Giving needles advice needed

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Ash

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Hi, I'm just a few days into a new diagnosis and not confident in giving insulin shots. I've tried giving it to him while he eats but then he gets nervous about eating cause he knows what's coming. It was easy at the vets office cause he's "scared still" there but at home I have a hard time keeping him from jumping. And today the needle came out bent. Any advice??
 
I'm not sure if this will help but this is what I did at first. I gave the insulin while he ate, but I placed the bowl in an area where he's kind of backed into a corner. Then he'd start to squirm once I grabbed his skin, but he had nowhere to move to, and luckily my cat loves food so he would just continue to eat. Now that it's been a few months he's definitely gotten used to it and I don't even have to put his food in the corner anymore. Granted, my cat is a food addict so this may not be as effective for you.

And also, if the needle was bent, then it sounds like you might be using too much pressure. It doesn't take much force to puncture the skin, and you don't need to keep pushing once the needle's all the way in.

Cats are also supposed to be really sensitive to your emotions. So if you're apprehensive about giving him the shot, then he might pick up on that and also get nervous. So just try to be calm and collected and positive. It will definitely get easier as he adjusts to his new lifestyle.

I'm no expert, but I hope I helped at least a little bit. Good luck!
 
Hello,

It's a difficult situation that I didn't really experience with my kitty Baco.
What are your kitties favourite places? Does he loves sitting on your lap? Or another favorite spot? You can try make him feel really comfortable at that spot, pet him and stuff like that and if he's feeling really good than give him his shot. And after that you can give him a snack. I gave Baco a nice threat if she was being hard on me and she loved it. So maybe you can try that instead of trying to give him his shot during his meal, it sounds like his mealtime will be something he is not looking forward too if he gets scared about the needle.
 
I had problems when I started too. First, make sure you're not nervous-have a 'we're going to do this' attitude. Some cats, like mine do not like to be shot while they are eating. For Colin, I found that if I gave him most of his food then the shot, then the rest of his food he learned the routine and sat still waiting for more food. This may not work for you and It took a few days for him to learn the routine, but once he did I've had no more problems. I also found that shaving a patch so I could see his skin better helped. Just pinch up the skin, roll it back and inject at a 45 degree angle. If you google it, there are some videos on you tube showing the technique
 
I personally let him eat and wait until he walks away the first time. Then I give him a shot. If I tried during food he'd just stop eating anyway. At first as I was learning I used a kitty straight jacket to keep him from moving now I just make sure he is laying down not sitting and we are all good.
 
I am dealing with my first diabetic cat. But I have had multiple cats and dogs over the years with various medical problems. The best solution in my opinion is to make it part of a routine. I've had dogs where I had to force a pill down, or hide it in their food. But I've also had dogs who I could hold their pill up like a treat, and make them beg for it. Each one will be different. Same with cats. My current "little girl" (not the diabetic) is the cat where you get the pill in her mouth... she pretends to swallow, and then starts foaming at the mouth because it's under her tongue or something. But, my previous cat was easy with pills.... pop it in his mouth and close it, rub his nose, and it's gone.
 
I found it helps to coat the pill with butter so that it skides down the throat better. They swallow then lick there lips. They all seem to like butter.
 
My cat, Moe, is really easy going but hates to be restrained. I let him eat and when he walks away, I scoop him up and put him on the dining room table (which I never actually eat at). I hold his chest with my left hand to get him into a comfortable spot where he's backed into my stomach. Then I'll get a spot ready with my left hand and use the right to quickly inject. Sometimes he tries to walk away but it actually helps by tenting the skin a little. Afterwards, I pet him and show him a lot of attention so he's rewarded. He's all purrs at that point.

The best way to do it is to get your cat at a comfortable height where you can stand, rather than trying to do it while he's on the floor. A vet tech gave me this tip a few weeks after my cat was diagnosed in January and it made a world of difference.
 
Hi Ash,

My kitty won't let me inject her while she's eating either. I used to pick my cat up after she ate and take her to a desk to do the shot; however, I found that picking her up and making her stay put really stressed her out. She would hide and cry when it was insulin time. What really worked for me was giving her space to eat and approaching her once she found her spot to relax after her meal. If your cat likes to be brushed, this is a great way to ease into the injection. I also find that lightly playing with a toy or string is a great distraction as well. It took me about a month to feel somewhat comfortable giving the injection. It will get easier with time! Good luck!
 
I'm still learning. But my best ones thus far have been sitting in the recliner, with Shorty resting on / between my left leg, and the arm of the chair. If I'm hitting him on his left side, I have him facing forward. If I am hitting his right side, I have him facing back. With my left arm just resting over him, I can just rub and rub, and do human passion paws all over the area I'm going to stick. I'll tent his skin a few times without sticking him. Then, when I feel the time is right, I quickly just pull the cap off the needle with my teeth, reach down to where I've already got him tented, stick, push, pull. It almost feels like a Zen moment, and it's done withing 3 - 4 seconds.

Dan
 
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