Whether your pet’s aliment is mild or serious, you will normally have to be prepared to do some nursing. There are some essential nursing techniques to be learned.
It can be useful to restrain a cat by wrapping it in a blanket or towel.Handling a cat for examination
1 Cradle it in your arms if the animal is quiet and not in pain.
2 Place the cat prone on the table, holding all four legs so that it can’t use its claws.
3 Hold by the scruff and press down firmly onto a flat surface to restrict the scrathing ability of the paws.
4 The perspex cylinder method.
5 For a head examination, wrap in a large, strong cloth or blanket.
Administering medicine
Although the vet will try to select drug preparations as attractive as possible to cats, liquids and crushed tablets mixed with the food are usually detected quickly. Puss ten marches off in high dudgeon, going without a meal rather than taking its medicine.
The key technique to master is how to hold the cat’s head, by bending it back on the neck until the mouth automatically opens a fraction. Then keep the mouth open by pushing the lips on each side between the teeth with your index finger and thumb. If giving a tablet, drop with the index finger of the other hand (or carefully with a pencil if your fell uncertain about your finger’s safety), pushing the tablet over the back of the tongue. Close the mouth immediately.
With the same grip on the head, liquids can be dropped on slowly. Do not be impatient and flood your pet’s mouth with fluid. The cat will only choke, panic, and splutter furiously.
A cat is given medicineInjections
These are given by the vet and are normally the quickest, easiest means of giving drugs to cats.
A cat is given an injectionIf your cat is as wild as mountain lion but has to be taken to the vet’s surgery for some reason, it is often possible to make things easier for all concerned by giving valium or some other sedative under the vet’s instructions before leaving home.
Taking temperatures
The accepted method of taking a temperature is by inserting a thermometer into the rectum. Generally, this is not worthwhile as most cats object to an undignified intrusion, become excited, and cause the temperature to climb. If you want to try the normal temperature is 100.5F (38C) – 101.5F (39C).
