My cat has ear mites but I cannot hold her to put ear solution in

[Mum2Luke]

I am having difficulty putting ear drops in to get rid of ear mites, the vet said to wrap her in a towel and hold her but that was near impossible and I fear she will associate me with pain and not want me anywhere near her. I bought her from the local animal shelter and they do not know her history other than she was dumped when pregnant.

I cannot afford to take her to the vet to have him put them in but she cannot have her vaccinations until this has cleared. Anyone got tips on how to hold a scared stiff cat while we put drops in?

I do the wrapping in a towel thing. Biggest towel ive got and wrap them well from the neck down. Bit like swaddling a baby. But i try to do it quickly and calmly with whatever medication i need out of the packet and ready to go.

I also try and have a little food treat ready for after

I find most anything is possible (apart from baths, obviously) if they're warm and relaxed and sitting on your lap. I've put in ear mite drops this way - with a food treat after as Vajazzler said. If you turn it into a confrontation you'll likely not win. (Certainly not the second time.)

As daft as it sounds, can you do it without holding her, iyswim? Just wait till she's on your lap asleep, then just pop the dropper in?

could you maybe stretch to some "stronghold" or "advantage" spot on flea treatments, as these treat ear mites as well.

also, you should be able to ask the vet nurses to do this for you, my practice would never charge for this.

I would take her to vet but its hard with work, she came from a cat shelter after having been dumped so she's not the sort of cat to quietly sit on your lap yet, am sure in time she will (I hope anyway).

I managed to catch her while she was sleeping and a bit dozy and I've held her by the back of the neck area but she is getting wise to that too. She hates being held poor thing and I would hate to hurt her after what she has been through.

I might try the flea treatments, she needs to be rid of the ear mites before her vaccinations next week.

deffo go for the spot on, not worth stressing her with the drops.

Ah right - if she's a rescue cat and still a bit antsy about sitting and relaxing, a spot on treatment of some kind is the way to go. They're a bit more expensive I'm afraid but will save problems. I'm sure someone will recommend the best kind for the future.

(If you have a decent vet, get a prescription from them in the future and you can then buy the treatment online much more cheaply.)

I'm sure she'll come round to lap sitting. She'll just need to get her confidence up in her new home.

Best of luck.

Thankyou Cozie, I love her to bits (she was the first cat which caught our eye as she came to sniff our hands). I think I will ask the vet who wasn't the most helpful really when it came to asking how to put them in. Its easy for them to say wrap her in a towel but poor thing is scared stiff.

She is getting a bit better, we just have to be careful how we approach her, she does play with her little ball and lets us tickle her tummy if we don't make sudden movements.

I agree with lucyellenmum, vet nurses would normally do this for you free of charge.

I think the ears must have cleared, she's not shaking her head or scratching ears, we sneakily put them in while she was dozy and less likey to bolt.

Going to sort vaccinations tomorrow - she aint going to like me is she!! [hgrin]

Sneaky is good in these circumstances!