Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth

 

Teaching your cat to accept brushing will take some training, but will be very beneficial to the cat once he is accustomed to the process. Daily brushing is most beneficial and will help to establish a routine for your pet, but brushing twice a week is acceptable if your schedule can’t accommodate daily brushing.

Instructions:

• Choose a quiet time and place to start the brushing. It is best to teach your cat to accept brushing while he or she is still a kitten. If you have an older cat, the process may take a little longer.
• Hold your cat securely in your lap.
• Start by rubbing your finger or a soft cloth over the cat’s teeth in a back-and-forth motion. Be careful to stay on the outsides of the cheek teeth to avoid being bitten by accident.
• Once the cat is comfortable with this, you may try letting him or her taste a little bit of toothpaste from your finger. Pet toothpaste is recommended and is very appetizing to most cats and may make brushing more enjoyable for them. Human toothpaste should not be used as it can result in your cat having an upset stomach.
• Once the cat has accepted the taste of the toothpaste, apply a small amount to a toothbrush and begin by placing your free hand over your cat’s head with your thumb and index finger on opposite sides of your cat’s upper jaw. Gently raise your cat’s lip on one side and begin by brushing one or two cheek teeth. A human inter-dental toothbrush works well for most cats. With this type of toothbrush, it should be placed right along the gum-line and used in a straight back-and-forth motion. Start from the back and work toward the midline of the jaw. In order to brush the lower teeth, this requires opening your cat’s mouth just a little. This can be done by gently tilting your cat’s head backward while holding onto his or her upper jaw with your thumb and index finger of your free hand.
• Gradually work up to brushing all of the teeth (this will probably take several days). Make sure you reach the big teeth at the back of the mouth.
• Generally, only the outer surfaces of the teeth need to be cleaned because the tongue tends to remove plaque from the inner surfaces.
• Try to brush for approximately 30 seconds per side.
• A cat’s mouth houses plenty of harmful bacteria, so it is a good idea to wash your hands and the toothbrush thoroughly when you are done.

Administering Eye Drops To Your Cat

 

Make sure that you wash your hands both before and after administering the medication to prevent the spread of infection. If you are administering the medication on your own, you may find it easiest to place your cat in your lap. If your cat’s eye is painful, you may need to have someone assist you in restraining your cat by wrapping it in a blanket with only the head exposed.

Instructions:

• Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions.
• Hold the bottle using your thumb and index finger.
• Use the last two fingers of the same hand to pull back the upper eyelid. Place your remaining fingers under the cat’s jaw to support the head. The lower eyelid will act as a pouch to receive the drops.
• Hold the bottle close to the eye but ensure you DO NOT touch the eye’s surface.
• Squeeze the prescribed number of drops onto the eyeball, aiming for the center of the eye, and then release the head.
• The cat will blink, spreading the medication over the surface of the eye.

Giving Liquid Medication To Your Cat

 

The easiest way to give your cat liquid medication is to mix it in with some canned food. To ensure that the medication is actually taken, it is best to give a small amount of food that the cat is certain to eat rather than a large portion that the cat may not complete. Some cats may be unwilling to eat the food or may have dietary restrictions that prevent you from using this technique. If this is the case, you will need to administer the medication directly into the cat’s mouth.

Instructions:

• Prepare the environment so that you have a safe place to handle your cat. Have the medication ready and in a place where it will be easily accessible. If you are administering the medication on your own, you may find it easiest to place your cat in your lap. You may need to have someone assist you in restraining your cat by wrapping it in a blanket with only the head exposed.
• Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions.
• Hold the syringe with your dominant hand.
• Draw up the prescribed amount of liquid into the syringe.
• First, try to allow the cat to lick the medication from the end of the syringe as you slowly depress the plunger. The cat may accept the medication more readily if it is warmed to room temperature.
• If this is ineffective, gently take the cat by the scruff of the neck and lift the front paws off of your lap. The mouth will open slightly.
• Place the tip of the syringe in the side of the mouth, just behind one of the canine teeth.
• Advance the syringe so it is placed in the mouth just past the tooth line.
• Slowly squeeze the syringe to dispense the liquid medication. Make sure you do this slowly so the cat has time to swallow the liquid and breath.
• Most cats will spit out some of the medication. DO NOT re-medicate unless you are certain that NONE of the medication was taken.
• Rinse the syringe thoroughly with water and refrigerate the medication if necessary.

Giving Your Cat A Pill

 

The easiest way to give your cat a pill is to hide the pill in food. This usually works best if the pill is hidden in a small amount of tuna or cream cheese. To ensure that the pill is actually taken, it is best to give a small amount of food that the cat is certain to eat rather than a large portion that the cat may not complete. Some cats may spit out the pill, so it is important to monitor this activity. If your cat persists in spitting out the pills or if dietary restrictions prevent you from hiding the pills in an appealing treat, you will need to administer the pill directly into the cat’s mouth.

Instructions:

• Prepare the environment so that you have a safe place to handle your cat. Have the pill ready and in a place where it will be easily accessible.
• If you are administering the medication on your own, you may find it easiest to place your cat in your lap. You may need to have someone assist you in restraining your cat by wrapping it in a blanket with only the head exposed.
• Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions.
• Grease the pill with a very small amount of margarine or butter so it doesn’t stick in your cat’s mouth or throat.
• Hold the pill between your thumb and index finger.
• Gently grasp your cat’s head from above with your other hand, by placing your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Tilt the cat’s head back over its shoulder so that its nose points to the ceiling. The jaw should drop open slightly.
• With your pilling hand, use your little finger and ring finger to open the cat’s mouth further by gently putting pressure on the lower front teeth.
• Quickly place the pill as far back over the tongue as possible.
• Close the cat’s mouth and hold it closed while you return the head to a normal position.
• Gently rub the cat’s nose or throat, or blow lightly on the nose. This should stimulate swallowing.
• If you have trouble with this method of opening the mouth, try placing the cat on a table. Hold the cat by the scruff of the neck and lift the front paws off of the table. The mouth will open. Quickly place the pill as far back over the tongue as possible, as in the previous method.

Administering Ear Drops To Your Cat

 

Remember that the ear may be very painful and that the cat may respond by scratching and biting.

Instructions:

• Warm the medication by standing the bottle in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Hold the cat securely in your lap. You may need to have someone help you by wrapping the cat in a blanket with only the head exposed.
• Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions.
• Draw up the liquid into the dropper.
• Use the last two fingers of the same hand to hold the tip of the ear.
• Place your remaining hand under the cat’s jaw to support the head.
• Apply a small amount of medication into the ear.
• Rub the ear against the cat’s head in a circular motion. Be cautious and gentle. The cat may not allow you to do this.
• Release the ear and let your cat shake its head. If the medication contains a wax solvent, debris will be dissolved so it can be shaken out.