to break out the antiseptic and bandages for my face, arms, and chest. He was not a happy kitty.
ReplyDeleteI took Dori's suggestion of sneaking up on sleeping cats when it came time for pills. The result? My cats wake up the moment they hear or sense anyone near them. Damn they're smart buggers.
Just think of it this way, the scratches and cuts will heal and Zak will soon forget (ha ha...right) the trauma of the eye cream. Pretty soon the two of you will be back to cavorting in the garden and eating chasing bugs. Well, perhaps just him...
Hitting them on the head with a rubber mallet usually slows them down enough that you can do whatever you want to them.
ReplyDeleteVets always make it look easy. Probably co the cat is so damn terrified...
ReplyDelete