I've managed to get through the first attempt at giving the cat his antibiotic via his ears. The entire operation reminds me of an "I Love Lucy" set up.
I've delivered antibiotics three times. That's just three ears, not two ears times three sessions. I still have to do his left ear for this morning's run.
Last night Ed came to lay on the trestle table as I worked at the computer. I stoked him to lull him to sleep, and I rubbed his ears to get him accustomed to my touching him. Luckily, in the past he's let me rub just inside his ears, so I thought this method of delivering antibiotics might work.
When the cat was snoozing, I put some of the cream on my index finger and tried to slide it in past the hair. For it to work, the antibiotic needs to be on the part of his inner ear that is hairless. I delivered the meds, and the cat whirled to his feet and rapidly shook his ear, sending bits of cream everywhere.
Okay.....so you have to massage it into the crooks and crannies.
I did his left ear later in the evening. I got more into his ear, but he still was working against me.
This morning, he wanted to go out. He came to me at the computer to make his wishes known, and I loved him up. He sat on the tube of antibiotic. I stroked him some more, to keep him there, until I could fish out the tube. I put the cream on my right index finger, and was trying to bring my arm around his right side when he flicked his tail.
Now we have cream on his tail, and on my finger. Have you ever tried to scoop up a soft cream from cat fur??
I took the antibiotic I had and stuffed my finger in his ear. He tried to get away, but I managed to gently restrain him, and stroked his inner ear. He let me do it. I was astonished!
I think I'm going to need help at least for one of the two sessions a day. I can't see Ed being patient enough to let me do this for the long term without help.
I'm going to go now and wipe down everything at the computer table.
You have to know how much I love this cat to go through this.
Comments (21)
It DOES sound like Lucy. What a hoot! It's too bad that the medicine isn't to be taken internally. You could just put a dab on a paw to let Ed lick it off!
Bogie will speak up to tell me if I'm all wet (that's what good daughters do for their mothers!), but I would try draping something over Ed's head--except for the ear that you want to work on. I have no idea why I think it might work, but I know that CC won't even TRY to get out of the cat carrier if she feels a weight on her head--she thinks she's trapped even when the top is completely open, so she just looks through the side panels.
Good luck!
Posted by Cop Car | April 3, 2005 8:35 PM
Posted on April 3, 2005 20:35
Sounds like you may be getting a bigger dose of the antibiotic than he is! Should you wear plastic gloves do you think?
Posted by Blue Witch | April 4, 2005 4:34 AM
Posted on April 4, 2005 04:34
At least you are off to a good start. The next problem will be, if Ed starts liking his ears rubbed, you may be stuck with a new habit to appease him.
But at least the next round of meds should go easier.
Posted by Wichi Dude | April 4, 2005 7:40 AM
Posted on April 4, 2005 07:40
(grinning) I've discovered the way to do it, but I need a little help. IF I pick Ed up, I can get the meds into his right ear by slipping the tube into the ear and squirting it. But, I can't see his left ear to aim, so I need help with that one.
I asked the pharmacist about putting the cream on my finger tip and then slipping my finger into his ear and massaging. He said that was fine, as long as I wash my hands afterward, so I think I should be safe, BW.
'Dude....yeah, you might have been joking, but he really seems to like having his ears rubbed. It's why we thought about delivering the antibiotic this way. He's not exactly docile, but surely more approachable than he was with the oral meds.
Posted by Buffy | April 4, 2005 2:18 PM
Posted on April 4, 2005 14:18
Cop Car - That is just bizaar. I've only ever had a cat panick if I place something in such a way that it thinks it is trapped.
Posted by bogie | April 5, 2005 4:37 AM
Posted on April 5, 2005 04:37
Ed is just the smarter cat; but, I'm not telling CC that--no need to hurt her feelings! Throwing a cloth over the head used to calm down our poultry (or, are you going to tell me, now, that our poultry were just dumb clucks, too--LOL!) Perhaps I should stick to advising people on airplanes??? *slinking off* *oh, woe is me* *sob*
Hope you're having really great success with the squirting medication into Ed's ears, still. Only 26 more days?
Posted by Cop Car | April 5, 2005 9:19 AM
Posted on April 5, 2005 09:19
P.S. When I slunk off, I went into the back yard to eat worms.
