Hi - I haven't been around the board since my sweet sugar cat Oscar passed away almost two years ago but I find myself needing some feline advice and am I hoping someone can help.
I adopted a Katrina-rescue back in 2005. He was supposed to be a foster cat but I flunked fostering and kept him. He was in rough shape - trapped somewhere he tried to claw his way out, he had acid burns on his head and his feet were very torn up (we thought he was declawed initially). He's come a long way, his physical wounds have healed very well and mostly he's a great cat. Because I had to do "mean" things when I first got him like put cream on his wounds and stuff in his ears, he's not a huge fan of getting close to me. In his own way, he likes me and he is happy at my house (less so without his best buddy Oscar). When I am asleep, he comes in a cuddles and nudges my hands to get pet. When I am awake, he runs if I take a step in his direction. A few times I have been able to trim his claws, usually ending up with me bleeding from multiple sites (he doesn't bite, they wounds are a result of him pushing off of me trying to escape).
We co-exist nicely as long as I don't try to cut his nails (and they are horribly long, sometimes he accidentally hurts the other cats while playing). The longer we go without an attempt, the more often I get nightly visits. What's interesting is he doesn't hide ever. He is always out and sociable from a distance and when people come over, he goes right up to them and sniffs. Sometimes he even allows some petting from them as long as no sudden movements are involved.
So that's JD's background, here's my problem/question... It's been almost 2 years since he's been to the vet. The last visit was a dental. When I tried to catch him to go for his follow up for that, I spent a couple hours following him around the house trying to wear him out or coax him into the crate. He got himself so worked up, his bowels released and I gave up. So I know it's time he gets another check up but I have no clue how to get him crated (and taking him not in a crate is not a safe option for either of us).
Getting him to eat a sedative is about as easy as crating him (he's very suspicious of anything out of the ordinary). He won't eat a treat if he's confined so putting food in the crate won't work. I have tried Feliway to help relax him but it had no affect. I am just at a loss. I don't want to add to his emotional scars but I need to figure out a way to safely get him to the vet too.
Thanks for reading, I look forward to your suggestions!
Lucy
I adopted a Katrina-rescue back in 2005. He was supposed to be a foster cat but I flunked fostering and kept him. He was in rough shape - trapped somewhere he tried to claw his way out, he had acid burns on his head and his feet were very torn up (we thought he was declawed initially). He's come a long way, his physical wounds have healed very well and mostly he's a great cat. Because I had to do "mean" things when I first got him like put cream on his wounds and stuff in his ears, he's not a huge fan of getting close to me. In his own way, he likes me and he is happy at my house (less so without his best buddy Oscar). When I am asleep, he comes in a cuddles and nudges my hands to get pet. When I am awake, he runs if I take a step in his direction. A few times I have been able to trim his claws, usually ending up with me bleeding from multiple sites (he doesn't bite, they wounds are a result of him pushing off of me trying to escape).
We co-exist nicely as long as I don't try to cut his nails (and they are horribly long, sometimes he accidentally hurts the other cats while playing). The longer we go without an attempt, the more often I get nightly visits. What's interesting is he doesn't hide ever. He is always out and sociable from a distance and when people come over, he goes right up to them and sniffs. Sometimes he even allows some petting from them as long as no sudden movements are involved.
So that's JD's background, here's my problem/question... It's been almost 2 years since he's been to the vet. The last visit was a dental. When I tried to catch him to go for his follow up for that, I spent a couple hours following him around the house trying to wear him out or coax him into the crate. He got himself so worked up, his bowels released and I gave up. So I know it's time he gets another check up but I have no clue how to get him crated (and taking him not in a crate is not a safe option for either of us).
Getting him to eat a sedative is about as easy as crating him (he's very suspicious of anything out of the ordinary). He won't eat a treat if he's confined so putting food in the crate won't work. I have tried Feliway to help relax him but it had no affect. I am just at a loss. I don't want to add to his emotional scars but I need to figure out a way to safely get him to the vet too.
Thanks for reading, I look forward to your suggestions!
Lucy
