Cat people............HELP!!!!!!

[Joe Tonich]

I have a cat that I need to give liquid meds to, and she DON'T like it.

Figures, we have 3 of em, and the MEAN one has to get the meds.
I gave it to her today and she bit the dropper in half on me.
Any tips or ideas on how to get it in her without getting torn up??
She still has her rear claws and managed to clear the towel I wrapped her in and put a nice slash in my arm.

Thanks,

Joe

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Joe,

Leather Gloves, grab a hold of all four of her paws at once. Then open the mouth with the other hand and give it.

I had to give some meds to our farm cats years ago, heavy shirt and lether gloves are a must!

[Joe Pelonio]

We have dogs now and no cats but used to have several, and used a similar trick method we use for dogs. Dose the cat before feeding time so it's hungry, and put the meds along with some chicken broth onto a small piece of bread and hopefully it will be eaten. If it doesn't like that try putting it onto the dry catfood, may have to overdose a but to allow for what goes to the bottom of the bowl and not licked up.

[Chip Charnley]

Joe,

If it was bit in half, you are sticking it in way too far. Honestly, it's easiest if you have two people, one to hold and one to feed. But, assuming you only have one, the best way, according to my vet, is on your knees with the cat between you legs wrapped in a towel but I never could get that to work. I'll leave it to you to figure out what works best for you.

If you must give liquid meds, you want to be grasping the cats head in such a way that you can get thumb and finger on either side of the the jaw just in front of the joint. A little gentle squeeze will get the mouth slightly open. Then get the dip of the dropper just inside the jaw at the joint and slowly squeeze the liquid in. As it hits the back of the tongue/thoat, the cat will swallow. Once you are successful with this a couple times, you should find the cat will start to realize you aren't going to really hurt it and take it easier. The trick is slow and easy and don't force anything but liquid into the mouth and don't stretch the mouth wide open (which can actually hurt the cat).

Oh, I almost forgot. Check with your vet about the availability of topically applied meds. Many vets don't carry these versions of the drugs as they are slightly more expensive but, particularly if you are into maintenance drugs for the long term, they are much easier to adminsiter. They come in a gell that is rubbed into the cat's ears. Not all meds are available this way but, if yours is and you can stand the increase in cost, it's a MUCH easier way to give the meds.

[Bill Antonacchio]

Hi Joe,

Just went through a bout with one of our cats needing Rebound four times a day (did this for almost four weeks) from a large syringe. It is marked monoject 6ml and the vet gave it to us. Using a larger syringe than normal makes it easier to control regardless of the amount of meds you need to administer.

Large towel and if your kitchen counter has a corner this is the best way. Wrap the cat in the towel, slide back into corner hold head from above with hand over cat's head lift mouth up in an arch and with thumb and index finger open mouth, inserting tip of syringe in mouth and plungering in liquid. I use the same procedure using a pill popper for solid meds.

You have to practice it and try to make it all in one smooth steadly motion while talking to the cat.

HTH and good luck, hope you cat get's better real soon!

Regards,
Bill

[Lee Schierer]

When I've needed to give a cat medication, I kneel on the floor and put the cat between my legs. By gently sitting down and bringing your legs together you can squeeze the cat sufficiently so that it can't (and won't try) to move. Then simply grasp the head and apply pressure to the jaw from both sides, the cat will open its mouth. Squirt in the liquid on the back of the tounge or press the pill gently into the throat with your finger. Clamp the mouth shut until the cat swallows several times and quickly release the cat. It will either walk or run from you. If it turns and attacks, it is time to get a different cat.!


If you're uncertain about getting your finger in its mouth, they sell a plunger type tool that can be used to safely insert the pill into the back of the mouth. However, I found my cat hated that more than just pressing it in with my finger.

1. Thoroughly clean the toilet.

2. Add the required amount of shampoo to the toilet water.

3. Obtain the cat and carry him to the bathroom.

4. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and
close both lids (you may need to stand on the lid so
that he cannot escape).
CAUTION: Do not get any part of your body too
close to the edge, as his paws will be
reaching out for anything he can find. There is no
need to agitate as the cat will do this himself.

5. When
you feel the cat has soaked long enoughFlush
the toilet three or four times. This provides
a "power wash and rinse" which I have found to be
quite effective.

6. Have someone open the door to the outside and ensure
that there are no people between the toilet and the
outside door.

7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and
quickly lift both lids.

8. The now-clean cat will rocket out of the toilet, and
run outside where he will dry himself.

[Ken Garlock]

Joe, take a bath towel and lay it out on the bed. Take the cat and lay him down on the towel and roll him up in it. When done you will have a cat papoose with only the head showing. The arms and claws are held inside the towel. One person can them administer the meds. IF the meds are liquid, try to squirt the med in at the back corner of the mouth. If it is a pill, get a pill shooter from the vet so that you can get the pill in the back of the mouth. If you get the meds to the back of the mouth, he will swallow it nearly all the time.

As they say, been there done that with scars to show.

[Doug Shepard]

Chip, Bill, and Ken pretty much described the way I did it. I was warned by the vet that one of the meds in particular was pretty nasty tasting, and the cat certainly verified that. After a couple of days, she started trying to put up more of a fight so I was doing Ken's towel wrap trick too. Then she just started hiding any time she saw the towel. So after a few days of this, I skipped her meds for two days. In the meantime I tracked her down, wrapped her up and loaded up the syringe with the excess water from a can of tuna and gave her a dose of that which she loved. I did this several times a day so that it was somewhat of a treat/game for her then started slipping in the meds. She never knew which dose was going to be the nasty stuff and was willing to tolerate being wrapped up and dosed as long as she got the tuna water more often than the meds.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Take care of the boo boo the cat gave you...that can get very nasty very quickly if not cleaned up.

KC

[Joe Tonich]

Thanks!

I went to the pharmacy and got one of the heavy duty ones to replace it. She is one of those anti-social cats that doesn't like to be handled. You can pet her if she comes to you but you'll get a bunch of those lil sharp cat teeth if you go get her. The shooting it in the back of her mouth worked well, thanks. Now.........only 4 more days of this............

Thanks again,

Joe

[Brad Tallis]

I know it sounds corny, but it works... After you squirt the medicine in, rub the cat's nose a bit. This causes them to instinctively swallow (don't ask me why...)

Do this as soon as you squirt the medicine in and they will swallow most if not all of it. If you just wait for them to swallow it, they tend to spit or drool most of it out.

Brad

[Joe Pelonio]

Sound similar to what we do on the dogs, but we rub their throat and it
makes them swallow a pill.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Like everybody else said, if the cat is on its back, it'll naturally swallow, you don't even have to put the dropper very far in its mouth. On, the other hand, I don't know how mean your cat is, but we have three, a friendly one, an aloof one and wildcat. I wouldn't try to give the wild one anything without one of those dog training suits, you know the padded kind they use to train attack dogs.