Home Care For Your Sick Cat

By Leeanne Gallaway

Going to the veterinarian with a sick cat is never easy. Neither is aftercare, which you must do at home. There are many ways to make aftercare easier for you and your ill cat. You don't have to be overwhelmed by medication dosages and times, treatments, or worry. Here are some ways you can help your cat heal at home.

When you get the home care instructions, it's time to get organized. Your veterinarian will gladly write down dosages and times for medications. Ask the vet tech about anything you might not understand. This is the best time to formulate your schedule around your cat's needs. Once at home, you can write down each hour of the day if you need, and what needs to be done at that time.

When you bring your cat home, give any medications directed to be given at that time. Medicating your cat is easier than you think, but it does take practice. I once gave hospice care to a cat with cancer, and he needed meds and feedings eight times a day. I use this method with liquids:

1. Draw each dose as directed in oral syringe(s). These work a lot better than droppers and are more cleanly. You can ask for these oral syringes at your vet's office anytime, and they are almost always free.

2. Grab a paper towel to wipe off the syringe and keep it handy to clean up any mess on you, your floor, your cat...you get the point. Try to do this on tile or linoleum.

3. You need to do this as quickly as possible, so that the cat is medicated before he or she knows they are. I get on my knees behind the cat, and while they are seated, I cradle the body with my hand on the chest, and tilt the head back and at an angle away from my dominant hand. Then I insert the tip of the syringe in the corner of the mouth until the cat opens a little, and then push the plunger gently all the way down. After the medicine has gone in the mouth, keep the head tilted back gently for a few seconds while you rub your cat's throat.

4. Let go of your cat and carefully observe him or her to make sure they are not choking, or vomiting their medicine. I just let my cat wander and follow. If you have done all this quickly and gently, your cat will trust you with all liquid medications. You can use this time to clean your syringe.

Giving your cat a pill can be more difficult. Here's what I do:

1. Make sure the pill is small enough to be easily swallowed by your cat. Most manufacturers make these small anyway, but use caution.

2. Draw a clean syringe full of clean water. Keep your paper towel handy.

3. Quickly cradle your cat as described above. This time you need to have a little more firm grip on the head. I grab at each corner of the mouth until the cat opens a little.

4. Using very gentle pressure and the tip of one finger, place the pill on your cat's tongue, at the back and to one side. Then grab your syringe and give water a little at a time. Water is easier to choke on than medications, so be extremely careful. If your cat seems to have swallowed the pill, you don't need to give any more water.

5. Release the cat and observe it carefully.

Yes, it takes practice, but once you master it your cat will know to trust you at medication time. This will also help with other treatments like warm compresses or cleaning wounds.

Taking your cat to a quiet room for lengthy treatments is the only way to go. Your cat needs quiet while they heal at home. No T.V. or radios unless they are quiet, no kids in the room, and certainly no other pets in the household need to be there. This is your time to heal your cat. Quiet talking to him or her as you treat an illness is so reassuring to your cat that home care can be rewarding for both of you. Your cat will actually trust you and bond with you even more.

I have lovingly cared for a cat with terminal cancer and a cat with F.I.V. Always follow your vet's advice. For more information, tips and resources please visit my blog at thebirdh.wordpress.com