We Have A Cat We Can’t Touch— Tips For Getting Him To The Vet?

[profcat]

We’ve done a lot of rescue and somehow managed to have a cat we can’t touch. We took him and his sister in as kittens, along with their blind mother. He is so sweet to is mother (we call him her “seeing eye” cat) and plays with everyone and generally has a great life. BUT we can’t touch him. We can put food down in front of him, but he usually moves away if we get too close. He definitely tolerates us but doesn’t trust us— maybe it’s bc I used the drop trap to get him, I don’t know. His sister is a sweetie.

Anyway, we need to take him to the vet bc he’s had crystals in his urine (we tested a sample bc he was peeing on the floor) and has been on a special food. The vet wants to do a sterile urine catch and maybe an X-ray so we need to get him into a crate. We got him into one room this morning and tried to grab him/scruff him and he freaked out. He was like climbing the walls and hissing. I thought maybe he’d be submissive and we could scruff him, but he was out of control. We gave up. We were too upset and he was too upset.

Does anyone have advice for dealing with a cat like this?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. There is a calming spray called Feliway that you could try, since you can't actually touch him to use a product like Bach Rescue Remedy - which are drops you can place on a cat's ear or pay. Of course, no guarantee either will calm him - works on some cats, and others not so much.

You could also ask the vet about a small sedative that could be put in his food to help relax him.

You might try to throw a blanket over him and scoop him up and place both the blanket and him in the crate.

Is it possible to lure him into the crate with food?

How did you catch the urine you got, and how was it determined he had crystals? If you could catch urine again, but in a clean container, the vet should be able to accept that for further testing. And, that might resolve whether or not he actually needs an x-ray.

Have you ever tried to engage him in play with a toy affixed to a 5 or 6 foot pole/stick? A lot of times that is the beginning of befriending a cat that is skittish.

 

[Willowy]

I believe gabapentin is the sedative that vets like for take-home use. Ask your vet about it. I'm pretty sure you can slip it in his food or a treat.

Otherwise, get some good long leather gloves, set the carrier up, and just do it. Yes he'll be mad but if he has to see the vet, that's all there is to it.

 

[Willowy]

I believe gabapentin is the sedative that vets like for take-home use. Ask your vet about it. I'm pretty sure you can slip it in his food or a treat.

Otherwise, get some good long leather gloves, set the carrier up, and just do it. Yes he'll be mad but if he has to see the vet, that's all there is to it.

 

[Hellenww]

@Kflowers has posted about kevlar sleeves that you might also need even with sedation/calming. Hissing, Spotting And Growling Kitten.

 

[daftcat75]

I would try to lure him into the bathroom with food. Then shut yourself in with him, a laundry basket, a blanket or two, and lots of bandages for treating your wounds after. Lots of luck!

Going forward, get him a carrier you can leave in his environment always. Put food or treats in there regularly. Get him used to going into it on his own but also having positive associations with it. If you can, also practice closing him up in it and giving him treats while he’s inside. Wait a few moments. Give him treats and talk to him. Then open it up again. Practicing carrier desensitization will greatly reduce the stress on the both of you.

I like fish flakes for treats because they are all meat. No grains or other garbage ingredients. And there’s so much flavor (yes I’ve tried them) in so little substance that I can shovel these into my Krista without messing with her appetite. If anything, I sometimes scatter these before a meal to get her appetite started. I bring the flakes with me in the car and the vet and just give her a flake or two now and then to keep her placated.

It’s really made a difference and she’s a more relaxed traveler and patient than she used to be. She still talks to me but it’s not the bloody murder wailing as much as just registering her complaints. Then she settles down quickly enough.

Also try a wand toy or even a shoelace to befriend this cat so that future visits won’t involve a confined space and a laundry basket.

 

[daftcat75]

For carriers, I really like this one and Krista does too.

