Ear Drops - Cat - All Round Heartbreak

MissFlitworth

Our cat has ear mites and also an allergy to ear mites so he's on a saline solution to clean his ears, medicated drops and tablets. He absolutely hates people being at his ears and we are really, pathetically upset at having to do it to him (poor little fluffer fights like a bear and now panics when he sees the saline syringe come out)

Current method is this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmYojSOJcOw

but with cat wrapped in a towel. However our cat wriggles like a maniac (we were watching the video last night, practically in hysterics, going "That cat is DRUGGED!! Look at it, just standing there!!'), claws and tries his best to escape. We're a little scared of hurting the poor guy.

Anyone have a tried and tested method of getting drops into 'difficult' cats? We're so worried he's going to hate us forever after doing this to him twice a day for the next two weeks. There were some heartbreaking 'why are you doing this to me' miaows going on and I spent a solid 10 minutes after going "sorry, so sorry, sorry, I just don't want your ears to fall off, sorry, don't hate me, the vet made me do it, sorry" to him like he potentially might understand me.

ABajaninCork

Have you tried 'treating' him with a bit of cheese, ham or whatever's his favourite? Do his ears first, then give him a high value treat.

Other than that - not a lot you can do, really. I used to have to give mine tablets every day. Eventually, I could give them to him without wrapping him up. But it took a while...

BTW - Are you wrapping the cat properly, so that he can't scratch??

MissFlitworth

He's not a really a food-oriented cat at all, if you try him with a piece of cheese or something he sort of looks at it, smacks it a bit and visibly raises a 'What?' eyebrow at you He does like the occasional Dreamy though so might just completely restrict those to ear time.

Quite possibly we didn't wrap him properly the first few times because were totally flustered at having to do it at all to him. He managed to retract all his bones inwards or somesuch and wriggle out through the hole his head was popping out of. Will try be more calm for this nights dose and properly swaddle him

Pumpkinseeds

I know it's awful when you feel like you're stressing them out. 1 of our cats had a polyp in his ear that took over a year of treatment, surgeries etc and he is totally paranoid about his ear. If we even stroke his ears he runs off. I think the ears are the worst part of the body to have to treat. We used to have to put drops in his ears and Mr P would hold him so that his back paws were against Mr P's chest and his front paws were firmly under Mr P's forearm. Like a very tight bear hug I suppose, while I put the drops in his ear.

The main thing for us was to try to get it done as quickly as possible and to try not to stress out about it. If you are stressed they will pick up on it and be even more worried. I always remind myself that any treatment they get at the vets is done as rapidly as possible to minimise stress. I also remind myself that I'm doing what's best for him. So be calm, do it fast and as gently as possible then stress afterwards I suppose. If he isn't food oriented you could try playing with his favourite toy and just giving him lots of fuss:)

Morf

I have a cat with ear canker.

How do you get the ointment right down the ear canal?

I was poking the soft rubber nozzle all over the inside of her ear but couldn't find a method to get it down the ear canal.

I just gave up after the first failed effort. I wasn't even at the vet to see how he did it initially.

ABajaninCork

Morf wrote: »

I have a cat with ear canker.

How do you get the ointment right down the ear canal?

I was poking the soft rubber nozzle all over the inside of her ear but couldn't find a method to get it down the ear canal.

I just gave up after the first failed effort. I wasn't even at the vet to see how he did it initially.

You have to wrap the cat up in a towel. Get someone to help hold him. Wrap him tightly, so that he can't scratch. Then you get the medicine and squeeze the dose into the cat's ear.

MissFlitworth

Morf wrote: »

I have a cat with ear canker.

Oof that sounds sore. Poor ould cats and their ears.

Morf wrote: »

How do you get the ointment right down the ear canal?

I was poking the soft rubber nozzle all over the inside of her ear but couldn't find a method to get it down the ear canal.

Have a look at this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmYojSOJcOw

Nurse is behind the cat, ear is folded backwards. That's what we've been doing so that we can see the ear canal and get the nozzle in

rannerap

my kitten had ear mites when we got her and I understand exactly how you feel. especially when she cries and you feel terrible! she has gotten a bit better over time and now lets me near her ears much more than she used to. two man job and wrapping her in a towel was how we first started treating it. Earlier she let me at it to clean some of the crap out without any real fight. it does get easier!