any advice gratefully received!!

Look at my avatar - he's sweet, isn't he? One of the most loving and affectionately demonstrative cats I've had in a long time and I've had many.

But.... he has a bad itchy ear. It's not mites (the vet said!) but he told me to treat it with Canaural.

The problem is this cat weighs 14lbs and is mega strong! And while he wouldn't hurt a fly (or me!) he just will not let me do anything to him. Even the sight of the Frontline pippetes sends him into an anxiety meltdown. I have to shut all the doors and be prepared for a tussle royal just to get those few drops on the back of his neck. So you can imagine the altercation when I try to get this stuff down his ear! More of it ends up on me and the walls than in his ear, I think!

BTW - wrapping him in a blanket is totally out, he goes completely mental if he's even gently restrained in my arms! And all the way through it he looks up at me with such affection and never makes any attempt to put claw or tooth to me or even growl or swear. It's very upsetting.

He was a stray I adopted three years ago - I think he was about six years old then - and I believe he must have been badly ill-treated somewhere along the line because it took me more than three months to win his confidence even though I'd been feeding him for more than a year.

Anyone got any suggestions - and also, as I live on my own, extra help is not available.

 

Is it possible to pick him up by the scruff of his neck? Several cats I have had went into 'dormant mode' when this happened. It might then be possible to put drops in his ear with one hand. You'd have to be quite strong, I know!
Perhaps Poppy33 will have a suggestion.

 

Nope - another meltdown situation! Have done it once or twice but a) it needed both hands and b) I spent the next ten minutes washing the wounds!!

I'm allergic to cats, would you believe! One prick from claw or tooth and I come up in big wheals which require Anthisan cream in bucketfuls!

A couple of months ago I was putting Frontline on him when he spooked more than usual and in his panic, turned and bit me - well, it wasn't really a bite, not in the malicious sense, he just mouthed me really, but I didn't know he'd chipped a canine and it when into my hand like a hypodermic needle, right down to the bone, catching a nerve on root because a pain like electricity shot down my finger and it was numb for several minutes. But then my hand started to swell and by the end of mthe day I couldn't make a fist.

Shot off to hospital and got put on mega doses of antibiotics which sorted it - the dread cat-scratch/bite fever!!!

Poor boy, he was soooo upset when he realised what he'd done, it was just pure instinct because it had to have reminded him of something awful that happened to him in his past. So sad to see his dismayed little eyes from across the kitchen!! As I said, he's the most un-aggressive cat I've ever known.

 

Hi MMD. As a cat person, I know and appreciate your problems.

My two white cats always had ailments ... the worst thing being they were allergic to fleas! HA! :eek: They would come out in welts and sores and would have to have a steroid shot each Spring ... they also had allergies! Skwij the boy was on heart and kidney medication for a month before he died and his sister, Puschka was on four different medicatios a day from then on with heart and lung problems until she died 20 months later in December past! It was one big merry-go-round of medication.

Never had much problem with the Frontline, nor with Magic Sam, our black one. He doesn't like the Drontal, worming tablets though and skwirms and hisses. Best was I found with him is to get down on my knees with my legs apart and back his bottom in (sounds a bit kinky! :eek: ) then I have both hands free to do the dirty deed! Perhaps you could wear gloves for protection?

I'm always amazed how when you take them to the vet's the vet has no problem opening their mouth or waterever ... probably because the poor toe rag is so petrified it'll do anything to get out of there.

When we took Magic Sam for his rabies shot the other week, I brushed and combed him before we went and on the table his feet sweated and his fur was all over the place! Bless him. Can't get them into the carrier at the house and they can't get back into it quick enough at the vet's!

 

Oh dear! I was wondering if Rescue Remedy might calm him but sounds as if you'd have trouble getting him to take it! I wonder if the vet could find a sedative which might make him sleepy enough? Although of course if it has to be done regularly he'd end up in a permanent daze. I was thinking of something like a Rohypnol for cats.... :(

Mine are both quite small so I can wrap them in an old towel to restrain them if necessary.
Neither of them like to be picked up or held, one is a rescue cat who is missing the top bit of her tail, and the other who is 20 will sit on my knee but as soon as I move she's off. They will happily sit near me and the dogs.

 

Yep, that's about the size of it! I've done the doggy position thing on him when I had to clean up a wound on his head recently but it was a bit of a tussle.

