Ever sedate a cat?

[UconnTim97]

We attempted to have our cat groomed today. The key word here is attempted. She is a a Siberian and her fur is quite dense that got more matted this year than in previous years. We have done all that we can and finally turned her over to a professional this year. This woman has been taking car of my SIL's cat for years.

Our cat in no way wanted any part of this grooming. My wife and I both got bloodied trying to put her in the carrier (I forgot how much a cat bite hurts). The groomer got her mostly done, but felt our cat was at her breaking point and thought it better to return on Wednesday to finish the job.

The groomer mentioned we may want to consider a mild sedative for the cat before she returns on Wednesday. She went over the pros and cons and we both agreed that medication would be a last resort.

Any suggestions an how to relax the cat prior to her next appointment?

If we have to use a sedative, what is has worked for you?

Thanks in advance,

Tim

[pwd72s]

I strongly suggest consulting a Vet on this. There are kitty sedatives, but dose is based on body weight and other factors.

[stomachmonkey]

I avoid sedation but a tip on the cat carrier thing, shove em in tail first. If you try head first you're in for a fight.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

I avoid sedation but a tip on the cat carrier thing, shove em in tail first. If you try head first you're in for a fight.

100% agree.

[creaturecat]

Try some Feliway, perhaps.

[masraum]

Many years ago we had a cat that HATED to ride in a car and we had an 8-9 hour drive to do. My parents got some sort of sedative from a vet. It didn't put the cat out, just made it mellow enough for the trip. I still don't know that the cat was happy, but it wasn't super freaked out the whole time either.

I'd say that it definitely helped.

[gr8fl4porsche]

Why not use a sedative? I don't see any harm. Much less stress on the cat.

Come to think of it, I could use a nice sedative right now myself.

[pwd72s]

Like I said, consult a vet...sedation may not be needed...there are good kitty tranquilizers as well.

[syncroid]

LOL! My wife tried to sedate one of our cats a few years ago with doggie downers. It had the exact OPPOSITE effect on the cat. This cat was spun up beyond.... IMHO.... leave it to the professionals. My wife isn't it. I give her grief about it to this day. Hehe

And yes, I do love cats. (just was not really fond of this one after 18 years of driving me crazy)

[red-beard]

I had a Himalayan cat (Siamese look and personality with fur of a Persian). It developed a fur tangle so bad, it was in pain. I tried to cut the matted fur, but he was not happy. I took him to the vet. Vet tried, and failed.

Out came the syringe. Cat out, fur shaved off (under side) and cat was happy afterwards.

[Tobra]

Mom declawed a cat on the kitchen table once, gave the critter ketamine(aka PCP). Of course, she is an anesthesiologist, I would tell you to call a vet about that stuff, unless you have an aneshtesiologist in the house.

[UconnTim97]

I am hoping to stay away from using any drugs, but I will leave that up to a vet if it comes to that.

I am thinking that I will have to get a new cat carrier, one of the cloth ones as she likes to hide in duffle bags etc, and get her in there before the groomer shows up. She seriously hates that plastic and metal cage cat carrier that we have now, and getting her in tail first was the only way that worked..lol

A few before pics.





She actually enjoys that ridiculous collar and gets upset when we take it off to wash it.

[dienstuhr]

Be careful sedating a cat. We had one who always went mental at the vet so we had to do that. The vet prescribed something, we gave it to him before the vet visit, he was OK at the vet. Brought him home, left him in the carrier to "sleep it off", checked on him a bit later and he had passed away.

Turned out he had underlying health issues that we didn't know about (mild diabetes, liver problems) and he was middle-aged (13) and overweight, but it was most upsetting nonetheless. Just be careful.

Cheers

d.
R.I.P. "Fellini" 1993-2006

[ddbach]

When I moved 11 yrs ago I had 2 cats who were seriously freaked by car rides. After a miserable move 3 yrs previous with the same cats I asked the vet. I was given low doses of diazepam (Valium) for them, worked great for a 90 minute load and drive.

My sister's vet recommended a clip placed on the scruff of the neck for her cats. Long hair, all claws. Supposedly makes e'm go limp like momma cat grabbing and carrying them around as kittens. I've seen it work, rather strange. She used an old somewhat weakened silver binder clip.

[Schumi]

If she likes duffel bags.... why not put her in a duffel bag instead of a carrier?


I dunno much about pet carriers but that's the first thing I would try :P

[UconnTim97]

Originally Posted by Schumi

If she likes duffel bags.... why not put her in a duffel bag instead of a carrier?


I dunno much about pet carriers but that's the first thing I would try :P

I suggested that, and the groomer looked at me like I had three heads. I thought the idea made perfect sense.

My MIL has one of the cloth carriers that I am going to pick up tomorrow and see how the cat likes that.

[mikester]

I always put my cats in their carriers head first. I'd hold their legs back against their bodies and dive them straight in.

Never had a problem with getting them in. Just catching them to do so. I stand the carrier on it's end and dive them in holding their legs against their sides head first.

[HHI944]

Head first with their front legs pinned is the way to go, mine hates the carrier and that's the only way I can get him in.

On Topic:
Not intentionally. One time the little bugger ate a valium off the coffee table though. He was essentially stoned out of his mind for the next 12 hours. It was kinda funny after I called the vet to make sure it wasn't life-threatening.

[Evans, Marv]

If you were actually bitten by your cat, you should go to the doc and (maybe) get treated with antibiotics. At least get it looked at especially if it broke the skin. My cat (dead now) bit (up on the hand near the wrist) me several years ago, and what a nightmare it was. Went to Kaiser (evening clinic) and they said they weren't treating that kind of thing because it was late and there were no doctors. They gave me an appointment after work the next day. I wore a long sleeved dress shirt the next day and in the afternoon pulled my cuff up to see a red line running up my arm. So I went to the clinic immediately, and they put me on an IV of antibiotics. Then they sent me home with some antibiotics to take for a week or so. After I finished them, the area started getting red & feverish again. Went back to another doc, and he told me the previous doc had prescribed the wrong antibiotic. Anyway after another week or more, the infection was finally gone. The second doc said cat bites were really dangerous.

[GWN7]

Welding gloves...... I worked at a spay and neuter clinic to help my sister out (DVM). I'd use the gloves to take the cats out of the cages so they could get the shot to put them under. A two person job. And yes it depends on the weight of the cat for that.

As mentioned, talk to your vet. They will be able to give you something to relax it instead of putting it under.

The reason your cat hates the plastic carrier is because every tme it goes in to it something bad happens to it.