Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    Its called the sneak attack.
    
    First,  Be real nice to her.  I assume you can approach her, providing
    you have no "nasty" intentions.  Then, take her into the bathroom,
    or other small room where she can't escape from you.  Bring your
    husband.  Then, one of you hold the cat firmly.  The other, pull
    the head way back, and with one finger, open the mouth.  With the
    head pulled way back, the bottom jaw is (usually) easy to open.
    Then, with the dropper, squirt the medicine to the back of the throat,
    allow the mouth to close, and stroke the cats throat to make sure
    it swallows.
    
    Simple!
    
    Karen

    Elmo has been a holy terror, expecially when it comes time for his
    pink drops for the sneezies.  We start with shaking the Pounce can.
     Once the devil is starting to eat the Pouncer, boyfriend grabs
    hold of devil.  Let devil finsih eating Pouncer.  I get dropper
    full of pink drops.  Larry picks up cat, wedges cats lower body
    between my legs.  Larry restrains cats arms with one hand and opens
    cats mouth with other hand.  I take free hand and help to pry cats
    mouth open.  Larry and I curse and call Elmo names that cannot be
    written in this conference.  Finally get cats mouth open and quickly
    drop pink droppies in devils mouth while devil get an arm free and
    tears apart mom's nylons since mom is already late for work.  Larry
    and I drop cat, run and hide in bathroom until cat has calmed down.
    
    Mom goes and changes pantyhose.  Elmo eats more pouncers and calls
    mom and dad names that cannot be printed in this conference.
    
    Does this help?

    re: .1
    
    Yes, I'm trying to make sure I approach her several times
    a days for "loves and cuddles" only.  This way, she doesn't 
    start equating my presence with the administering of unpleasant
    drugs.  What with having to clean her eyes and nose daily, put the
    ointment in her eyes and now give her the antibiotics, I'm sure
    she wishes she could have stayed in her old home!  This cat fakes
    better than a quarterback too!!!  She ran through both my husband
    and I to get to the entertainment center this morning!
    
    I talked to my vet as well, and she said if we can't get anywhere
    with the drops, to come back and get tablets that we can crush up
    in her food when she eats.  Knowing her, though, the little @#$%^&
    probably wouldn't touch it!!
    
    Mary-Michael

    When Nikki had upper respiratory, the vet gave me clavamox, a liquid
    antibiotic, which I mixed in with his food twice a day.  He ate!
    At first they gave me pills (Tribrisin) which I tried to hide in
    his food or a Bonker, but he wouldn't eat.  This was all at a time
    when he first joined our household and was really skittish and still
    distrustful of people.  I would recommend the liquid antibiotic
    to mix in with the food and feed her seperately.
    
    Hope it works.
    

    We have always used our big bath sheets to fold around the cat
    with only the head sticking out, and that gives 3 free hands to
    get the drops in the mouth. "Sometimes" you don't have to open 
    the mouth all the way but pull out the corner and put the dropper
    in there and squeeze quickly, making sure to keep the mouth closed
    and the head back somewhat.
    
    I know it's easier said then done. When the cat feels better and
    returns to it's usual self it sure is worth all the agrivation
    and trouble.
    
    Keep trying....
    
    Barbara (Mocha will take anything out of your hand and eat it !!)

    I always insert the dropper from the side of the mouth.  There is
    a space where the teeth are shorter leaving a nice medicine dropper
    size whole.  Put the cat between your legs and squat on him.
    
    I usually squirt the medicine slowly, giving the cat time to swallow
    it.  Forcing it down their throats can make them choke, and possibly
    inhale the medicine, especially if the cat is congested.  But, on
    the other hand, do what you have to to get the medicine down them.
    
    I think you are doing the right thing by giving the cat lots of
    attention when it isn't being medicated.
    
    Good Luck,
    
    Jo

    Well, my husband and I got the medicine (mostly) in the cat.
    At least the little bit that didn't get *in* the cat got *on* the
    cat and she licked it off.  I think she hates me now.  She ran 
    underneath the entertainment center and hasn't come out for over
    three hours now.  I even tried pushing some Sheba under for her,
    but she won't even eat.  She hasn't eaten all day, she must be
    hungry, and I can't cuddle her if she won't come out.
    
