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Elaine
28-12-2007, 08:26 PM
Right, just wondered if any of you have or have had a veryy stressy cat? Was he/she a nightmare to take to the vets? Did he/she bite/scratch? Did the vet have to sedate them for the simplest of things, like claw clipping or something?
If so, how exactly did they sedate the cat?
The reason I ask is coz the Diva simply will not allow me to clip her claws and I am a bit worried that the dew claw is too long. The thing is, she gets herself so upset that I then worry that she is gonna colapse on me. She doesnt actually bite or scratch but she does swear alot making vets etc nervous of her. I am not in the least bit afraid of her and I know she will only bite me if she is in pain. My concern is for her not me. Vets say she will need to be sedated and I have always said no, not for something so trivial. But if i cannot get her dew claws clipped then it may not be so trivial after all.
So how do they go about sedating her? Do I give her a valium or something before going to the vet or do they do something there like injection or something?

Mags
28-12-2007, 08:50 PM
Cassie is very nervous at the vets but I don't think she is as bad as the Diva, Elaine..

I had to get the vet to clip her claws last year, including the dew claw. The vet layed her on her side and somehow clipped her claws in such a way with her own arm keeping Cassie's head away from what she was doing. I really though Cassie would bite but she didn't....just gentle growls..:D

Maybe Amber will see this thread and let you know what her vets do ;)

Elaine
28-12-2007, 08:55 PM
Thanx Mags, honestly you have to see her to beleive her. She clings to me like a child would to its mother, I have to tear her off me. I am quite confident about holding her but I understand others being nervous of her. I just worry for her as she snorts and gets higher and higher, I always think she's gonna hyperventilate or something.
I have NEVER experienced a cat like the Diva in all my life. But I do love her.

alexgirl73
28-12-2007, 08:59 PM
It baffles me all this talk of sedation and such lol! When I clip my lots claws, I just grab them and do it, not a peep out of any of them. I wonder why some cats are like the Diva and others couldn't care less!

Elaine
28-12-2007, 09:06 PM
I know Alex, I've never had a problem clipping claws etc. Woody was a very stressy cat, but once you had a good hold of him, he'd just let you. Winston and Mutley were never any problem at all and Bernie is a bloody wriggler but we get there in the end.
You know how when you hold a cats head before tableting them and they normally poke their heads forward to try to free themselves? Well the Diva pulls her chin right in so you cannt get at her mouth. I've just got used to that one and i manage to tablet her, normally on the third atempt, but we get there.
She is so aukward at absolutely everything.
Is there a Ceasar Milan of cats going around at all. I think she needs to be balanced:lol:

sarah5
28-12-2007, 10:04 PM
I don't know anything about sedation but I do have a wonderful spray which I bought at the vets ages ago, it is supposed to be a relaxant type spray I think, it eases stress in cats. Fantastic stuff but perhaps not strong enough for the Diva?

Elaine
28-12-2007, 10:12 PM
I don't know anything about sedation but I do have a wonderful spray which I bought at the vets ages ago, it is supposed to be a relaxant type spray I think, it eases stress in cats. Fantastic stuff but perhaps not strong enough for the Diva?

That wouldnt be felifriend would it? I do use rescue remedy before we go to the vets, have used felifriend before but it didnt seem to make much difference but she was never quite as bad before as she is now. Since they tried to muzzle her and i got quite annoyed with them, she is much much worse than before.

sarah5
28-12-2007, 10:31 PM
Hi Elaine.. well the one I have is called Feliway, it's a pheromone spray but you can also get a plug in one I believe. The spray stuff you can use twice a day and spray it around the house - along doorframes, etc. and use for up to a month. I found it to be fantastic when we moved house and when we got a new kitten (for our older cat).

Although the poor Diva sounds very stressed poor love. Might be worth a try though?

Good luck x

Elaine
28-12-2007, 10:35 PM
Thanx Sarah, it is the same stuff that i have used before but no harm trying again. I just get fed up stressing her out by taking her to the vets only for her to go back into the carrier with out anything being done to her coz she is in such a state, and then i still have to pay for the consult:?

alexgirl73
28-12-2007, 10:40 PM
what about the sereneum tablets Elaine, I used them on Brioxi when we travelled back from Scotland in the summer!

sarah5
28-12-2007, 10:43 PM
Thanx Sarah, it is the same stuff that i have used before but no harm trying again. I just get fed up stressing her out by taking her to the vets only for her to go back into the carrier with out anything being done to her coz she is in such a state, and then i still have to pay for the consult:?

Aww Elaine you poor thing it must be awful to see her in that state. I hope you find a solution x

Elaine
28-12-2007, 10:45 PM
Didnt think of those Alex. How was Broxy on them?
Think I might actually call round a few vets over the next few weeks and explain to them what she is like and ask how they would deal with her. Have been thinking about changing vets anyway coz i am not too happy with one or two of the vets in the practice.

alexgirl73
28-12-2007, 10:47 PM
They didn't stop Broxi from yowling all the time, but he was a lot calmer about going into the box etc and did doze off a few times (the silence was deafening lol). You just have to start giving them about 5 days in advance I think it was. Maybe worth a try!

tilly
29-12-2007, 03:04 PM
I sedated Tilly once when I took her to scotland and she was fine. She looked like she was a bit high and most of the way bt she recovered fine and was just fine when we got there you would think nothing had happened to her. I did it myself via injection but I am sure there are other ways as it sound like diva wouldn't tkae to kindly to being jabbed!

Hope something gets sorted out. When I do buster claws I have to wrap hime in a towel would that be an option for you or have you tried it.
sally

Elaine
29-12-2007, 06:16 PM
:lol: :lol: :lol: thatnx Tilly, brought back one or two memories of trying to wrap the Diva in a towel. That in its self took long enough, I think I did manage to get one or two claws clipped that time though:lol: :lol: :lol:

angieh
29-12-2007, 06:40 PM
Does anyone else remember Boris in "All Creatures Great and Small"? Elaine's description of The Diva reminds me of that - years ago I know.

Sorry Elaine - I've never tried sedation at all. Smudge always let me trim her dew claws with no protest. Used Feliway diffuser, but with no noticeable effects. I probably would trust a homeopathic sedative, I'll try and see if I can find anything on the net and let you know.

Liz
29-12-2007, 10:54 PM
Elaine we used the nice little yellow pills from the vet and they do knock them out - thats how we moved 30 of our mob last year with no ill effects they are ok for younger cats and we boxed the others and they came with me

We still have the bottles so will look for the name they also were used for the dogs as it kept them quiet with the 8 other cats in the car!

angieh
29-12-2007, 11:20 PM
Hi again Elaine. I did look up homoeopathic remedies for cats on the net - there's a lot of info. I found reference to this book:
http://www.natural-animal-health.co.uk/Books/bookshop.htm
which you can get from Amazon.

I read on the home page of the above site that "It is against the Law for anyone other than a Veterinary Surgeon to prescribe a Homoeopathic treatment for an animal. You can treat your own animal but, PLEASE, get a veterinary diagnosis first - you need to be certain what you are dealing with." I don't see why, though, I shouldn't recommend the book above. I have another book by George MacLeod "Homoeopathy for pets".

The veterinary practice that I now take Merlin to used to be a homoeopathic practice and I felt that the vets had a different outlook. If you are going to look for another practice in your area, I would recommend you ask around to see if any use homoeopathy - they tend to offer both types of medicine. Good Luck with La Diva!!!