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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Fur loss and scabs at base of tail..

34 replies

VelcroFanjo · 26/02/2012 23:23

As above.. Any advice from those in the know? We have taken in 2 cats today from a lady who can no longer keep them. They are 7 months old, one is fine the other has this problem with the skin at the base of the tail. Please tell me it's not going to cost the earth to get it solved!

OP posts:
dobby2001 · 27/02/2012 01:04

Regarding the insurane, we have got lifetime cover from Argos pet insurance. Works out alot cheaper than petplan and at the moment if you go via quidco you get £20 cashback. I actually phoned them up to double check that they would continue to cover any condition for life of pet as long as we paid annual premium and as long as its the platinum plan they do.

dobby2001 · 27/02/2012 01:06

Link for it via quidco www.quidco.com/user/139890/argos-pet-insurance

VelcroFanjo · 27/02/2012 01:13

Thanks Dobby I will look into that!!

OP posts:
maybeIwillmaybeIwont · 27/02/2012 01:21

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL
Love this and feel the need to share! Ignore the last bit, really!

How to give your cat a pill

(1) Pick the cat up and cradle it in the crook of your arm as if holding a baby.

Position your forefinger and thumb of the opposite hand on either side

of the cat?s mouth and gently apply pressure to the cheeks while

holding a pill within your hand. As the cat opens its mouth, pop in the pill.

Allow the cat to close its mouth and swallow.

(2) Retrieve the pill from the floor and the cat behind the sofa.

Cradle the cat in your arms and repeat the process.

Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw away soggy pill.

(3) Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in arms holding rear paws tightly.

Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with forefinger.

Hold mouth shut for count of ten.

Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe.

Call spouse from garden.

(4) Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees,

holding front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat.

Get spouse to hold its head firmly with one hand while forcing ruler into mouth,

drop pill down ruler and rub cat?s throat vigorously.

Retrieve cat from curtain rail. Make note to repair curtains and buy new ruler.

Sweep shattered remains of Doulton figures from hearth,

put to one side for gluing later. Take new pill from foil wrap.

(5) Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with its head

just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw,

force open cat?s mouth with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

Check label to make sure pills are not harmful to humans,

drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply band aid to spouse?s forearm,

remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

Retrieve cat from neighbour?s shed. Get another pill.

(6) Place cat in cupboard, close door onto neck leaving head showing.

Force mouth open with dessert spoon and flick pill down throat with elastic band.

Fetch screwdriver from garage, put cupboard door back on hinges.

Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot.

Throw away T-shirt; get a fresh one from the bedroom.

Call fire station to retrieve cat from tree across the road and apologise

to neighbour that crashed his car into a fence while avoiding cat.

(7) Take last pill from foil wrap. Tie cat?s front paws to its rear paws with garden twine,

and bind firmly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed.

Force open cat?s mouth with small spanner, push pill into mouth followed

by a large piece of fillet steak. Hold cat?s head up and pour half pint water

down to help wash pill down.

Get spouse to drive you to hospital emergency,

sit patiently while Doctor puts stitches in forefinger and forearm,

and removes remnants of pill from your right eye.

Call into furniture shop on way home to place an order for new dining table.

And finally??. Call RSPCA for them to collect cat,

call local pet shop to enquire after a dog.

A lump of cheese is all you need to give a dog a pill.

lollystix · 27/02/2012 02:07

Saw title and thought flea allergy too

lollystix · 27/02/2012 02:13

(removes back from left boob) - I'm back. Getting a pill in is no laughing matter but when it's in keep holding their nose shut and stroke down their throat or down the front of their nose - this forces them to kind of do an involuntary swallow.

Ps- in my experience you will never lose money on cat insurance. Average claim used to be £300 (it'll be more now) and 30% owners claim (I was in the industry). My last cat cost £900 to die over 6 months Sad

LineRunner · 27/02/2012 14:32

My older cat can sense with the power of telepathy that I am even thinking about getting a box of tablets or Frontline out of the cupboard.

Gone. Like Flash Gordon.

If I do manage to sneak up her while she's asleep, she brings out the rotating claws like a hellish shredder.

I kind of admire her.

The other one's putty in my hands. Smile

girlywhirly · 27/02/2012 15:25

A vet once told me to look for scabs as a sign of fleas on a cat. He said look all around the neck area, base of tail, around the ears and groin areas. It seems the fleas will go back to the scabs time and time again to feed. You might stand a chance of spotting the fleas themselves as well.

MyCatHasStaff · 27/02/2012 20:27

maybe I love that, I'm going to have to steal it...
Velcro many years ago I lived in a house that backed onto a railway line, my beautiful (now sadly gone) Chaos used to regularly bring interesting presents from there, voles mostly, but also the screaming rat that he beat against the catflap because it was too big to drag though, and a snake (no idea which neighbours house where that came from) which he trapped in the flappy bit of the catflap so I had to release the hissing bugger! Grin
That's interesting about Argos insurance, I bet they are cheaper than Pet Plan.

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