    I feel like a failure.
    
    Mary-Michael

It certainly isn't easy to get medication into our pets (try a 65-lb.
greyhound whose jaw muscles are stronger than my arm muscles), but it
is necessary at times and you just have to be determined to help them.

The attitude of fear and hate for all the unpleasantness that you are
causing them will go away when you finally get to stop, they do seem
to understand that it helped and will forgive you.  Sort of like with
real kids I guess, they may hate being taken to the doctor's but it
doesn't last -- and you have to do what's best for them.

We have been through some very painful things with our assorted 
menagerie and I think I'm still their favorite person!  Keep up the good
work and don't let a negative attitude intimidate you!!



Jan  who_went_to_sleep_with_Spats_curled_up_on_her_shoulderblade_last_night

    Mary, you did good!  They DO know it's for their own good.  You
    will see, she still loves you best.
    
    E.T.

    Well, we got her out from behind the entertainment center and she
    ran down to the basement, her home away from home, where she hid
    underneath the furniture.  I went down with some Sheba and shut
    the door so the other cats couldn't follow.  To make a long story
    short, I shoved the Sheba under the furniture and stayed very still.
    She ATE!!  She GOBBLED!! When she was safely absorbed in eating,
    I got up and walked away.  As I did she looked at me as if to say,
    "You're ok, Mom."  This morning, we cuddled a bit and I came down
    again before I left and put her ointment in - and she let me!!!
    
    So I guess I'm forgiven until this evening when we do the antiboitic
    chore again....
    
    Mary-Michael

    Mary-Michael,
    
    Right now my Portia is on 3 or 4 kinds of medicine as well as needing
    some ointment.  I do it all in the morning, first thing when I get
    up, and before I feed breakfast.  That way, Portia only "hates"
    me once a day, and tehn giving her breakfast is almost like giving
    her a treat.
    
    Granted I have had to give Portia medicine more often than not so
    she's very used to it and very good about taking it, but she is
    always sure to let me know that she doesn't *like* it.
    
    Maybe you might want to try doing the antibiotic and the ointment
    at the smae time for Dream.  You'll only have to catch her once
    then.
    
    	-Nancy	

    When we first got our kitten, Tashti, he had ear mites and a bacterial
    infection in his eyes.  That meant ointment for the eyes and drops
    for the ears.  Boy did he hate it!  He'd immediately shake his head
    furiously (getting most of the drops all over the place) when we
    let him go, and his eyes would look all gooky for hours.  
    
    But even though Tashti hated the routine, he was exceptionally well
    behaved throughout.  It was like he knew what we were doing was
    for his own good and sat pretty quietly through it.  And he LOVED
    the Bonkers we always fed him right afterwards.  If you give your
    cat a treat afterwards, they won't object so much when you start
    administering all that medicine!
    

    I wish she'd take treats!  I had to push the food underneath a bureau
    to get her to eat!!! :-)  She also has a wonderful Siamese-type
    meow - "ow..ow..OWWOOWWW......" So it always sounds like we're killing
    her.  I had her in the bathroom last night and she was wailing away
    (before we'd even laid a hand on her no less) and I looked at the
    door to see three pairs of paws between the threshold and the bottom
    of the door.  Of course as soon as I opened the door, they went
    off to the three winds as Dream came charging out looking for cover.
    She doesn't seem to mind the ointment as much anymore.  I guess
    she figures that anything's better than the drops!!
    
    Mary-Michael

    Mary-Michael seems to have come upon a good idea... Why not just
    squirt the medicine on the cat's front leg?
    
    No self-respecting cat would allow a front leg to be dribbly.
    
    Edd

    I can imagine what the front of a white cat would look like after
    10 days of orange antibiotic!!  THEN I'd have to bathe her, and
    she'd *really* love me for that!!! ;-) ;-)                                
    
    "OWWWW,OWWWWWW,OWWWWWWWWWWWW...." - Dream
    
    Mary-Michael_who_is_amazed_that_such_dainty_little_paws_are_so_darn_strong

    My vet showed me how to give pills etc, I found the way to get the
    cat to put up with the 'game'. I had to become a 'pro' at this because
    I had an old cat, that got very ill. It was a choice of capsules
    4 times a day or the end of the line for the poor critter.
    
