Oh Molly that’s rotten for you I’m so sorry to read this @TonyG Can you burrito her? Can you enlist anyone else to help? I don’t know anything about eyes I’m afraid but I want to send Molly a big GWS kiss. Hope you’re okay too, how stressful for you both.

 

Oh poor Molly, sounds like a stressful day but you were right to follow your instincts and get her seen.
I don't know any cats that like eye drops Its bad enough having them as humans but she won't understand. I expect you have some antibiotic drops and the gel is to keep it soothed and moisturised so pretty important, but then we live in the real world! I would do them as many times out of the 3 x daily as you feasibly can x

 

Milo had eye drops for 6 weeks, but I did have assistance, he was very good but did seem to have about 10 legs when we held him. If you can swaddle her in a blanket, then kneel on the floor, tuck her between your thighs to hold her, then you have 2 hands free for the drops. Worth a try?

 

Oh poor Molly. I hate it when there’s something wrong with their eyes. I’m glad she’s home and hopefully recovering from her ordeal.

A lovely vet friend has always scared me a bit about eyes and said that they can so easily get worse if not dealt with properly so I always try to deal with them. I would absolutely try your best to do the drops. I think it’s important.

I’m having to do Grace atm and I tend to sneak up on her when she’s asleep to do it but I always have her favourite treat ready for immediately afterwards too.

If I have to hold her to do it I lay her across my lap and hold her down with my arms/elbows whilst holding her head and doing the drops. However my vet friend tends to sit behind the cat using her knees to hold and tilt the head back. I’ve not found that as easy though.

Good luck!!!

 

Poor Molly, wonder how that has happened. It’s right, eyes are very delicate and the smallest thing is worth checking out. That must be very uncomfortable for her. You can only do your best if there’s no-one to help. The only other thing I can think of is whether you could take her to your vets just once a day for a nurse to do it, Then if you’ve got help later in the day, at least that’s 2 out of 3.

 

It’s a 20 minutes ish car journey so I think daily stress of that would be even worse.

Will have to persevere as best I can I suppose

 

Many thanks all. Will try and persist with the drops but I think she’s going to be very twitchy after a couple of goes.

No idea how the injury happened. Presumably she went through undergrowth and something scratched it, is all I can think?

 

Poor Molly but wasn't it "lucky" there's a local specialist eye hosp for her to be seen and treated so quickly.
Good luck, it's so stressful for both of you.

 

Poor Molly but wasn't it "lucky" there's a local specialist eye hosp for her to be seen and treated so quickly.
Good luck, it's so stressful for both of you.

True! Although the receptionist was slightly out with the vet/nurse who referred her there and not their own hospital.

I wonder if reading between the lines she didn’t feel their hospital has the expertise.

The conversation sort of went: ‘well we have that equipment at xxxx’

‘Yes but by the time he drives there it’s only 15 minutes to the other one - anyway this needs treating today’

So a bit left unsaid there maybe?

 

Managed to get the gel in just now anyway, battle shall resume in the morning! 😾

 

Oh poor Molly I hope she makes a speedy recovery!

 

Thank goodness you brought her in. I would say the drops are essential. Wrap her up and use a very special treat before and after the drop. A treat that is used for nothing else. Preferably something she can lick off your finger or a spoon. Does she like yogurt?

 

Not really, she’s quite meh about dairy 🙄

I’ll see what I can come up with!

 

I would also suggest keeping her inside for the duration. It might be a rough time, but you'll both get through it.

 

Oh dear Miss Molly - you been in the wars ? Chasing volses in the undergrowth ?

Sending lots of PF vibes that she will let you apply the drops and gel and that her eye heals quickly.

 

Poor Molly. Hopefully shes feeling a lot better today

 

I’m hoping you’ve had a good sleep after your ordeal yesterday Molly. Let your dad put those drops in please!

@TonyG if you google the “helpful Vancouver vet” dr yuri has lots of good YouTube videos, there might be one on giving drops. It’s where we learnt to pill Oscar.

 

Huck’s favourite medicine treat was butter (he had his own lickable tub 😹)

Grace’s is Feliway happy snack (like lick e lix) which has the added bonus to make her feel happier too. I figured it might make the drops less stressful.

Little H loves a brush so if he’s dropped he has a brush straight away after.

