Giving a squirmy kitten eye ointment

sarahp

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We need to put ointment in Smudge's eyes twice a day for 7 days and she HATES it!

DH wraps her in a towel, and I hold her head still, open her eye wide, then try to get the ointment in. But then she squirms as soon as the ointment starts coming out of the tube. Or the ointment curls around rather than coming straight out, so doesn't actually go down, it kind of gets stuck around the tube. If you've tried using ointment you probably know what I mean....

Any other suggestions? I tried holding her while DH did the ointment - he though I was just being hopeless, but discovered it's not easy!!

I'm almost considering taking her down to the shelter every morning so at least she gets one good squirt of ointment in her eyes every day!
 

stormy

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I've had to use it on Crystal a few times, but she's older and wasn't too bad.


Have you tried applying it while she's sleeping?
 
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sarahp

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That's an idea - we just need to catch her sleeping... Maybe we can wear her out playing, then do it.
 

white cat lover

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I'm doing eye ointment for Molly...she's not squirmy though. I have no advice on giving eye meds to a squirmy kitten...maybe getting her hyped up on catnip will help? ...shrugs...
 

sicycat

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Can you put it on your finger first and then in her eye? Maybe it would be easier to manage that way.
 

katiemae1277

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Originally Posted by Sicycat

Can you put it on your finger first and then in her eye? Maybe it would be easier to manage that way.
that's how I've always done it, washed my hands really well, put a bit on finger and smear
I'm doing this to Nike right now too, and she is a wriggly little thing too
 
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sarahp

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You guys rock!!! I wrapped her in a towel, put ointment on my finger, then POW straight into the eye! It was a very gentle pow though of course.


Perfect! Thanks so much.
 

katiemae1277

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glad it worked for you! how is she doing? other than getting powed in the eye
 
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sarahp

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Her eyes will never look "normal" but they certainly look much more open - we keep laughing because she constantly looks surprised - it's like a kitty facelift!

Last night she was sitting downstairs on her own in the middle of the floor and didn't want to play and we were wondering if some of the painkillers were wearing off. She looks completely normal, just some fur is missing around her eyes, so there doesn't look like there's any sores, scarring or anything like that, so I have no idea how much pain she'd be in.

I brought her upstairs last night and put her on our bed, and she finally settled down and snuggled up to her daddy's neck as per usual purring away, and she's been acting fairly normal ever since. She really doesn't like the eye ointment, but it's only for a week so we'll get through it.
 

sicycat

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I am really in love with her
You're such a good meowmy for taking such good care of her
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by Sicycat

I am really in love with her
You're such a good meowmy for taking such good care of her
You are so right and not the only one who's in love with her. She just seems to tug at my heartstrings.
 

jen

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Why don't you just scruff her so she can't move her head? If she still moves too much then wrap her in the towel too. You just have to restrain the cat the right way and then you can do it.
 

swampwitch

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I think putting the ointment on your finger also warms it up a bit, and makes it more liquidy, and easier to get into her eye. I'm glad it's working out, and that Smudge is doing so well!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch
 

arlyn

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When I had to put the ointments in Ivory's eye, I'd hold her on her back, squeeze out the rubbon of ointment, hold her eye open and put it just on the edge of her upper eyelid.
Then hold her and keep her feet away while she blinked the stuff into her eye.
 

mzjazz2u

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I Used to have to give Hallie eye ointment. It was hard as it would curl or not get in the eye as it sounds is happening to you also. I'd just make sure I washed my hands before doing it and then kind of gently rearrange it with a finger. Probably not the best idea but it ended up being what I had to do to get her treated.
 
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