Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

[K & L]

Ok, this is really bothering me. We took Beavis & Bailey in for their bi-annual furr shaving and the vet called and said they have fleas! We've NEVER had this problem and I'm wondering if they came from Porch This really bothers me since I'm a clean freak! People tell me it's hard to tell I have one cat in the house, more or less 17!

The vet is giving us frontline for every cat, medication for tape worms, and we have to have the inside & outside bombed! I feel sick! Not only will this be very costly, can you imagine trying to pill Blaze and putting frontline on him?

I'm afraid I'll have to actually trap him and let the vet handle it. He will only allow me to pet him, but no way would I be able to administer a pill!

[Randi]

Oh no!! What a horror! But you'll deal with it. Chin up - think of it as a spring cleaning!

Best of luck!!

[bluekat]

That would be hard to do. Even for any cat, good luck!

[bluekat]

My dad emailed me this before, but not that it'll be of any help,hehe:
HOW TO GIVE A CAT A PILL
> 1. Pick up cat, cradle in the crook of your left arm as if hold a baby,
> position forefinger and thumb on either side of the cat's mouth and gently
> apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens
> mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
> 2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in arm
> and repeat process.
> 3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.
> 4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws
> tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth
> with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut and count to ten.
> 5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call
> partner in from garden.
> 6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and
> rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get partner to hold head
> firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down
> ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
> 7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail: get another pill from foil wrap. Make
> note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered
> figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
> 8. Wrap cat in large towel and get partner to lie on cat with head just
> visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw; force cat's
> mouth open with pencil and blow down straw.
> 9. Check label to see if pill is harmful to humans, drink a pint of beer
> to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to partner's forearm and remove blood
> from carpet with cold water and soap.
> 10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another
> beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door firmly onto neck, to leave
> head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat
> with elastic band.
> 11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges.
> Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch; pour a shot and drink. Apply cold
> compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply
> whisky compress to cheek to disinfect and then toss back another shot.
> Throw away remnant of T-shirt and fetch new one from bedroom.
> 12. Call fire brigade to remove f*****g cat from the tree across the road.
> Apologize to neighbor who crashed his car into a fence while swerving to
> avoid the cat. Take last pill from wrap.
> 13. Tie the little b*****d's front paws to his rear paws with garden twine
> and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy-duty pruning gloves
> from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet mignon.
> Hold head vertically and pour two pints of cold water down throat to wash
> pill down.
> 14. Consume remainder of scotch.
> 15. Get partner to drive you to hospital, sit quietly while doctor
> stitches fingers, forearm and removes remnants of pill from left eye. Call
> into furniture shop on way home and order a new dining table.
> 16. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant-cat-from-hell and call local pet
> shop to see if they have any hamsters.

HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL
> 1. Wrap it in bacon.

Hope this helps!

[K & L]

I'll go for the scotch!

[Catsnclay]

LOL I've read other versions of that, but your is the funniest!!

Sad, but true!

[moosmom]

Revolution works better than Frontline. It gets rid of fleas, flea eggs, ticks, tick eggs, and earmites.

[K & L]

Oh good! That's what they're giving us! This is maddening and now when I get home I'll feel all itchy and crawly!

[batgirl1980]

With the pill... couldn't you just crush it up into some wet food for him to eat? Like a little amount so you KNOW he got it?

Just curious.

[K & L]

We're back from the vet, $545 later and that's still not the pest spray and I'm having all the area rugs cleaned!

Beavis weighed in at 22lbs. and Bailey was 14 lbs.

Yes, we're going to put the pills in the tuna and do this one by one. I think we'll be up all night!

The problem with Blaze is he still mostly feral and will not eat when you're out there and around him. It's going to be very tricky. The vet said it's more important to get the flea medication on him than the pill, so I'm hoping he'll be in one of his "I'll let you pet me moods" and then I'll just have to squirt it on him fast and furious!

[marysmerrycats]

Im sorry for your trouble... what alot of work that will be!

[K & L]

We got the flea medicine on ALL the cats. Blaze let me pet him so I administered it without him even knowing. The pills are another story: We've wasted a few trying to crush them up and putting them in tuna. They're not falling for it. We decided to give up pilling for the evening since they were already traumatized with the flea medication, and start fresh in the morning. A couple of the cats gave us a major scare cause they started foaming at the mouth. They only did this for a bit and seem to be fine now. I'm a nervous wreck. Tomorrow's going to be a lot of work cleaning and stearlizing everything I'm tired just thinking about it. We have a couch out in the garage for them and decided to get rid of it, as much as we hate to. Figured it could be infested with the fleas. We'll get them special beds to make up for it. Well enough rambling. This whole ordeal just has me upset for the cats and for my house!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry that you've had such a hectic day. I've been in your situation before except that I only had 2 cats at the time. Mine are indoor only and still managed to get fleas. Since then I've been using advantage and it's worked so far. My new cat Cirrus is also semi-feral so I was worried about how to put the advantage on him. I just gave him a treat and while he was occupied I squirted it on him very fast. He didn't even realise it until later. He tried to lick it and started foaming at the mouth but I gave him some water and he was fine.

I wish they would come out with something that lasted for more than one month. I know they have the flea shot that lasts for about 3 or 6 months but it only sterilizes the fleas. I'm sure that in time it will happen some day.

[K & L]

Ours are indoor only also, but of course they have their cat run. We're assuming Porch, who before was not indoor only, brought them in. I know we can get rid of them on the cats, it's in the house that worries me. I imagine this will take a few months to get under control.

[IttyBittyKitty]

OhmyGod Blukat, I almost *wet* myself laughing at that! It's soooo true, some cats will take the pill the old way, but most will still regurgitate them. I had to give Pixel antibiotic tablets - and she would not swallow the pill. So, I mashed it up in her food. She is not silly, and she could taste it in her mush (goodness knows how). She would not eat it. However, I will not let a cat out-stubborn me when it is something important, so I cut out her bikkies during the day. She quickly learned that if she did not eat her mushy pilly tasting brekkie she would not get anything until her mushy pilly tasting dinner! She learnt very quick! LOL!