I need help

[nemoraa]

So I have this cat called mocca, she isn't nice, she doesn't like to be picked up and obviously don't mind scratching or biting me if needed to. She is not that difficult actually, she let me pet her and I usually able to cut her claws whiles she's asleep.

The thing is, she is very afraid of other people and basically the outside world. A week ago I brought her to the vet cause it's the time for her vaccine booster. Well, turns out that was a very big mistake on my end, the vet scares her so much she goes into fearful aggression, and the vet is well I should say not very experienced with aggressive cat. When I got home I noticed one of her back claw bleeding, she won't elt me touch it but she is doing fine generally, she eats well and doesn't limp, still running and jumping, but I got concerned so today I brought her to a different vet, making sure the vet is experienced with aggressive cat.

So turns out the claw was still there, it's not torn but probably she hurt some part of it do it's now inflamed, vet gave antibiotics etc, and I need to give here antibiotic cream on the claw. I also need to put the cone of shame because she licks a lot.

Well the thing is I can't put the antibiotic cream, she screams wiggles scratches too, she is also very smart and won't let treats make up for what I'm doing to her, burrito didn't work, she wiggles out of it, she won't let me held her down anyway to warp her in a burrito. Also I did this with my brother, he is the one who aply the cream and holding the back paw and I'm the one holding her body and front paw. It only worked once and idk how to do this anymore, I'm afriad I'll hurt her too if I hold her too tight to prevent her from wiggles out of my hold, she literally screams so I was afraid I'm hurting her. At this point idk what to do anymore I feel like she won't trust me anymore after this but I also need to apply this cream or her claw won't heal, please help me I'm so stressed out by this.

 

[CatladyJan]

Can one of you hold her by the scruff while the other puts on the antibiotic cream?

 

[frocky the cats]

I was maybe thinking that instead of a cream you could request antibiotic pills from your vet instead then maybe put the pills crushed up into the food. When my cat cut his paw he has pills and they were also effective. It would save you alot of bother

 

[silent meowlook]

Just leave her alone. Anything you put on topically will just be licked off. Find a new vet that is fear free certified.

 

[Caspers Human]

"Fear-Free," I agree with but it's more subtle than that, IMO.

It takes a vet who knows how to handle a cat. Sometimes, the vet needs to make the cat take its medicine, so to speak, but it's more important for them to know how to behave around a cat so that the cat doesn't get triggered, unnecessarily.

That's not something you can easily "certify." A person, practically, has to be born with it.
Yes, it is possible to learn how to behave around cats but it takes years of being around cats to learn how to handle them.

The short answer is to find a vet that specializes in cats or, at least, one who has a lot of experience with cats.

When you are interviewing a new vet, ask them whether they can handle cats.

If you get, "Well... Um-m...," as an answer, look for another vet.

 

[nemoraa]

Hello all thank you for the responses, the new vet I went to yesterday to check on her claw was a blessing cause they knew how to handle a scared cat very well, my cat didn't even bolt out or bite or anything, just one hiss and that's all, it might also be because I already put on the collar before coming there.

I also don't know how to hold a cat by the scruff and I'm too afraid it would hurt her anyway orz

I tried to give her the cream again this morning, wearing thick clothes and while she's still not too active because she just woken up, she still screamed etc but we managed to give it to her very fastly. Also tried to clam her down afterwards by giving treats and praising and apologizing to her too. i hope I at least can give her once a day.

I'm not sure about medicine tho because she is not food oriented, mixing it to her food my resulted in her not eating it . The vet actually didn't want to prescribe meds becuase they knew it would he very hard.

 

[Caspers Human]

Assuming good health, no injuries and no skeletal/muscular problems, scruffing isn't hard. Just grab her and hang on for dear life.

Using one hand, get a fistful of fur at the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades and, using the other hand, get a handful just above the pelvis. You're going to have to "manhandle" her but it is unlikely to hurt anything more than her pride.

That fold of loose skin at the back of the neck is where the mama cat would pick up her kittens when she wants to move them so it's okay as long as you don't get any rougher than you have to.