Posted by Cop Car | April 6, 2005 8:13 AM
Posted on April 6, 2005 08:13
Bogie, I've learned the hard way that you don't want to trap Ed, or he'll panic. I had a quilt on my lap and he hopped up to sit with me. I needed to take him to the vet, so I swathed him in the quilt and he went berserk! He actually tore through the top of the quilt, trying to get free.
With the ear medication, I discovered that he is most cooperative if I use less force. I restrain him as lightly as I can, and he (unwillingly) sits still as I rub his ear to move the antibiotic into the ear.
Cop Car.....Are you thinking about becoming a stand up comedian by any chance??
Posted by buffy | April 6, 2005 12:16 PM
Posted on April 6, 2005 12:16
Blame it on my parents, Buffy. They (well, mostly my dad) were always horsing around. Mom always got after Dad for his "monkeyshines", but she loved it. Don't know what made him such a cutup, but I take after him in that way as well as in many other ways. You can always do to me what Mom did to Dad. She would bop him over the head. (Of course, he was much larger and stronger than she. Mom knew that she couldn't really "hurt" him, physically.)
Posted by Cop Car | April 6, 2005 2:09 PM
Posted on April 6, 2005 14:09
Good luck. I had to put ear medicine in my cat's ear for earmites. I just learned to do it quickly. But then that was ear drops. Maybe you can ge tthe antibiotics in liquid form and adminster them with a dropper?
Posted by Susan | April 6, 2005 7:45 PM
Posted on April 6, 2005 19:45
It's not as bad as I feared, Susan. The cream is thin, and I squirt it into his inner ear and then massage the outer ear to work it in. This is a WHOLE lot easier than oral meds!
Cop Car, I gave up "bopping" when I met Dear Husband. His head is so hard that you could hurt your hand or break whatever you chose to bop with! If this is in your genes, did your girls inherit it??
Posted by Buffy | April 7, 2005 1:05 PM
Posted on April 7, 2005 13:05
I don't "bop", I do give WS a slap on the shoulder at times though!
Posted by bogie | April 8, 2005 6:31 AM
Posted on April 8, 2005 06:31
Spousal abuse! Spousal abuse! For shame, Bogie. Your wonderful spouse isn't the size of your grandfather; but, I suspect that his wiry body will take care of itself.
Posted by Cop Car | April 8, 2005 11:03 AM
Posted on April 8, 2005 11:03
Send the family album over, will ya?? I only know what three of you look like!
Posted by Buffy | April 8, 2005 11:41 PM
Posted on April 8, 2005 23:41
Here's a photo of WS. You'll have to depend on Cop Car for a picture of me - I'm the only one that knows how to run a camera around here!
And Yes, Cop Car's definition of a "wirey body" is just a bit off from mine (notice the pot belly).
Posted by bogie | April 9, 2005 5:55 AM
Posted on April 9, 2005 05:55
Ohhhhhh BABY!!! He's a good looking guy, Bogie! There seems to be a trend in the family to collect Hunky Husbands.
Okay CC.....send me one of Bogie, won't you?
Posted by Buffy | April 9, 2005 8:35 PM
Posted on April 9, 2005 20:35
You should have received attachments with the notice that I sent you on the blog spam. If you didn't receive them, I'll send pics again.
Posted by Cop Car | April 10, 2005 6:00 AM
Posted on April 10, 2005 06:00
I could not get the pictures of WS to come up!
Posted by Susan | April 10, 2005 11:26 AM
Posted on April 10, 2005 11:26
Cop Car, I got the attachment of the Cessna quilt, which I like. I love any quilt with stars!
Was there a picture of Bogie, too? I didn't see one.
Posted by Buffy | April 10, 2005 3:54 PM
Posted on April 10, 2005 15:54
The photos were attached to my spam alert. Either you were so upset about the spam that you missed the attachments or the attachments didn't get through. I've sent them, again, by forwarding that e-mail. Please let me know if you still don't get the photos.
Posted by Cop Car | April 10, 2005 11:12 PM
Posted on April 10, 2005 23:12
They came! Thanks for the pictures, Cop Car.
I don't have current pictures to share. I break every camera pointed at me, and it seems that my family is not very camera oriented. There just don't seem to be a lot of shots of me floating around. There is a picture of Dear Husband on a boat in the Chicago harbor, and maybe one of him holding up a wahoo he caught in the South Pacific, somewhere on my blog. I'll have to look for them.
Posted by buffy | April 11, 2005 12:30 AM
Posted on April 11, 2005 00:30