90 day old kitty care??

[wharfrat]

So we got a kitten and she was in dire need of help. Ear mites, fleas, worms. I've goten rid of the fleas and have been tying to get at her ears to clean them but my arms, hands and wrists cannot take the abuse. Shes very...unreasonable..when it comes to handling her for ear cleaning. I've tried a bunch of different ways to keep her still but she is just refusing to be a team player. Shes drawn more of my blood than the doctors and my wife refuses to try to help until we get a good way to lock her down. So, I need some advice, tips,tricks or whatever to help get her ears cleaned out without needing stitches. I'd rahter not drug her..but if thats what its going to take then so be it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[mrblanche]

Cats' ears are extremely sensitive, and are crucial to their success as hunters.

Imagine you were a concert violinist, and some pink-haired, gum-chewing manicurist grabbed your hand and started filing on your nails when you just walked by her booth at Walmart.

For what it's worth, one of the topical flea treatments will also kill earmites. I think it's Revolution.

 

[wharfrat]

HuH?

Thanks for the reply but its got nothing to do with what I am asking about and Im well aware of revolution.

 

[ilovemia]

Try wrapping her body in a towel. You or your wife can clean her ears  while the other one is holding her. This is the safest way I know of. Good luck! 

 

[wharfrat]

We've done towels, paper bags with just her head out, hands gloved to avoid the claws, and even tried pillow cases.

 

[rafm]

First off,  totally get MrBlanches reference. Kinda funny actually. 

If you aren't an experienced cat owner I would take kitty to the vet and have them show you how to do it. Any of us can tell you how to do it but without being there to advise and show it is very difficult to do. Your vet should be able to handle showing you this. And if the Dr you are referring to in your post is the vet, I would find another vet. I've had vets handle ferals, get medicine down their throats and complete physical exams. Your vet should be able to handle this.

 

[wharfrat]

I guess I'll just figure something out on my own.

 

[Willowy]

Basically, if you get some Revolution you won't need to clean her ears. Most cats really hate having their ears cleaned.

 

[rafm]

I guess I'll just figure something out on my own.

So you aren't willing to go to the vet and have them show you or just get sme revolution?  Weird. Both of those suggestions are much easier than fighting with and traumatizing the kitty. 

 

[wharfrat]

Our adult cat doesnt flip out like the kitten does..I was just asking how anyone else kept from getting clawed up..but I see this is leading nowhere. Thanks anyhow.

 

[mrblanche]

Cats vary immensely in their reaction to almost any treatment.  You wouldn't believe the fuss one of our two new adoptees put up at the shelter when they tried to put a collar on her and install the microchip.  The other girl was pretty calm about it.  The vet who spayed them said the same thing; one was a little sweetie, and the other (the same one with the problem with the collar/chip) was an absolute terror.

The Revolution will kill the mites, and the ears will slowly clear up on their own, believe it or not.

 

[wharfrat]

Its not just about cleaning the ears. I was just using that as a generalization. Its the same when trying to clip nails or anything else. I was just looking for advice from experienced cat keepers on how to deal with it. This isnt our first kitten, just the first one thats acted out so bad about being handled.

 

[rad65]

It sounds like she hd a rough time before you got her. She is probably still traumatized from her experiences and will need some time before you can pick her up and hold her without needing to cocoon her in a towel. I know this isn't advice, but I thought it might help to know she is probably not going to be nearly this difficult forever.

 

[wharfrat]

We know the guy who we got her from and he isn't abusive to his cats, other than he refuses to get his female spayed and she keeps having kittens. But thats not my business. he could do a better job caring for his animals but again, thats not up to me to judge.

 

[mrblanche]

Yeah, we had a cat that was the sweetest thing in the world.  Slept in Dottie's hair every night.  But take him to the vet, and he did the wildcat act.  He screamed so much that you could see the consternation on the faces in the waiting room.  You didn't even have to touch him; he just went crazy.  Different cats have different personalities, and there's often no explaining it.  As I said about our two new kittens, they've been treated the same their whole life; in fact, the sweeter one has actually been to the vet more times, jabbed, swabbed, etc.  No explanation that I can see.

 

[wharfrat]

That sounds just like our Misu. Shes a cuddler and a lapmaster till you want to try to do anything then she goes all jeckle and hyde and ends up its my hide that takes the brunt. So we've just given up on maintaining her.