If you are worried about getting scratched and bitten, wear a heavy jacket and leather gloves like the kind that construction workers wear. (Or whatever you have around the house that's similar.)

When you scruff a cat, remember that five out of her six ends are sharp and pointy! Try to keep her head and feet pointed away from you and away from anything else that she can latch onto.

There's another way to restrain a cat if you need to. Throw a blanket or a bath towel over her, roll her up, good and tight like a "kitty burrito" then sit on her. Wear heavy pants and try not to let her bite you in the junk.

There's likely to be some fur flying and some screaming but, sometimes, you just gotta' do what you just gotta' do. Right?

If stuff gets too far out of hand, just put her down, let her go, regroup and make another plan. She'll probably go hide somewhere. Give her some time to calm down and try something else.

 

[cat nap]

I tried to give her the cream again this morning, wearing thick clothes and while she's still not too active because she just woken up, she still screamed etc but we managed to give it to her very fastly. Also tried to clam her down afterwards by giving treats and praising and apologizing to her too. i hope I at least can give her once a day.

This sounds like a very good method nemoraa .
When your cat is sleeping, or napping, or just relaxing...is the best time to apply the cream...and how you did it extremely quickly, too, ..is also excellent.

If you can get one of those long q-tips, or a regular q-tip, and apply the cream to this, and then to the claw area...then it may be easier.

Also, try different things,...like if your cat likes to be pat, then pat her on the head...to Distract her, or if she likes to be Brushed...while she is laying down, sleepy and relaxing...then either you or your brother can apply the cream to her back paw.
If this does not work, with one patting her,...then the method, like you did,... of doing it as fast as possible...when she is sleepy...is the best.
Before she knows what happens, the cream is already applied.

Keep changing the methods, slightly, or the Times you do it, ..so that she does not come to Fear that every time you will pat her, that she will receive cream. Or every time that you brush her, that she will get the cream on the paw. Always give here treats after.
This way, she may come to Accept...or not really know...when the 'times of the applying the cream', are.

Could we see a photo of your cat Mocca? If you have the time.

(PS: "She is not that difficult actually, she let me pet her and I usually able to cut her claws whiles she's asleep."
I knew you could do it,...since cutting claws...or trimming the tips of the claws...of a cat can also be extremely difficult, especially on some cats to avoid cutting the 'quick'...so since you already know how to do this...then applying the cream medications...while she is sleepy is good.)

 

[Cat McCannon]

First, stop stressing. Your cat will pick up on the stress and stress out itself. Relax. Be confident. Your cat will pick up on that and will help it calm down. Never never panic.

Next, learn how to squish your cat

The trick to handling your cat is to keep in mind what's going on with their paws and head. Keep their legs pinned so they can't claw you. You can feel what a cat's going to do with their legs so you can anticipate what they'll do. Keep watch of their head so you can anticipate the bite and avoid it. I find rolling my hand & arm in then away works against biting as long as you don't let them get their claws into you.

You will get scratched. Dealing with a cat is a knife fight and you will get cut. But you can greatly reduce the number and severity of the cuts just by staying calm, learning how to squish your cat and anticipate what the cat's going to do next.

 

[lisalu]

It takes a vet who knows how to handle a cat.

Funny story - when my cat was prescribed a worm medicine, I couldn't get it down her (inexperienced cat owner here) so I brought her into the vet who proceeded to demonstrate how you shoot the syringe of medication in the back of her throat and make her swallow it. He squirted it in and she "blurped" it all right back out. OH... so that's how it's done!

 

[BarbarH1971]

Assuming good health, no injuries and no skeletal/muscular problems, scruffing isn't hard. Just grab her and hang on for dear life.

Using one hand, get a fistful of fur at the back of the neck, between the shoulder blades and, using the other hand, get a handful just above the pelvis. You're going to have to "manhandle" her but it is unlikely to hurt anything more than her pride.

That fold of loose skin at the back of the neck is where the mama cat would pick up her kittens when she wants to move them so it's okay as long as you don't get any rougher than you have to.

