I got Isabelle Friday evening. I have only seen her eat one peice of dry food. She is sick, so she may not want to eat. But this morning i took some food from her dish and put it in front of her on the floor. she ate it, so i put some more, and she ate it. Why would she eat it off the floor but not in her bowl?
Also I am suppose to give her medicene, twice a day. Its pink liquid stuff. I have to go in on the side of her mouth by the cheek. I swear more ends up on me, then in her throat. Any suggestions? I'm worried she wont be getting the medicene she needs. Thanks
What was wrong with her again? Why is she taking medicine? Is she drinking water? If she is drinking water, she is probably fine until the medicine starts kicking in. I don't know how to tell you to get more down her throat! Cats are so hard to give medicine to...just the further back you can get it the better. Sorry, not much help here
I'm sure you are already doing all of this, but I know I usually try to do it all at one time, because my cat is trying to kill me, so doing a little bit at a time is better if your cat will stand for it.
Here's How:
1. Shake the bottle well and draw the prescribed dosage into the dropper.
2. Hold the cat securely in your left (non-dominant) arm, while gently grasping the sides of his cheeks with your left thumb and forefinger.
3. Tilt his head back until his mouth drops open slightly.
4. While holding his head securely in this position, using your right hand, place the tip of the dropper into the side of the cat's mouth and squeeze about half the liquid onto his tongue.
5. When his smacking and swallowing stops, repeat step 4 until he has gotten the entire dosage.
6. Give his muzzle a little wipe-down with a damp paper towel to clean away any spilled sticky stuff.
7. Rinse the dropper well with clear water and store the medicine in the refrigerator, or as the label directs.
Tips:
Do not try to shoot the whole dose at once into the back of the cat's throat, as this may cause choking or vomiting.
If necessary, you can hold the cat's mouth closed with his head tipped back to encourage swallowing.
Do not discontinue medication because the cat appears to be getting better. Antibiotics should be given for their full course, unless discontinued by your veterinarian.
In addition to what Jawlaw said, I have another tip that may help, depending on how hard she is fighting you over the medicine. Sit down on the floor, and put the cat between your legs. Turn the cat so that she is facing away from you, and then move your legs into a crossed legged position, but keep your knees tilted up a bit and use your knees/thighs to hold down the cat's shoulders. Does that explanation make sense? Once you have her securely in place, then follow Jawlaw's tips for administering the meds. Good luck (I have cats, so I know you most certainly need luck on your side ).
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"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
Here is another helpful hint on how to hold a cat who tends to fight you & try to get away. Sit down and have a large bath towel laid across your lap. Have the cat come onto you lap for some lovins & quickly wrap her body, except for her head, up in the towel. This helps alot and saves you from getting scratched and for some reason I have found that alot of times it even tends to calm them somewhat. Once wrapped up use Protodogs method of holding her and that way you'll have both hands free to give her the meds.
As for her not eating out of her dish, some cats are really fussy and she just may not like the dish her food is in. Experiment with different types of dishes and if all else fails, put some food on the floor by the dish at least until you know she is all better so that she is getting some nourishment which she'll need to get better.
Denise is right about the towel trick; it works really well. If you use the towel for the meds, I suggest also getting it out for good stuff like treats so that Izzy won't associate the towel with impending meds.
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"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
Ooh..the towel thing. That is a good idea. Also, when I first brought home my dog, he would not eat out of the bowl either. He would only eat off the floor. Your new baby will probably start eating out of a bowl when she gets hungry enough and gets use to it.
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"Thought is an invisible and subtle power that mocks all the efforts of tyranny." Alexis de Tocqueville