    I hope I can relate these instructions in an understandable fashion.
    
    1) Give cat lots of loving, playing etc. if kitty likes (and is
    able to eat) treats like bonkers you are half way there.
    
    2) Get cat on a high table or other work area (I use the top of
    my freezer).
    
    3) Get cat to sit (may need helper), have tail to your left, head
    toward your right.
    
    4) Get medication ready in your right hand.
    
    5) Note the shape of the kittys skull. There is a small depression
    on each side of the face just below the eyes. 
    
    Now put your left hand over the cats head, bring your thumb down
    on one side of the face, the forefinger on the other. The thumb
    goes in one depression, and the forefinger in the other. You now
    can get a firm grip in the head (without hurting kitty).
    
    6) Tip the head back (quickly), as the nose points up the jaw will
    fully open, ready for the medication your are holding in your right
    hand.
    
    If you are giving pills or capsules they must go on the back of
    the tongue. Drop pill as far back as you can, push to rear of mouth
    with index finger, KEEP FINGER TO THE FRONT OF THE MOUTH CENTERED 
    BETWEEN THE CANINE TEETH !!!. Remove finger, let go of head--done!
    
    if you are using a dropper, liquid goes in the back of the mouth,
    let head down slowly, rub throat, etc..
    
    7) Now spare no effort in showing kitty how happy you are, give
    lots of loving, bonkers, pounce, and pats and hugs. With any luck
    your cat will become better at taking medcine than your human kids!
    
    SOME NOTES:
    
    When tipping head back, and popping pill -- be fast, and firm.
    
    When you learned to do this right, you can do it alone with most
    cats (and dogs).
    
    You shoulda seen the fight I gave my vet when he told me I HAD TO
    LEARN TO DO IT!

    Last night was much better.  She took her medicine and didn't make
    her usual mad dash for the basement.  Later, I went and got her
    for cuddles.  First we cuddled on the cellar stairs for a while,
    then I brought her up and sat her on the couch with me.  The poor
    thing was shaking she was so scared.  So we cuddled some more and
    she started purring and curled up on my lap for a while.  And then
    she jumped down and started walking around!  Went into the kitchen,
    got a bite to eat, checked things out.  So I just started working
    around the house and ignoring her.  Next thing I know, her little
    face is peering down at me from the loft!!!!!!!  I think she's getting
    better!!!!!!!
    
    Mary-Michael

    WONDERFUL!  good news!!!
    
    E.T.

    I know this won't help you much now but it will help with the new
    young ones.  When I got my kid we practiced pilling by using vitamins.
    I took those large vitamins and broke them into about 6 small pieces.
    I would sit with Sy on his back, on my lap.  His head would be on
    my knees.  Then using left arm, balance cat on knees, then with
    left hand pet head then open mouth as described in an earlier note.
     The right hand would drop vitamin in.  Now years later, I know
    that this was one of the best things that I did when Sy was young.  
	Now whenever I sit with Sy on my lap, upside down, he looks
    for his vitamin or for medicine.  Liquid was almost impossible to
    give the little monster.  
    
Hope this helps someone.
    
    Linda

    Well, I can vouch for the advice in .16 working!
    
    I didn't feel very enthusiastic when the vet (Dr. Brody at the
    Countryside Animal Hospital) confirmed that Mickie had tapeworm and
    then told me I would have to give her brother Winchester a pill and a
    half.  But Dr. Brody showed me how by giving Mickie her pill.  Her
    method was a slight variant on .16:
    
    Position the cat as described in .16.  Put the pill between the thumb
    and index finger of the right hand.  (Never mind the fact that while
    you have been doing this, the cat has obligingly squirmed away from
    you.  Eventually, you will have cat and pill in proper position.)  With
    the left hand, place the thumb and middle finger in front of the cat's
    ears, with the thumb in front of the right ear.  (Your palm will be
    facing the cat's tail end.)  Now, you should be able to lay the cat's
    ears flat.  This should position your thumb and middle finger over the
    depressions mentioned in .16.  Tip the head back.  When you do this,
    their eyes look strange.  It just adds to the already considerable
    element of "excitement."
    
