Try a little respect
Every year i round up my three cats, stuff them into boxes, and haul them, yowling and scared, off to the vets. I am also supposed to bring a stool sample. I call this "the herd and a turd."
This year they all needed three shots of some liquid worming medicine. They each got the first dose at the vets. For the next dose, i enlisted the help of the Mister to hold them down while i forced a syringe between their little gritted teeth. They did not accept this placidly. Especially our girl cat who is normally so skittish and timid. I even wrapped her in a towel but she fought like a wildcat and scratched the crap out of the Mister's arm. I think all three of them spit out more than they received.
I dreaded the next dose, but i am very obedient when it comes to Doctor's orders. So i thought i would try a different approach.
I sat down next to Betsy (the aforementioned wildcat) and explained it to her calmly. "Look Betsy, you have worms in your butt. I need you to take this medicine so you will be all better," and on like that in what i hoped was a soothing tone. I showed her the syringe and let her sniff it. And damn if she didn't just sit there and let me give her the medicine. I wasn't even holding her
The same approach worked with the boys too. I wish i had thought of this a long time ago, although i wonder if it will work next time.
I feel like the Cat Whisperer.
This year they all needed three shots of some liquid worming medicine. They each got the first dose at the vets. For the next dose, i enlisted the help of the Mister to hold them down while i forced a syringe between their little gritted teeth. They did not accept this placidly. Especially our girl cat who is normally so skittish and timid. I even wrapped her in a towel but she fought like a wildcat and scratched the crap out of the Mister's arm. I think all three of them spit out more than they received.
I dreaded the next dose, but i am very obedient when it comes to Doctor's orders. So i thought i would try a different approach.
I sat down next to Betsy (the aforementioned wildcat) and explained it to her calmly. "Look Betsy, you have worms in your butt. I need you to take this medicine so you will be all better," and on like that in what i hoped was a soothing tone. I showed her the syringe and let her sniff it. And damn if she didn't just sit there and let me give her the medicine. I wasn't even holding her
The same approach worked with the boys too. I wish i had thought of this a long time ago, although i wonder if it will work next time.
I feel like the Cat Whisperer.
31 comments:
Okay I'm gonna get shot for this but put a quarter or a half of valium (xanax works too) in cheese or deli ham. Pills and shots go musch easier. One of my dogs has his own prescription for valium from the vet.
One of my cats is like your Betsy, and ya know, I honestly NEVER thought of doing it that way! Thanks for the tip!
...love your show, by the way!
~Emily (long time lurker, first time pearl-dropper)
LOL!
We just had a similar vet visit with our two cats -
And we had a similar discussion about ear mites and drops -
LOL .. That's great, Meno!
ttq, really? I never would have thought of that. I'll ask the vet about it for next time.
hi Emily, thanks for outing yourself. I will be sure to thank you when i get my Emmy. :)
d-zen, and did the discussion do any good?
gordo, i know i'm surprised that it worked.
Thanks for the recipe. I'll be trying it VERY soon. One needs an excuse to work out after all. That's amazing, the cat whispering...
I doubt if my cats would do anything but freak when faced with meds, no matter what I did, per usual, but we have a visiting vet, who comes over to the house, James Herriot style.
Reminds me of 'grumpy old men' when the one guy tells his neighbor 'your cat pooped on my step!' and the response is 'who says you can't train a cat?'
I am impressed, oh wise Cat Whisperer. You have mighty amazing skills. If I ever have a cat again, I'm coming to you for advice and encouragement.
My Mom mixes the liquid in with canned food and lets them scarf it up. They don't even notice the difference.
I found out about this method with boy #2- since he was 2 he has taken medicine if you let him control it!
Doesn't work with my dog though! We have to shove his monthly heartworm pill down- one 11 lb dog + 2 adults + one pill= NO FUN!
I am one of the luckiest people alive. My vet takes care of the normal pets, but also does large-animal care. Because people can't bring their cows or horses to the office, they do HOUSE CALLS!! For the cost of ONE office visit, they come to my house and treat ALL FOUR of my cats at once! Usually, it takes me two trips (I can't manage all four cats in the car at once) so I end up paying two office visits AND I have to listen to them scream, holler and puke for the half hour it takes to get to the vet. I love that they'll come to me....
