4 Tips on How to Give your Cat Eye Drops
Giving cats eye drops is most people’s idea of a nightmare. Our feline friends aren’t generally keen on being restrained, having their eyes prodded and something wet put close. What normally ensures is a squirming, clawing wrestling session, with kitty running away and hiding and the tube of ointment sprayed everywhere, with not a drop in your pet’s eyes.
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All is not lost! We at Petbucket have some great suggestions to help you treat your cat’s eyes, beginning with:
1. Position Your Cat Correctly
The first step to successfully getting eye drops in your cat’s eye is to hold them so they can’t scamper away when they see the ointment coming – or dig their claws into your flesh!
It is best to put the cat on a table (or your lap if you trust them to keep their claws sheathed), wrapping your arm around their body to keep them still.
Swaddling him or her in a towel is a good way also of keeping them secure and preventing scratching while you move the dreaded dropper closer.
Make sure the space behind your cat is blocked so they cannot back out and flee that way.
2. Correct Eye Drop Technique
With one hand, hold your cat’s head from under the jaw and use your thumb to push up towards the eye. This will create a little pouch in the lower eyelid, which can be seen above. Being careful not to touch your cat’s eye, place the tip of the applicator just above the bottom lid. Then squeeze the dropper quickly and gently (so it doesn’t squirt too much ointment). Your cat will blink, distributing the drop over the eye.
Once you are finished do not let go of your cat immediately. If you do it is likely they will immediately paw at their eyes, disturbing the liquid you just dropped in, meaning you have to begin again.
3. Use Rewards
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Your cat is not going to love getting eye drops, but you can make it less than awful by praising your cat throughout the experience and giving them a treat at the end. If they associate the dropper with some positives that balance the negatives, they may not be so unwilling when they see you coming to give them their medication.
4. Have Patience
In the case of eye drops, don’t expect your first few tries to go smoothly. It can be a nerve wracking experience for your cat and difficult for owners to hold a cat and manipulate the dropper at once. But it is important for you to persist as if eye drops have been prescribed, they are important for your cat’s health.
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