any advice gratefully received!!

I see you use the same tricks as me, Wishaw! :D :D

 

Wishaw - you read my mind! (And Tom's!) I have indeed done that but, as you say, he only let's you get away with it once!!

Which brings me to today's episode in the saga. I took Tom to the other vet and a very nice young lady had a good look right down his ear (with a proper speculum on the auroscope - the other vet three weeks ago only used an ordinary short one)and after a loooong look, announced that there was pus and exudate at the bottom, right next to the ear drum!! Poor lamb must have been in agony!

So she gave him an injection of long acting anti-inflammatories and some antibitotic capsules which I can open and sprinkle on his food. I'm to return next week and if it's not improved, he's to have a deep toilet and lavage of his ear under GA.

Then came the BIG mistake - having got home, I realised I need to pop down the shop for something so right outside my gate, I got him out of his basket and let him out of the car. I've done this with cats countless times before but this time, he just sat where I placed him on the pavement and watched me go with this look of perplexed dismay on his face (can cats have a look of perplexed dismay???!)

When I got back from the shop he was still out in the road and my neighbour said he had been crying out loud ever since I left. She had been doing her best to console him to no avail and when I arrived, he wouldn't have anything to do with me!

Even now, at 2130, he's been in briefly for a feed but if I make a move towards him he scoots out of the catflap quicker than a rat! Heaven knows what I'm going to do with him! This is going to call for some serious strategy work!!

 

I know just where you are coming from, one of my cats Oscar is the sweetest animal in the world, loves fuss and you can tell he adores me and BF... However if we try to restrain him in any way he just goes mad.

He is a rescue cat and lives wild for a good year having been dumped as a kitten before the CP got him.

Anyhow I can not offer any advice, the last time I had him in a cat basket was about 18 months ago when I got him in by the scruff of the neck. The last time I tried to restrain him was 15 months ago when he was due to go into the cattery and he knew there was something up and would not come near us. I now have a lovely 'cat sitter' who comes in when we are on holiday and feeds them etc for us and I just dread the day he needs to go to the vets. The only way I can worm and flee him is stuff in his food (crushed up in tuna)

I did get some sedative from the vets to try - which worked - till I tried to get hold of him when he seemed to come out of 'sleepyness' straight away and ran away. This obviously means that he does not get his annual booster but to be honest we feel that it is a risk we are happy to take as we really have no way of getting hold of him.

 

Well, this morning, TomTom seems to be coming out of his super anxiety state a little. Last night I got him on my alp for a cuddle but his littel paws were sweating buckets while he was there! Aww!

sAnyway, this morning he's laying on his stool next to me and occasionally looks up at me as if trying to figure it all out. I'm supposed to be giving him antibiotics twice a day. I sprinkle the powder on his food last night - no way!! But I'm not trying it today. Be much too risky. The 'peace' is just too tenuous.

 

I hope for both your sakes he is better soon- it sounds stressful for you both. He looks a lovely cat .

 

In 42 years of looking after all sorts of strays and other unfortunate but adorable and loving cats, I have only twice come up with a similar problem and on both occasions have had to resort to the daily visit to the vet. On the first occasion I was heavily involved with both the vet and the RSPCA in nursing post operative road traffic accidents and similar cases - most of which I ended up owning or did they own me?) as no one wants a lop-eared cat or one with three usable legs! As this was the siuation I only paid for the medication. The last occasion was very recently with a terminal little 18-20 year old and the practice was opposite my house fortunately and they again only charged for the medication! I think they can be very kind at these country veterinary surgeries. As I had at least 25 - 28 cats for a number of years you can imagine I was very grateful! However, I can only suggest that this is the best answer to the problem because as a previous member comments, when in the surgery they do take the treatment with less stress. I think this is very true of a cat who has suffered in the past as they cannot understand why their beloved owner suddenly attacks them in this way. Very many wishes for Tom Tom's improvement as soon as possible. He is such a lovely "little" chap!