    With your right hand (you *do* still have the pill between the thumb
    and index finger, don't you :-), use the middle finger to open the
    mouth.  (If you have the head tilted back well, this should be fairly
    easy.)  Now, here's the real fun.  Put/shoot the pill into the cat's
    mouth using the index finger as far back as you're willing to go. 
    Stroke the cat's throat moderately heavily to encourage swallowing. 
    (The further back you propelled the pill, the easier this is.)  A good
    sign is the cat salivating and sticking its tongue out quickly (unless
    the pill comes out, in which case this is a bad sign :-)  Now, do step
    7 in .16:  show your cat how wonderful (s)he is and give him/her treats
    to eat.  This seems like a useful step for you and cat both; if the cat
    is eating something, you can probably be sure it's not holding the pill
    in the cat_magic_place_to_hold_pills_for_twenty_minutes_and_then_spit
    place.
    
    Anyway, as I say, I was impressed that I could do this with Winchester. 
    He made enough fuss about it, leading me on a merry chase.  (As an
    aside, I think it is better to try to give the cat a pill when it's in
    a fairly mellow mood.)  I tried again later, when he was resting on his
    favorite chair.  After I got the pill in him, he did a jumping bean
    imitation (description stolen from note 101.0), but he did swallow it.
    

    Gosh, after reading some of these notes, it makes me sooooo glad
    that Portia will open her mouth and stick out her tongue for me
    to put the pill on so that she can swallow it.  
    
    Elmo is another story.  I'm just glad he hasn't had to take medicine
    that often.  Squirm squirm squirm squirm squirm.
    
    	-Nancy

    Just keep a grip on kitty after you think she has swallowed the pill,
    and do the same maneuver again (with no pill) and see if the pill is on
    her tongue.  This is *much* easier to do than to get either of my cats
    to hold still in this position while I brush her teeth! - which I have
    to start doing again since they are both pretty old and have some gum
    disease.  I think what they like least is having their heads held and
    tipped up that way - they do give you a very dirty look!
    
    You could try burying the pill in something that kitty will eat, but
    most cats are too smart for this trick and will leave the pill behind
    (or the wrong kitty will eat it, if you have several).  My
    mother-in-law's dog gets his pills in a gob of peanut butter, which he
    really likes (neither of my cats have any interest in it, though), so
    when he finds that he has been had, he can't get rid of the pill anyhow
    since it is stuck to the peanut butter, so he ends up swallowing it.
                       

    re: .20  I was laughing out loud reading your description!  Have
    you ever considered doing some writing about your life with your
    cats?
      Nancy DC
    

    Well, this should be interesting.  Since my husband and
    I have been "drowning" in Dream's sneezes for the past
    couple of days (I can't tell you how wonderful it feels
    when the cat who is curled up underneath the sheets next
    your bare leg makes you the recipient of a big, wet, 
    sneeze and then wipes it's nose on you as a sign of
    affection :-O ) I called the vet this morning to see
    if we needed the "monthly" vet visit.  We don't, but
    my vet said I have to give Dream PILLS this time around.
    Oh, how I chuckled to hear those words!!!  "PILLS, you say!"
    I guffawed, wiping away the tears streaming down my face,
    "tell me, are we talking about the same cat?  The one that
    nearly became an orange tabby after two weeks with Clavadrops?"
    My vet insists this is possible.  My vet has also had years
    of expensive vet-type training.  My vet also does not own
    this cat. My husband's supportive, spousal response to all
    this was, "What's this 'we' S**t?"
    
    Tell me, is is possible to administer the pills while
    holding the instructions from .16 in the other hand?
    
    I'll let you know tomorrow....
                                      
    Mary-Michael

    where do you live?  I have gotten quite good @ giving Nippa pills
    and would be happy to show you how.
    
    Michele
    
    p.s.
    Try coating the pill w/ butter, vasoline, hairball remedy - something
    to make it easier on the both of you....

    Also, if it is really bad, try one of those pill guns.
    
    Jo

    I'm going to try and pick up a pill gun at the cat show
    this week-end.  I live in Plaistow, NH.  I'm sure I'll
    be searching the carpet for un-swallowed pills most
    of this evening....
    
    Mary-Michael