Petsfit Double Sided Expandable Dog & Cat Carrier, Gray, Large - Chewy.com

At home, I leave both sides down, the top and front unzipped. In the car and the vet’s office, I expand a side so she has more room. In the exam room, I set her on the table and unfold a side but mostly let her chill inside rather than the confused wander of the exam room and the “why did you unpack me in such a boring space?” look she gives me as she paces the room restlessly. She seems more relaxed and even trills and purrs while we wait for the Dr. The sides, front, back, and top all have zipper openings so I can squeeze in a reassuring hand no matter which way the carrier is facing and whether the sides are folded or not.

Chilling with the room expansion waiting for the Dr.

Side access. Also made it easy for vet to examine her if she didn’t feel like leaving the carrier.

 

[Willowy]

I don't think I'd put a feral into a soft-sided carrier. Although that one does look sturdy.

Kevlar sleeves are one option, another is long leather raptor-handling or rose-pruning gloves. Leather isn't quite as good as kevlar but I've never had a cat be able to bite through thick cow leather.

 

[duncanmac]

Before we traumatize the cat, why don't you back up a step and ask the vet what a sterile urine sample will show that the other sample didn't, and what will it really matter if you find out? Will the vet end up prescribing the same medicine? If there is an additional medicine usually prescribed for UTI's (or whatever) would it hurt your guy to just get the second medicine?

All the chasing, grabbing and man-handling will really destroy the trust he has in you. If the medical need is low, why do it?

In the meantime, train your guy to go into the carrier on demand (somehow - I have to figure this out for my former feral who doesn't like to be picked up.)

 

[Willowy]

Yeah I was just thinking that. Maybe he doesn't have to see the vet at this point. Stress can exacerbate urinary issues. Is he on canned food already? That helps a lot of cats with urinary problems. And a water fountain to encourage him to drink more. Maybe boil up some chicken and give him the water as a way to keep things flushed out.

If he shows any signs of a blockage, though, you'll have to figure out how to get him to the vet right away.

 

[profcat]

Thanks for the suggestions, folks!

We've used feliway and Rescue Remedy. He's waaaay beyond that working at this point. We can't get him in the bathroom because we had him in there when we first rescued him, so he always runs out immediately if he sees us coming toward the bathroom (there's a great window the cats like to watch birds from in our bathroom). The gloves are an option!

I talked to our vet and she said just to try to get a sample from him. Of course now that he's been on the special food, he's not peeing outside the box as much (a good thing! but not for getting a sample...) but we're going to try. She doesn't want to give him a drug to knock him out bc we haven't had blood work done recently. If the sample shows up with something that needs further attention, we'll get some big gloves and do our best!

 

[walli]

I have a Feral that got the urinary crystals and I got the prescription food
Royal Canin Calm Plus cat food it has to say plus
I couldn't take my cat to the vet and this food totally worked, it is dry food
I know people don't like to give their cats dry food, maybe they have a canned food too?
I also was giving her the quiet moments cat treats, and she is now fine!
I've been hearing a lot about the Gabapentin that should work too!
Best to your kitty!

 

[bear]

My Vet has a special course sand. He provided a small amount, about a couple hands full to put in the center of a really clean litter box. No other litter in the box. The cat should go into their box, say "Where's my litter", and then pee on the sand. Let the cat leave the box. Turn the box to drain the litter back into the empty bottle. See if your Vet has a similar sand.

 

[Norachan]

There are special cat litters available to help collect urine samples.


A lot of my cats have to be trapped in order to get them to the vet. Could you try putting a blanket over him and getting him into a large laundry net? You will need to wear gloves, but if the cat is in an enclosed area it might be possible to cover, grab and net him.

Taking him to the vet inside a laundry net inside the carrier will make it a lot easier for the vet to treat him.

Some people use a pillow case, I've actually used a double futon cover to catch one of my very wild boys. Hopefully it won't come to that if you can get a urine sample though.

 

[gcat3000]

I've heard the pillow-case method is very effective and actually relatively low-stress, as weird as that sounds. I also recall learning of an effective technique where you toss an upside-down laundry basket on them, but you'll have to look up the details for that one. The mesh carrier with the zippable top and sides is another good one people have mentioned. I have one and it's clearly less traumatizing on my cat than shoving him in the hard carrier. Hopefully none of these will be necessary anyway, and you can just get the sample from him. Good luck.