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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.

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Original poster

George 2, Humans 0

21 replies

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/04/2015 20:25

George was supposed to be going to the vet for a flea jab tonight. Mother was under strict instructions to keep him in the back room so DH and I could catch him - no problem we thought...

After 15 minutes of trying to catch him we gave up. By that time George was howling and spitting, DH had a bruised ankle where the door to the cat basket had been kicked off and I was bleeding from various to my hands, wrist and leg!

How can one cat cause so much carnage?! I was firm when I tried to catch him - I walked up to him and just picked him up. Unfortunately his claws were attached to the arm of the chair and I he started kicking and wriggling when we tried to free them.

The vet trip has been postponed indefinitely as DH and I are off to Florida next week. I might wrestle a few alligators when I'm there - it couldn't be worse than trying to pick up George! Does anyone have any tips on how to pick him up so we can try again when we're back?

OP posts:

thecatneuterer · 20/04/2015 20:27

Scruff of the neck, very firmly. Support back end with other hand. Stuff into carrier BACKWARDS. Or buy a top loader in which case just drop in the slam the top shut.

Original poster

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 20/04/2015 20:32

Thanks TCN. It seems as though we have one chance with George so I'll definitley try the scruff of the neck next time. Our carrier is a top loader or front entry so we'll try the top next time.

Along with chain mail, gauntlets...

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/04/2015 20:43

I corner mine with the basket so he has no choice but to go in. I push him in using the door.

Backwards never worked with ASBO cat.

Have a lovely holiday.

cozietoesie · 20/04/2015 22:55

Look on the bright side, Pink. If he was like that with you, what might he have been like with the vet once he had become really annoyed ? It could have been KO to George in Round 2!

At least this way you're forewarned.

chemenger · 21/04/2015 11:04

Some vets are magical. Nastycat is a demon in cat form and has been sedated for vaccinations before now, in a process that takes place "through the back" in which I visualise a crew of armoured vet nurses wrestling her into submission. The aftermath of clearing her anal glands on one occasion was at least one vet student who was seriously considering changing profession, as well as all her clothes. However one vet, a professor of feline medicine no less, can just look at her and calm her down, to the extent that she has not only taken blood from her but also shaved her tail and measured her blood pressure, all without any struggle. She is truly a cat-whisperer.

cozietoesie · 21/04/2015 11:08

Ah Yes - 'through the back'. Those dread words.

frostyfingers · 22/04/2015 09:13

I've been known to throw a towel over the reluctant kitty and scoop him up in one quick movement and post him into the box pronto. It usually works, however you only get one chance at it.....

Kitty is now fine going into the box, pops out happily at the vets but on his last visit he had to be put in the special vicious kitty handling bag as he was so wriggly and prickly. He needs several wranglers during treatment but when it's all over is as friendly as anything and likes nothing more than a wander around the treatment room and poking into the cupboards.

cozietoesie · 22/04/2015 09:43

... a wander around the treatment room and poking into the cupboards...

Gosh your vet is a tolerant one!

Hoppinggreen · 22/04/2015 10:13

Put the cat carrier on its end so gravity helps and wrap cat in a towel before shoving it in.

sparkysparkysparky · 22/04/2015 10:22

Top loader. Ours makes an ominous clang noise when you open it which alerts cat to imminent battle ( and to choose best hiding place). Whenever cat is liberated from carrier I always leave the top open for Next Time.
I also put a hot water bottle in carrier to warm it up before cat is gently placed in it. Which is sparky code for "wrestled into it". I remove the hot water bottle first

frostyfingers · 22/04/2015 10:39

I have a great vet, Cozie, when I go to stuff kitty back in the box he always says "no, let's see what he wants to look at now" - I think they find him entertaining. Kitty is hand reared and very confident of his gorgeousness and therefore just a little cocky! He has "cattitude"!

RubbishMantra · 22/04/2015 10:46

I've said this before on another thread, Little Monsieur must be the most unusual cat in the world, as in he LOVES going in his cat carrier. He knows he's going somewhere that he'll be fussed and cooed over. When we get him home and let him out, he gets back in it and pulls the grille door shut behind him.

Just occurred to me, maybe he wants to leave home?

cozietoesie · 22/04/2015 10:48

Wonderful photo, Frosty.

And I'm (studiously) not commenting there, Mantra !

RubbishMantra · 22/04/2015 10:58

That photo's hilarious Frosty!

frostyfingers · 22/04/2015 11:37

I love the idea of LM shutting the door behind him.....he obviously likes going out and about, has he not had nasty experiences at the vet yet?!

Our ginger ninja is not supposed to go on beds (ha!), and was mighty cheesed off at being found on this one, if you go to move him and he doesn't fancy though he turns into a clingon kitty and grips you with teeth and paws and hums like mad, he'll also turn on you when you put him down - nothing he likes better than sinking his claws into an unsuspecting ankle.

Pink I expect you'll spend all your time in Florida plotting how to get George in his cage...(or maybe not). Have a lovely time.

Original poster

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 22/04/2015 11:59

Thanks for all the tips! My wounds are healing after a bit of a panic yesterday when one went red and hot but it seems to be ok now! I'm not sure about George's psychological wounds though

I am a bit worried about leaving George with no flea or worm protection (the last Profender was mainly on his fur rather than skin) but I really don't want to stress him out. Apparently he retreated to the window sill for hours on Monday night and the next day was howling to be let upstairs, where he stayed all day. At least his idea of going out is to literally sniff the air and run back inside so the risk is as minimal as it could be for an 'outdoor' cat!

Last night we put Advocate on Harry and it made me realise just what an easy cat he is. I pick him up, DH removes collar and applies Advocate, I mop up any going around the front and put Harry back on sofa! Harry then follows me into the bathroom and runs around my legs!

I love the picture frosty! I'll probably try and forget George when we're on holiday!

OP posts:

RubbishMantra · 22/04/2015 12:02

Well they castrated him Frosty. Obviously he didn't view that as unpleasant enough to put him off going there. Apparently he was poking his paws out the cage, flirting with the nurses as soon as he came round. The vet loves him, she always picks him up for a big snuggle.

And Cozie, he got Out The Front once. Luckily a neighbour spotted him, strolling Northwards in a determined yet leisurely fashion. Towards the local kebab shop and night-club...

cozietoesie · 22/04/2015 13:02

A Party Boy - I knew it.

RubbishMantra · 22/04/2015 14:25

And that was after he'd had the old chop. I expect he'd have been running at speed if he'd still been intact.

cozietoesie · 22/04/2015 14:56

Not necessarily so - remember the joke about the old bull, the young bull and the herd of cows.......

RubbishMantra · 22/04/2015 18:00

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