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Help re how to put eye drops in NERVOUS cat

6.2K views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  Calvine  
#1 ·
Hi
Can anyone give me advice on how to put eye drops in a cat who will not let you net him with nothing remotely looking like eye drops!
I've tried feeding him and wearing him out until he's sleepy, but ad soon as you touch him with intent he's like something out of the exorcist! Then hides until you go out.
A vet trip would just be even more stress, but may be necessary if I can't do this.
teds got conjunctivitis again and really needs some drops in.
Thanks
 
#2 ·
With our old cat we used to wrap him up tight in a thick towel and then kneel down wedging him between our legs. This would mostly immobilise the body but you needed to keep a tight grip to prevent limbs escaping. Then, this would free up your hand a little. I'd have one on the scruff, tilting back the head and trying to keep it still and the other to squirt eyedrops in the general direction of the eye and pray that it went in. Then I'd have a piece of ham waiting to give him :)
 
#3 ·
If you can get someone to help it gets easier. He needs scruffing which looks nasty but isn't - that is a hand firmly holding his scruff, at the top of his neck, and another hand holding his front paws. Two more hands pull the lower eyelid down and dot a bit of ointment in - put the ointment on a finger first rather than wave a tube near his eye.

Then give him his absolute favourite treat.
 
#5 ·
Eye drops are very tricky. Only one of my kittens will allow me to do it. She will even keep her eyes open after the drops are in waiting for me to close them and massage. The other two make no struggle at all if I clip their nails or bath them or drop tablets down their throats, but with eye drops they freak out :eek:

I am a strong believer in not restraining cats. It's less stressful for all concerned if they are trained into accepting the treatments without force. But, in this case, I am with Dave and have found that towel wrapping is sometimes necessary for eye drops. :(
 
#7 ·
With our old cat we used to wrap him up tight in a thick towel and then kneel down wedging him between our legs. This would mostly immobilise the body but you needed to keep a tight grip to prevent limbs escaping. Then, this would free up your hand a little. I'd have one on the scruff, tilting back the head and trying to keep it still and the other to squirt eyedrops in the general direction of the eye and pray that it went in. Then I'd have a piece of ham waiting to give him :)
Agree...even with the strait jacket it can be a two man job. Most of mine have been OK but one was lethal. If I was alone I used to put the cone of shame on her which more or less stopped her front claws from getting me, then stand her on the table with her back end up against me (so she could not do a backflip and dive off backwards) then hold her firmly by the scruff of her neck with her chin in the air :eek:.