- Joined
- Aug 3, 2021
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This summer I "foster failed" two ~3-4 month old feral kittens, who are now about six months old (and I've definitely adopted). They've made a lot of progress, but especially the boy doesn't do well with being restrained or picked up, and is really only trusting of me and my partner.
That brings us to now-- my older cat got conjunctivitis and went to the vet. She has a Tobramycin eyedrop prescription for twice daily for 7 days. The vet explained how contagious it was and that another cat might acquire it, and that it would be safe for me to use the same prescription on them. Unfortunately, the one who started showing symptoms is my most skittish and wary kitty, who is not taking well to getting eyedrops. He has only had 2 of the 14 doses so far, and already trusts me less and hisses when I try to dose him.
What should I do? I reached out to the vet in case there is an alternative prescription he could eat. I wish now that maybe I hadn't started the medication, but I also don't want it to spread to his other eye or my other former feral kitten. And now that I've started I don't want to stop the treatment early.
He has come so far and was letting me pick him up for short stretches (20 feet to the bed, where he'd purr and roll around), and play, but he's feeling pretty betrayed at the moment and I worry I'm making the future a lot harder on us both (I really would like him to calm down enough that I can pick up and handle him easily for safety, can go to the vet without issues, etc.) I can keep working with him and patience will eventually overcome even earned distrust, but any suggestions?
That brings us to now-- my older cat got conjunctivitis and went to the vet. She has a Tobramycin eyedrop prescription for twice daily for 7 days. The vet explained how contagious it was and that another cat might acquire it, and that it would be safe for me to use the same prescription on them. Unfortunately, the one who started showing symptoms is my most skittish and wary kitty, who is not taking well to getting eyedrops. He has only had 2 of the 14 doses so far, and already trusts me less and hisses when I try to dose him.
What should I do? I reached out to the vet in case there is an alternative prescription he could eat. I wish now that maybe I hadn't started the medication, but I also don't want it to spread to his other eye or my other former feral kitten. And now that I've started I don't want to stop the treatment early.
He has come so far and was letting me pick him up for short stretches (20 feet to the bed, where he'd purr and roll around), and play, but he's feeling pretty betrayed at the moment and I worry I'm making the future a lot harder on us both (I really would like him to calm down enough that I can pick up and handle him easily for safety, can go to the vet without issues, etc.) I can keep working with him and patience will eventually overcome even earned distrust, but any suggestions?