Spot On Treatment - aaargh!

[LittleRedBrunette]

Good morning! (Ok, autocorrect, so you don't care for "meowning"...)
My beautiful ginger boy Leo hates his flea and worm treatment. It has got to the stage that it is making me very anxious (and let's just say I am of an anxious disposition as it is) and I dread the dates for the treatment rolling around...
I have had Leo (a rescue cat) for just over one year. I love him so dearly. I feel so very honoured that he comes home to me.
I administered the treatment by myself (I live alone) for a few months and everything appeared to be ok. It is only the last couple of times that he has freaked out, hissing at me and desperate to get away. (The last time was absolutely horrible.)
My Uncle has helped me and came to help me this morning (only for Leo to be outside) but there is another issue in that Leo doesn't like people very much. Leo even runs away when my Mum comes to visit. (I am happily single but I think only Jackson Galaxy might do as a partner for me in Leo's eyes...)
Tablets are not really an option - have tried.
So, I guess... anyone in the same boat? Leo is my first ever cat. I love him with all of my heart but I wish the anxiety would go away...

I have to be very sneaky with mine. Settle them in for a cuddle, stroke the head & neck loads including scritching the back of the neck. Do this regularly without treating them. Then get the spot on ready, top off & everything propped up in easy reach. Start the petting until they relax then slowly get the spot on & drizzle it on as I'm scritching.

If they start to realise what I'm about to do, stop & pretend I never intended to do it then try again later. Make the action of putting the spot on in the right place part of their petting routine.

Yes. Let him come to you for fuss and wait for him to go to sleep. Keep stroking and he won't notice. My mum made a big fuss with their cat. Told my sister it was a two person job, he gets really distressed etc. She just waited until he was settled and job done.

Thank you for the replies. I think I have been extra stressy lately with fireworks and a neighbourhood bully cat. Have taken your advice on board - it is a big help.

I get the ‘spot on’ ready and primed then I wait for him to come to me for a bit of a fuss (or usually for food! ) I then scritch the back of his neck for a while, desperately hoping I can find a bit of skin through all the fur before chucking a bucket load of Dreamies in front of his nose whilst I do the deed. The look on his face after he realises he’s been ‘had’ is a sight to behold 😂. I alternate between Stronghold and Broardline on my vets advice - the Broardline is trickier as it is a larger volume to get on him and it tends to get stuck on his fur rather than skin and he then tries to lick it off for the next hour.
Luckily for me he seems to have forgotten all about this ‘attack’ by the next month and we get to do it all again 😂😂😂

I mean ’Broadline’ not broardline !

My vet asks you to scratch behind your cat's ears when you their injections done.

Maybe that's worth a try as you're doing it?

Definitely don't let him see the packet or he'll make sure he stays well clear.

You are all amazing! Purr-fect advice! (Leo would like to thank you all, as he bemoans his neurotic owner...)

Aha, a fellow feisty cat owner. I should have read this thread before creating my own. OK, 'Dreamies' are added to my list this morning.

Depends on the cat. With our current one, we spritz feliway and grab her when she's chilled out. With the one before this, we'd put a bit of tuna (in spring water) down. She only ever got it at flea treatment time so she knew it was coming, but she accepted it as the price of tuna.