Pilling a feral is such a joy! Believe it or not, Nathan is cooperating with the pilling more than you would imagine. I have to use my entire body to hold him down, and it often takes several tries to get him to swallow the pill, but it is working (so far). Of course my hands look like I have been in a major cat fight, but it is worth it!
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Oooch, ouch, eeech, yowch!
- Thread starter lotsocats
- Start Date
Are you using a pill gun or doing it the "old fashioned way"? Bless you for even attempting such a feat, "pet" cats are hard enough to pill, nevermind a feral!!
I have never tried pills with a cat. we have been using liquid and that is hard enough!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Believe it or not, I prefer pills. Whevever I use liquid, I end up shooting it all over the walls and floors!
I'm using my hands to pill Nathan. It is the holding hand rather than the pilling hand that is getting all of the scratches. I think I need to start wearing a glove on that hand!
I'm using my hands to pill Nathan. It is the holding hand rather than the pilling hand that is getting all of the scratches. I think I need to start wearing a glove on that hand!
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You go girl and watch those scratches! My arm is raw from pilling Ripster. She has a bad habit of grabbing my arm when my hands are in her mouth trying to get her to swallow the dreaded pill! lol
Awwwwwww! Poor Reane , I get Cat Scratch Fever when a cat scratches me so I have to be really careful ... Good Luck with Nathan
I guess there is no chance of wrapping him up in an old towel.
I too prefer using a pill. Russell is dreadful when it comes to any medication. I remember being given liquid antibiotics by the vet who had run out of pills. I was mortified. I just knew liquid would go everywhere and explained it to the vet. He seemed unconvinced and thought that I didn't know what to do and proceeded to show me. Well, antibiotic fluid ended up on his shirt and in his face and Russell rather annoyed with me and the vet, so much so he slunked back in his carrier cage and refused to come out.
But on the upside I was given extra medication to counter the loss incurred by these accidents.
I have pilled one stray cat which ended up being a pet of the girl who brought it by. I'll never forget the little guy. My arm felt raw for days but it was worth it.
Ummm...excuse my ignorance but what is a pill gun???
I too prefer using a pill. Russell is dreadful when it comes to any medication. I remember being given liquid antibiotics by the vet who had run out of pills. I was mortified. I just knew liquid would go everywhere and explained it to the vet. He seemed unconvinced and thought that I didn't know what to do and proceeded to show me. Well, antibiotic fluid ended up on his shirt and in his face and Russell rather annoyed with me and the vet, so much so he slunked back in his carrier cage and refused to come out.
But on the upside I was given extra medication to counter the loss incurred by these accidents.
I have pilled one stray cat which ended up being a pet of the girl who brought it by. I'll never forget the little guy. My arm felt raw for days but it was worth it.
Ummm...excuse my ignorance but what is a pill gun???
WOW!! I impressed Renae! There's no way we can even get close enough to any of our ferals to even touch them, more or less pill them. We even have 2 at home that we have to take to the vet if they need medication. We've tried everything and cannot get medication down them. GOOD JOB!!!! If any of our ferals at the park are sick, we have to try and trap them again and get them to the vet. They'll keep them until they're better. That sometimes is even a problem cause once they've been trapped, some will not go anywhere near the traps again!
Good luck and keep up the good work!
Good luck and keep up the good work!
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- #9
Nathan is turning into a real sweetie. He loves attention and follows me everywhere when I am outside. He will make a wonderful pet one day, but he still has a few feral habits I am trying to modify before I find him a new home.
He does what I call love nibbles (grooming nibbles???) but when he does these nibbles it hurts! And, he tends to scratch when I stop petting him and tackles my legs when I walk too quickly. This behavior has improved dramatically. He used to draw blood and does not any longer, but I fear this "loving aggression" would frighten someone not used to living with ferals.
BTW, for those new to working with ferals, the way I have been lessening his aggression is by simply hissing and blowing a puff of air in his face when he bites or scratches. I also praise him a lot and give him extra reinforcement whenever he walks with me without tackling or sits with me without nibbling. It is amazing how much improvement there has been in his behavior from these two simple techniques.
He does what I call love nibbles (grooming nibbles???) but when he does these nibbles it hurts! And, he tends to scratch when I stop petting him and tackles my legs when I walk too quickly. This behavior has improved dramatically. He used to draw blood and does not any longer, but I fear this "loving aggression" would frighten someone not used to living with ferals.
BTW, for those new to working with ferals, the way I have been lessening his aggression is by simply hissing and blowing a puff of air in his face when he bites or scratches. I also praise him a lot and give him extra reinforcement whenever he walks with me without tackling or sits with me without nibbling. It is amazing how much improvement there has been in his behavior from these two simple techniques.
Most pet shops and vets carry pill guns. You place the pill in a syringe shaped gizmo that will shoot the pill down the kittys throut when you push the plunger.
Renae - congrats!!!! Wow - I really don't think a glove on that one hand would hurt, LOL!
I'm scared of those pill guns. I'm afraid I'll push it too far down or something and hurt the back of their throats. Our kids hate taking pills, but I've got the kneeling technique down, and it works! I agree with Mags - pills are easier than liquid!
I'm scared of those pill guns. I'm afraid I'll push it too far down or something and hurt the back of their throats. Our kids hate taking pills, but I've got the kneeling technique down, and it works! I agree with Mags - pills are easier than liquid!
My pill gun is about 8 inches long, plastic tube with a plunger on one end and a rubber tip that is split up the center on the other. The pill goes in the rubber end, you put it in their mouth and press the plunger. All of my cats hate it, but I can't give them pills by hand.
I prefer liquid meds. I sneak up behind them (I NEVER let them see that I have the dropper in my hand), grab them by the top of their head with my fingers, raising up a back corner of their mouths with my thumb. I insert the dropper in the back corner of their mouth and sqeeze. If I get backsplash, it's usually them spitting some of it out, although if it in deep enough, they usually get most of it. I adjust dosage based on how much I know they'll spit back at me. Oh yeah, and I don't wear my good work clothes when I do it.
P.S. I've never hand pilled my ferals. I'm very impressed that you could do that!
I prefer liquid meds. I sneak up behind them (I NEVER let them see that I have the dropper in my hand), grab them by the top of their head with my fingers, raising up a back corner of their mouths with my thumb. I insert the dropper in the back corner of their mouth and sqeeze. If I get backsplash, it's usually them spitting some of it out, although if it in deep enough, they usually get most of it. I adjust dosage based on how much I know they'll spit back at me. Oh yeah, and I don't wear my good work clothes when I do it.
P.S. I've never hand pilled my ferals. I'm very impressed that you could do that!
