My beautiful Cleo, 3 monthly checkup

[TopCat3]

Prayers and good wishes for Cleo.

Thanks, Jen.
Cleo ate well again this morning.

Barbara, have you tried custard? My vet said custard, mashed pumpkin, creamed sweetcorn. What about wholemeal pasta? Does not have to be wheat, there are corn and rice pastas available (I have to have them myself) It has a nice chewy consistency. Just a thought.

[kb2yjx]

TopCat, many prayers are heading your way for you and Cleo!

[lisalee]

Sending my thoughts and prayers to you and Cleo, I hope she continues to feel better.

[TopCat3]

Thank you everyone for your continued kind thoughts. I get the T4 result tomorrow and I'll also be talking to the vet closer to home about fluid therapy. Cleo ate well today, took her evening tablets well, morning one was a bit of a fight, but she knows I am getting ready to go to work so she acts up, drools a lot when I try to pill her and I end up with this slimy little bit of tablet and we keep trying to get it in the right place on the tongue to produce the swallow reflex and she keeps flicking it back out, slimier and slimier each time. She has that look in her eye that says - I'll teach you to shove vile pills down me and go out for the day and leave me.

[jenluckenbach]

Actually, TopCat, I try very hard NOT to allow the pills to touch the tongue. They take it much better if they don't taste it.

JenLuckenbach's time honored approach to pilling a cat:
-sit on floor, knees up, feet flat on floor (makes a nice cradle for cat)
-lay cat UP-SIDE-DOWN on lap
-place your hand on top of cat's head. use thumb and index finger to open mouth. or scruff and tilt cat's head way back (depends on difficulty of cat) bringing the cats head way back makes them open by themselves.
-toss or place pill as far back in throat (above tongue) as possible.

why does this work so well??
1-your body and legs form a "V". This equals control
2-your pill hand/arm can lay across cat's belly allowing even more control
3-it is a reflex of the cat to open the mouth when the head is titled back (ever wonder why the vet hardly ever has problems looking inside a cat's mouth??? watch them next time. Hand is on head and top of head is lifted up and back)
4-if the pill passes the tongue they have no chance of flicking it out of the mouth.

with a little practice, both you and the cat will become experts.

[TopCat3]

Actually, TopCat, I try very hard NOT to allow the pills to touch the tongue. They take it much better if they don't taste it.

JenLuckenbach's time honored approach to pilling a cat:
-sit on floor, knees up, feet flat on floor (makes a nice cradle for cat)
-lay cat UP-SIDE-DOWN on lap
-place your hand on top of cat's head. use thumb and index finger to open mouth. or scruff and tilt cat's head way back (depends on difficulty of cat) bringing the cats head way back makes them open by themselves.
-toss or place pill as far back in throat (above tongue) as possible.

why does this work so well??
1-your body and legs form a "V". This equals control
2-your pill hand/arm can lay across cat's belly allowing even more control
3-it is a reflex of the cat to open the mouth when the head is titled back (ever wonder why the vet hardly ever has problems looking inside a cat's mouth??? watch them next time. Hand is on head and top of head is lifted up and back)
4-if the pill passes the tongue they have no chance of flicking it out of the mouth.

with a little practice, both you and the cat will become experts.

Well thanks for all that. I have been pilling her twice daily for some four months now, (well, all her life off and on) using the seated position at bench height as recommended by the vet and most books, without too many dramas. Just occasionally she rebels, like yesterday. She actually behaves quite spitefully if I try to lay her on her back, for tummy tickles etc, though I will certainly give this one a try at some stage, as it does sound as though if you can get the cat into that position, there is more control. I find it much better to put a cat up high where there is less chance of escape, especially when it's older and needs lifting up and down. I find if I can get the pill straight onto the back of the tongue (past the taste sensors ) where it will produce the swallow reflex, that is the best. Just sometimes she does the funfair-clown act, (moving her head from side to side open-mouthed to catch the pingpong ball) so I just wait a while till she settles down and we discuss why it's necessary and how it will make us both feel better if she can take the pill quickly. She stares into my eyes wisely and agrees and we usually come to an amicable arrangement involving pre and post-pill cuddles and singing and a tiny treat, so it's our special time together.
She's eating well enjoying the corn and pumpkin. She's booked in for some subcutaneous fluids Friday afternoon. Her T4 level was good, and she seems content and comfortable. Let's hope this continues for as long as possible.

[jenluckenbach]

Well thanks for all that. .....

I apologize for the unsolicited advice. People do whatever works for them (as it should be).