Binder clips to soothe?

[gayef]

You bring up a very good point, Gomer, thank you. Having been a breeder, I have watched with great interest my queen "traveling" with her kittens. When she picks them up, she is not dangling them by the skin at the scruff of their necks ... she carried them with her teeth wrapped loosely ~around~ their shoulder area. My little Pearl, daughter of Tonka and Lexus and now beloved pet to Maury and Gaye, took a while to be real fast or steady on her feet when she was younger and Lex just got horribly frustrated with it all ... Lexus ended up transporting Pearl most all of the time so they could go faster and get there quicker. In fact, Lexus carted poor Pearl around so frequently that now, in order to stop Pearl dead in her tracks when I have to, all I must do is place my fingers on either side of her shoulders and she goes limp so I can pick her up.

 

[gomer]

Originally Posted by gayef

In fact, Lexus carted poor Pearl around so frequently that now, in order to stop Pearl dead in her tracks when I have to, all I must do is place my fingers on either side of her shoulders and she goes limp so I can pick her up.

That's funny. Now many animals come with an 'off' button.

 

[gayef]

Originally Posted by Gomer

That's funny. Now many animals come with an 'off' button.

Oh too funny! I had never thought of it as an "off button". *giggle*

 

[coaster]

I think it's worth noting that attaching clips to a cat's scruff (thread topic) and picking up and carrying a cat by its scruff are two different things.

The question was whether clips are cruel and cause pain. Clipping is unlikely to actually cause harm, whereas "scruffing" in the sense of actually picking up and carrying a cat by its scruff can actually cause harm if not done properly.

 

[misty8723]

Originally Posted by coaster

I think it's worth noting that attaching clips to a cat's scruff (thread topic) and picking up and carrying a cat by its scruff are two different things.

The question was whether clips are cruel and cause pain. Clipping is unlikely to actually cause harm, whereas "scruffing" in the sense of actually picking up and carrying a cat by its scruff can actually cause harm if not done properly.

Just curious how anyone would know what does and doesn't cause pain in a cat?

 

[coaster]

By their reaction.

I once discovered a bite injury on Twinkie that was too small and too buried under fur to see because of his pain reaction when I touched him in that area. He reacted by tensing up, growling, and turning to give me a warning bite, all which were highly unusual for him and alerted me that something was wrong.

I think too much is put in the old "cats hide pain" -- they'll definitely let you know when it hurts. It might not be shouting "Owwww!!!" -- it might be something more subtle. But if you're paying attention, you'll know it.

 

[coaster]

After unsuccessfully trying to give Rocket a dose of Strongid and receiving a couple nasty scratches I decided to give the clothespins a try. He didn't make any resistance while I was attaching them and gave no sign that they were causing him any pain. As far as subduing him, I'd have to say that the slowed him down a little but didn't prevent him from resisting. They gave me about two extra seconds I didn't have otherwise to squirt the medicine in his mouth. That was just barely enough time. It seemed like he had to make a concious decision to resist and then overcome some internal resistance in order to struggle. It wasn't an immediate reaction like it was without the clothespins. It was kind of an interesting experiment.

 

[emmylou]

On a similar note, I had one cat who would become very calm and still if you cupped your hands over his ears, covering them so he could hear less. I don't know if this would work with every cat. And it would require two people, if you wanted to use it with grooming.

 

[cinderellaoz]

Search for " how to immobilize a cat" or "how to deactivate a cat" and look at the one where the cat was restrained with a long muffler like you wear around your neck in the winter.   It also showed how to relax a cat with a metal clip, but the muffler trick worked great on my cat while I was able to get the matts out of her long, dense fur on her lower back and sides.  The muffler is wrapped loosely around the cat and causes absolutely no pain.  May not work on all cats, but  my spitting, hissing, biting, twisting, scratching ball of terror while being groomed kitty,  pretty much just laid there while I gently worked on her.  Cinderella still loves me and is curled up beside my computer, ruff hanging over the side of the left hand keys, as I write.  Fortunately, Oz is a shorthair and doesn't have this problem.  He also loves me and is curled up by my left side on the sofa.  Both cats are rescued, black cats.  Cinderella has the clipped ear of a spay and release cat.   Piece of advice to those of you with cats with claws........don't buy leather furniture.

 

[stephiedoodle]

Tbh this seems cruel to me a brinder clip could hold far to tight and in fairness when I have had lilly held gently and loosley by the scruff for grooming her back legs/base of tail its brrn met with alot of yowling and looks of death that scream 'If I didn't have to rely on you for food!'

 

[pearlteeth]

I tried this trick when I had to give my cat her liquid antibiotics-I used a wood clothespin and didn't pick her up. She never seemed like she was in pain or upset by it, but giving her the medicine greatly upset her hah. It honestly didn't work as well as I had anticipated, and after a few days of doing this she seemed to become immune to it? Wasn't worth the trouble in my case.  Back to using one hand to scruff her and trying to get the medicine in with the other