You're a genius. Get started on that cat whisperer book and training program!
I am currently on my second vet since moving in with the folks. I had a disagreement with the first over a stool sample. He wanted one to check for worms, but the rude bastard didn't offer to buy me dinner first. By the second visit, I had a big red flag on my records that read "CAUTION BITES". The final incident involved a muzzle over my head while I spun around in backwards circle until I fell off the exam table and cornered the vet, two assistants and bit Mister Hombre.....I guess I' just don't play well with others, but whisper away.
Would you like to come to my house and have the fireside chat with Socks and Mooky?!!!
*bowing down* - I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!
Anyone who can get a cat to behave - with their ever so independent attitudes - is a goddess in my book.
Well, as weird as it might sound, that makes perfect sense to me ~ especially the sniffing part. :)
Peace,
~Chani
You ARE the Cat Whisperer - dogs I can do, cats, WHOA, when the vet would tell me to home medicate I would always say "You do realize it won't happen, right?"
Who needs Cesar Millan when we have Meno? Dogs are simple, one dimensional beasts... cats? Now THAT is impressive.
That's hilarious. I had to give my kitty anti-anxiety drugs everyday. Everyday. Eventually I learned how to shove the pills down her throat without flinching.
(oops I think you know my real name now!! Shhhhh!)
It worked really? That's frickin amazing. I am impressed.
Hot damn! I wish somebody had told me that before I took a cat to the vet's years ago. In a 5-minute drive, it managed to shed 5 lbs. of hair and shit inside the cute little gym bag the vet suggested for transporting him. So he wouldn't freak out. Or I wouldn't be scratched to death.
I like it.
Meno, the cat whisperer.
go with it.
And we just watched "Babe" here, in which the pig proves that all you have to do is ask and even stupid sheep will take direction.
And, meno, I thought you already had an Emmy.
caro, you can use crab or shrimp too. enjoy.
gr, that's a great movie scene!
joan, who knows if it will work next time. It just amazed me that it worked at all.
tink, the problem with that is only one of my cats is a scarfer. He's end up with all 3 doses.
toni, amazing how one small dog can defeat two people.
mrs.chili, i'd pay double for that! Cats in the car are no fun.
lucia, like a cat, i am too lazy to write a book. I just wanna nap.
patches, sounds like you won that round! Good kitty.
moi, only if they'll let me keep my fingers.
maggie, i am as surprised as you are.
chani, i guess the proof will come next time. It does make sense, but then life seldom does, so we'll see.
qt, we once had to give two cats a bath every day for a week. i remember asking the vet if she had ever bathed a cat. "No." I KNEW IT!
joan, Cats are quite a bit more difficult, in my experience.
bo, no worries, your secret is safe w/me. Anti-anxiety drugs? I hope the cat shared.
u-u, you and me both sister.
ortizzle, ha ha. that's funny. I mean it's funny that it happened to you, not me.
jen, maybe a line of cat whisperer t-shirts?
amusing, i love that movie. I swear i am such a sucker. I get all misty eyed at the end. Awww, you are right, i have the best Emmy in the world.
lol.. a whole new career awaits ya? ;)
I gotta try that with our cat's anti-fur-ball medicine. The vet said to squeeze some on my finger, like toothpaste, and shove it down her throat.
Yeah.
Like I'D like that, either.
The contortions that one often has to go through to give medicine to our animal friends can be quite amusing...how great that you figured out a better way!
Okay, "the turd and the herd?" You MUST make up tee shirts and sell them to vets all over the country. I don't care if you're already rich. (presumption, yes, but I just presume someone as smart as you with great grammar and cool shots of floors with Italian tile isn't living in a trailer.)
Second, I CAN'T wait to say to my children "Look, you have worms in your butt. I need you to take this medicine so you will be all better"
Wow! You are the Cat Whisperer for sure. I am a big advocate of treating animals as if they are intelligent because I believe they are, and that they understand a lot more than we credit them with.
But I have never had a cat who took medicine willingly. It takes two of us to clip Truffle's claws, and if medicine can't be hidden in food, she never cooperates.
Next time, I intend to tell her about Betsy.
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