A discussion to further soil my tarnished reputation
A discussion to further soil my tarnished reputation
A long time ago I was booted, or almost booted off the acme board for presenting this situation. Whenever I had a fractious cat, either a kitten or an old cat and we got it out of the box or bag, I used this procedure to get it under control. if petting and scratching didn’t work then I would pick it up by the scruff of the neck and give it a little shake and then hold it suspended while I gave a shot or whatever…I had learned this from a cat vet (female) who explained that doing this with a little shake puts the cat back into it kitten stage, i.e. like its mother used to do to discipline it. when this worked the cat would curl up its feet and become real docile….not always but the ones that worked did great…the ones that didn’t , after we got it off the ceiling or the surgical lamp and into the net it did some what better…not a lot better but at least we had control. I rarely had a client complain because they could not handle the cat either…..Opinions, am I a cruel and mean vet or the sweet lovable thing that I like to come off as..???
When a tree falls in the forest, does it make a noise? (do you hear it?) That's my take on it.
In other words, you can convey it in words, but no one but the client saw what happened. See, you and I have restraint methods we use that are gentle, kind and for a purpose. Others would see it as abuse simply because they don't understand the necessity for restraint, that protects the pet and the vet or tech.
Shaking, I would not agree with, and of course, you need to support the rear end. But, again, your version of a gentle gravity pull may be misconstrued to someone else as a misdemeanor.
Did you hear that tree?
In other words, you can convey it in words, but no one but the client saw what happened. See, you and I have restraint methods we use that are gentle, kind and for a purpose. Others would see it as abuse simply because they don't understand the necessity for restraint, that protects the pet and the vet or tech.
Shaking, I would not agree with, and of course, you need to support the rear end. But, again, your version of a gentle gravity pull may be misconstrued to someone else as a misdemeanor.
Did you hear that tree?
..........Traci
not shakeing but a bit of a shake, usually one takes care::
of it...it is sometimes so funny to see this nasty viscious cat look and me as to say...how come i dind't scare you??
I wouldn't object to that kind of treatment *if* it were successful and didn't hurt my cat.
You'll be so sorry you opened this discussion!
My biggest concern, and honestly what keeps me trying new vets all the time, is vets who are too tentative and too slow in their handling of my cats.
The vet I've been with since about 1987 has a very professional looking office, clean and well organized (they built the building, as opposed to most of the offices around here that are converted houses). When he or his assistants handle my cats, the cats don't get a chance to fight or run.
They take the cat away to weigh it and draw blood if necessary, and it doesn't take long. The shots are prepared before I even take the cat out of the carrier. An assistant holds the cat on the table very firmly, and the vet administers the shots, takes temp, etc. quickly and smoothly. When they let go, the cat goes back into the cat carrier, and that's that.
Since I've moved, I've tried three vets who are closer. One is a feline clinic, and the other two are normal vet practices. I just don't see the level of professionalism and the level of confidence in handling the cats that I experience at my old vet.
One vet took my Sarah to another room to take blood and was gone 45 minutes!!! When they called me the next day to say they'd screwed up the thyroid test and would need to draw more blood, I nearly had a stroke!
Since I adopted Grace, my new kitty mom, I thought I'd try another new vet. I'm sure she had never been in a car, but she was the calmest and quietest cat I've *ever* taken to the vet. Not a peep out of her! When they got her on the table, this little teenage girl was trying to hold her for the doctor to take her temperature, and Grace was twisting and struggling so much, I thought she was going to go off the table and have a miscarriage! I was not happy. Of course, this was the same vet that said he could tell that something was growing in her tummy...and it probably was kittens.
You'll be so sorry you opened this discussion!
My biggest concern, and honestly what keeps me trying new vets all the time, is vets who are too tentative and too slow in their handling of my cats.
The vet I've been with since about 1987 has a very professional looking office, clean and well organized (they built the building, as opposed to most of the offices around here that are converted houses). When he or his assistants handle my cats, the cats don't get a chance to fight or run.
They take the cat away to weigh it and draw blood if necessary, and it doesn't take long. The shots are prepared before I even take the cat out of the carrier. An assistant holds the cat on the table very firmly, and the vet administers the shots, takes temp, etc. quickly and smoothly. When they let go, the cat goes back into the cat carrier, and that's that.
Since I've moved, I've tried three vets who are closer. One is a feline clinic, and the other two are normal vet practices. I just don't see the level of professionalism and the level of confidence in handling the cats that I experience at my old vet.
One vet took my Sarah to another room to take blood and was gone 45 minutes!!! When they called me the next day to say they'd screwed up the thyroid test and would need to draw more blood, I nearly had a stroke!
Since I adopted Grace, my new kitty mom, I thought I'd try another new vet. I'm sure she had never been in a car, but she was the calmest and quietest cat I've *ever* taken to the vet. Not a peep out of her! When they got her on the table, this little teenage girl was trying to hold her for the doctor to take her temperature, and Grace was twisting and struggling so much, I thought she was going to go off the table and have a miscarriage! I was not happy. Of course, this was the same vet that said he could tell that something was growing in her tummy...and it probably was kittens.
Pat and Feline Family - William, Sarah Jane, Amanda, Grace, and Grace's little boy, Alex (and "Carport Cat" Norman)
davet
I have used that technique several times with my ferals, and it always seems to work BUT unless the person doing it knows what they are doing, it shouldn't be attempted. The same goes for my 3 second time-outs I give my ferals that are misbehaving- and by misbehaving, I mean major fighting or getting ready to, or something similar, not something simple like jumping on a counter- out of my 18 cats, I only have one counter jumper. But at any rate, I take the cat lay him on his back on the floor, scruff his neck (gently) and hold him in that position on hand gently on his stomach for 3 seconds, no more, no less, then I let him up. It is a very effective way to communicate with ferals and I have never had to use it on the same cat twice. I also, while they are down, say one time really loud NO- then release. But again, if you do not know what you are doing, it could result in harming the cat, or you getting bit, as the cat does struggle against this time out.
The smallest feline is a masterpiece.
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
i think scruffing is a good technique and when it :
works, it works well and the cats usually remember it and are somewhat submissive, even a year or so later..when it doesn work, and you know that within a few second period then you forget it...after that i always found the fishenet the best thing...i could even catch them in midaire, somwhere between the surgical lamp and the top of the office door, once in awhile around the waiting room...never did anything without the owner present--exscept surgery etc cause they were usually best with the owner present..i know lots of vets will take the animal into the back room for euthanasia...i always liked the owner presnt- unless they did not want to be- because i felt it gave them closure with the pet just"going to sleep" in their arms...me thinks i am rambling so will cease...but i suspect you get the point.....