It's not the actual stuff he minds on the Frontline or Drontal drops but having someone do something at the back of him where they're out of sight.

Yet he lets me trim the tips off his claws front and back, for my own protection. First few times were a bit of a drama but now he lets me turn him on his back beside me on the settee and snip away without much more than a small protest, no struggles. So perhaps as time goes on and I win his confidence he'll change. One can only hope.

My problem is that because I have a strictly 'hands on approach, unlike my sister who is the complete opposite and believes that animals should be left to live as naturally as possible(!!!!), my cats have usually submitted to all my attentions and I'v even bathed a few of them regularly. So I guess what I'm saying is that I'm just so unaccustomed to this.

 

Interesting you say Drontal drops? I thought they only came in tablets! :confused: The tablets are huge as well ... just to make matters worse! Do you administer via the mouth ... force mouth open and quicky squirt? That would be preferable to a table being spat up a couple of ties! :eek:

My cats have passports so one has to treat them, like it or not!

 

I knew someone who put their cat in a wellyboot to give him worming tabs - any good do you think? I know it sounds a bit drastic but might be worth a try! Good luck

 

Your quite right Marge, the welly boot trick does work...its a horrid fact that farmers used to put Tom cats into the boot head first and then castrate them. Michaelmasdaisy my heart goes out to you, when we have difficult cats at the surgery we use the towel wrap method, this does require 2 people, once the cat is wrapped tightly turn the cat onto his back and they do give in. I would get intouch with your vet again, is it possible to take the cat daily for the nurses to dose, we don't make any charge at our surgery for nurses treatment, I wish I was near to you, I would gladly come and give you a hand. Good luck I hope you find a solution.

Poppy

 

Ah, bless you, Poppy! Unfortunately, my vet's a good trek and I work so that's not really on either. All good suggestions, though. I nmight even try the welly boot, never heard of that before!

The Drontal drops go on the back of the neck, just like Frontline. Would never get him dosed, otherwise!

 

A tip I tried with my two cats was to lift them by the scruff,and a hand underneath and put both forepaws on a table, and take away the hand underneath. They seem to freeze for a while -

 

Often done that with other cats and it's magic to see them go into that 'cat'atonic trance .... but try it with a 14lb moggie!!!

Anyway I took him to the vet's this afternoon. Now the vet I go to I've patronised for almost 6 years. They had their main animal hospital ina neighbouring town with this satellite surgery where I would go. They've been great and I liked and trusted them very much. But earlier this year, they sold the satellite to another vet and the last time I took Tom was the first time I'd been to the new regime.

The first thing I found was that I was being told I'd 'got to' get the Canaural in even though I told him all the things I'd been trying and how I'd even tried the 'doggie' position once but could no longer because I now have a badly arthritic knee and can't kneel. He said he'd give me tablets (cortisone) to calm the inflammation and I said he wouldn't let me put tablets in his mouth at which point the slammed his hands down on the table and said angrily "Then I can't treat him!"

No consideration of how he could help, no suggestions, no let's think about this! I thought his attitude stinks so when I got home, I rang the original vet who is about 10 miles away and asked them if they'd let me go there which they have happily agreed to. So I now have an appointment for tomorrow afternoon for a second opinion .

Sad, isn't it?

And TomTom? He's steering well clear of me at the moment - can't think why!!

 

I hope you didn't have to pay this inconsiderate idiot with no "bedside" manners?

 

Hope you kicked him in the knee cap with your good knee :D He won't be in bussiness long with that attitude. I do hope you get on ok with your other vet.

 

The "lifting by the scruff" technique is also one, that should not be done too often, although it is always handy!

Where does he sleep? What I mean is, does he tend to doze off next to you when watching telly or something? Our guys are very good at that, and it is dead handy for administering "external medicines" like frontline or indeed stuff for the ears - kitty settles nicely next to me for a nap, unaware that I have his or her dose handy within reach, so minimum movement from me is required to pick up the medicine and "slosh" it on. Of course, to get anywhere near the inner ear what you have to do is being not only quick but very accurate - touch one hair inside the ear and he's off!
On the downside, in the course of 6 month you may only be able to use this trick once, as he will not come back to snooze next to you for quite some time after such abuse of his trust! :D