If you are worried about getting scratched and bitten, wear a heavy jacket and leather gloves like the kind that construction workers wear. (Or whatever you have around the house that's similar.)

When you scruff a cat, remember that five out of her six ends are sharp and pointy! Try to keep her head and feet pointed away from you and away from anything else that she can latch onto.

There's another way to restrain a cat if you need to. Throw a blanket or a bath towel over her, roll her up, good and tight like a "kitty burrito" then sit on her. Wear heavy pants and try not to let her bite you in the junk.

There's likely to be some fur flying and some screaming but, sometimes, you just gotta' do what you just gotta' do. Right?

If stuff gets too far out of hand, just put her down, let her go, regroup and make another plan. She'll probably go hide somewhere. Give her some time to calm down and try something else.

 

[BarbarH1971]

Please don't scruff kittens without experience. I have a kitten with lower back injuries from this. Your cat is more likely terrified rather than mean. Try a natural and safe sedative then gentle care. ( while Sleeping sounds good)

 

[meowpassion]

Cat McCannon has mentioned one of the best YT channels run by Juri Burstyn where you will find tons of helpful info. When you visit a vet, you can also use Feliway to descrease stress level in your kitty.

 

[Caspers Human]

Please don't scruff kittens without experience.

Scruffing is not the right way to pick up a cat. It's something that's only to be done when necessary.

 

[danteshuman]

Talk to your new vet (with cat experience!) Ask the vet yo prescribe your cat a sedative you give to her before you take her to the vet. No reason for vet visits to be that stressful!

Also you can get vets that do home visits.

 

[Meowmee]

Sneak up on her when she is asleep, one of you scruffs her and the other applies the cream. Wear gloves and a jacket when scruffing to avoid scratches if she gets too upset etc., many cats become semi submissive when scruffing.

Zena who was fearfully aggressive when I first brought him in from outside eventually let me wash poop off of him and trim his claws, If I scruff him he rolls over on his side submissively. I did that to wash poop off him once and then the first time for trimming claws. I don’t need to do that now for claw clips, I can just do it by holding his paws and little scruffs if needed to calm him.

Also if I tell him your bum is a bit stinky after pooping he will wash himself too He is long hair and I have not tried to trim him there yet. He is not the first of my cats who washes their bum when told that.

* as people said do not scruff to pick up kitty, that is only for emergencies and you have to know what you are doing.

 

[silent meowlook]

I don’t recommend scruffing ever. I know allot of people disagree. After working with cats in a veterinary setting over 30 years, I can honestly tell you that there are much better ways to handle cats.

 

[Cat McCannon]

Last time I took Belle in for her annual check-up, the vet assistant went straight to scruffing. It didn't work well. I had to step in and hold Belle for the vet.

 

[danteshuman]

Sneak up on her when she is asleep, one of you scruffs her and the other applies the cream. Wear gloves and a jacket when scruffing to avoid scratches if she gets too upset etc., many cats become semi submissive when scruffing.

Zena who was fearfully aggressive when I first brought him in from outside eventually let me wash poop off of him and trim his claws, If I scruff him he rolls over on his side submissively. I did that to wash poop off him once and then the first time for trimming claws. I don’t need to do that now for claw clips, I can just do it by holding his paws and little scruffs if needed to calm him.

Also if I tell him your bum is a bit stinky after pooping he will wash himself too He is long hair and I have not tried to trim him there yet. He is not the first of my cats who washes their bum when told that.

* as people said do not scruff to pick up kitty, that is only for emergencies and you have to know what you are doing.

just get a quiet pet shaver/trimmer and shave around their bum/tail by the bum/legs by the bum.

 

[Meowmee]

just get a quiet pet shaver/trimmer and shave around their bum/tail by the bum/legs by the bum.

He is still very skittish and I think it would terrify him at this point. I have a trimmer/ shaver I used for Sybil, I may try it eventually but I think just trimming a little bit with scissors if he lets me may work.