 

Thanks all. Did manage to do the drops and gel last night but only one dose of drops today so far.
Quite how I explain to a cat that wants to just run off and hide after that I need to put gel in five minutes later I don’t know!

Treats are all very well but she isn’t in any mood for eating after treatment, so I don’t know.

I’m just very crap at this but will persevere as best I can

 

My vet gave me the number of a local ex vet nurse who will come to you for nail trims and other things you can't manage on your own.
Just wondering if your vet has something similar.
You have to pay obviously, but might be worth thinking about. You could watch her to see how she manages it with a reluctant patient.

 

It did cross my mind however they shut early Saturday and obviously not open tomorrow so kind of limited until Monday at least

 

That's a really good idea @Cully

 

Sorry to hear Molly has been in the wars.

Jammy had to have the same treatment as a kitten - and will admit it was not the easiest thing in the world. Looking back I'm not sure how much of the drops and gel I actually got in her eye, but it must have been enough as it healed. Guess what I'm saying (and hoping) is that it felt like there was a bit of a margin for error in the treatment amount!

Hopefully it might get easier as Molly gets used to it too...

 

I think if there’s a specialist vet nearby they will refer them as a matter of course as they have expert knowledge. We had the same with Toppy and an eye problem a few years ago when we were at our previous vets and they referred us to an ophthalmic specialist vet at the practice we‘re at now. We were so impressed with her, we changed to her practice. They now have two specialists.

Hope Molly’s OK and you’re getting skilled at giving the drops and gel Tony and she’s getting more tolerant 🤞.

 

Just found this: poor Molly, but good you got her seen so quickly as eyes are very delicate. Two of mine have had to have eye drops, fortunately two laid-back characters. I have one whose eyes I have fortunately not had to treat - she is like a contortionist and seems to grow legs at the back of her neck. Not sure how quickly I would adapt to life with half an arm.
If she is as crafty as Lola, who is as sly as a fox, giving her a treat in advance would just forewarn her that the drops/cream were imminent. I hope her ordeal (and yours!) Is soon over.

 

Thanks all. The treatment plan hasn’t been smooth sailing.
She knows instantly now it’s coming, struggles and screws her eyes tightly shut.
Did manage to give her the three doses of the AB drops yesterday and one so far today.
The gel five minutes after? Just honestly no chance. She runs off and hides briefly but does forgive me quickly, but I can’t stress her out six times a day.
Did think today maybe keep her in the towel burrito for five then do the other but absolutely zero chance - as soon as it was done she sprouted a dozen legs and wanted to run off.

The eye vet wanted her to have a check up with our vet’s on Monday, although said Tuesday is okay if no issues appear.
I am very busy with work tomorrow but might try and see if I can get her there in the afternoon to discuss the medication difficulties and have the eye checked.

I will say as far as I (!) can see (ffs too many eye words!) the eye looks fine so far.

 

Btw, not that Molly is in any shape aggressive towards me during the drops and so far hasn’t even sworn at me, she just uses all 90 limbs to try and escape 🙄

 

Hope you get to see your vet tomorrow so he can maybe advise on getting the drops in easier. Sounds like it's stressing you both. Well done for persisting though. I'm sure she must be getting enough to make some difference. Well done Molly.

 

I must say, @TonyG, that screwing her eyes closed is a real stroke of genius, even by crafty feline standards. Not sure even Lola would think of that. She might.
What always used to bug me about a cat, now departed, who would play up whatever you tried to do to her: whenever she went to the vet, she was his absolute best mate and would gaze adoringly at him and you could almost hear her saying: "Thank you so much for caring - my owner really isn't much use."

 

I must say, @TonyG, that screwing her eyes closed is a real stroke of genius, even by crafty feline standards. Not sure even Lola would think of that. She might.
What always used to bug me about a cat, now departed, who would play up whatever you tried to do to her: whenever she went to the vet, she was his absolute best mate and would gaze adoringly at him and you could almost hear her saying: "Thank you so much for caring - my owner really isn't much use."

Haha, didn’t think of that but yes she’s not a silly puss.
Knows how to operate door handles although they’re a bit stiff in the house so she mostly just swings off them.

Also the first time I put her in a carrier for a routine vet trip, I put it down on the carpet while I nipped to the loo, came back and there was a determined paw trying to work the catch 🙄