Kitty Won’t Let Me Test

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fluffles5178

fluffles5178

Member Since 2019
Here I thought I had been doing so well (having gotten three successful ear tests in a row), but now kitty is flattening his ears, wriggling away when he sees me with the lancet, and I haven’t been able to test this evening. I’m ready to cry. Are there alternative areas where I may be able to test that may be easier?
 
make sure you have treats your cat likes, both before and after testing, even if it's unsuccessful -- not a bad idea to get cat to the "testing area" and give treats even if you aren't testing right then -- they need to want to be there even if they don't like the testing itself
 
Also relax. I know this seems difficult to do. However, if you are stressed, your cat will pick up on it and also become stressed. I remember seeing on a different post that someone recommended singing to your cat while trying to test. It may sound silly but it may help.
 
Here is something I copied from a response by Chris & China (GA)

Here's something I wrote up for others for testing...maybe it'll help you too!

It can be really helpful to establish a routine with testing. Pick one spot that you want your "testing spot" to be (I like the kitchen counter because it's got good light and it's at a good height....it also already blocked 2 escape routes due to the wall and the backsplash) It can be anywhere though...a rug on the floor, a table, a particular spot on the couch...wherever is good for you.

Take him there as many times a day as you can and just give his ears a quick rub and then he gets a yummy (low carb) treat. Most cats aren't objecting so much with the poking..it's the fooling with their ears they don't like, but once they're desensitized to it and learn to associate a certain place with the treats, they usually start to come when they're called! Or even when they hear us opening the test kit!

You also have to remember...you're not poking him to hurt him...you're testing him to keep him safe and understand what's going on inside his body. There's just nothing better than truly understanding what's going on inside your kitty's body and with this disease, the more knowledge you have, the more power you have against it. The edges of the ears have very few pain receptors, so it really doesn't hurt them. Also, if you're nervous and tense, it's going to make your kitty nervous and tense too. As silly as it might seem, try singing! It forces you to use a different part of your brain!

It's also important to make sure his ear is warm. A small sock filled with a little rice and microwaved or a small pill bottle filled with warm water (check temp against your wrist like you would a baby bottle) works well

For new kitties, using a heavier gauge lancet is also really helpful. A 25-28 gauge lancet pokes a bigger "hole" than a 31-33 gauge lancet does, so look for "Alternate Site testing" lancets that are usually a lower number

Finding the right "treat" will be a great help too! Freeze dried chicken, bonito flakes, little pieces of baked chicken...whatever low carb treat you can find that he really enjoys will help him to associate the testing with the treat! China's Achilles heel was baked chicken, so I'd bake a piece, chop it into bite sized pieces, put some in the refrigerator and freeze the rest to use as needed. It didn't take long for her to come any time I picked up the meter!

Maybe if you just keep "practicing" when you actually don't need to test, he might get the idea that this is not so bad after all. Paws crossed!
 
My cat was very difficult to test when we first started. I started out by getting her used to all the different parts of testing first. So I would touch her ears several times a day and give her a treat afterwards. Then I would hold her how I do for a test and give her a treat afterwards, and so on. When I finally started trying the whole thing, I would put a treat on the floor first and let her eat it, test her, then give her one afterwards too. If she was being too difficult and was struggling, I would just let her go and give her a treat anyway, and then try again later. Now she comes right up to her testing spot for a test, no problem (: But it definitely took time to get to that point!
 
Sarah&Soph said:
My cat was very difficult to test when we first started. I started out by getting her used to all the different parts of testing first. So I would touch her ears several times a day and give her a treat afterwards. Then I would hold her how I do for a test and give her a treat afterwards, and so on. When I finally started trying the whole thing, I would put a treat on the floor first and let her eat it, test her, then give her one afterwards too. If she was being too difficult and was struggling, I would just let her go and give her a treat anyway, and then try again later. Now she comes right up to her testing spot for a test, no problem :) But it definitely took time to get to that point!
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Silly question-but how do you hold your kitty for testing?
 
The way I personally do it is I sit on the floor and put her between my legs. But I’m young and small so that’s comfortable for me lol. I know other people test their cats on a table or kitchen island. It’s really just however is most comfortable for the both of you!
 
I don't know that all cats would be okay with this, but I gently ease Figaro into a loaf position (see "squish that cat" portion of this video!) and put one of my arms over him to loosely pin him down. Not to put pressure or anything, just to keep him stable. If he is really jumpy I let him wander around for a moment and settle himself on the table. It helps so much that he knows the treat is coming at the end!

I believe some people wrap their kitties into a towel "burrito" lots of you tube videos on how to do that...

Also, I completely empathize... I seriously cried multiple times when I first started to test. I kept thinking I was hurting him and I was overwhelmed by everything, but I realized after a bit he was more disturbed by me being fussy than the poke itself. So now I try to really make it about pets and the treat, and I talk to him and take my time through the testing. As others have said, being calm is the best thing you can do to make it easier for both of you. Breathe deeply before you begin. It will be okay and it will get easier!
 
I did this with Rover to let him know that even though I was going to poke the outside of his ear with a lancet, I was not going to stick my finger or anything else directly in his ear. It was about trust. After awhile, he stopped flattening his ears.

Hold the tip of the ear with your thumb and index finger. Thumb on the outside. Index finger on the inside – just at the tip. Place your remaining three fingers flat across the opening to the ear. Your cat now knows that nothing will be going in its ear.
 
Sarah&Soph said:
The way I personally do it is I sit on the floor and put her between my legs. But I’m young and small so that’s comfortable for me lol. I know other people test their cats on a table or kitchen island. It’s really just however is most comfortable for the both of you!
Click to expand...
I use one of my legs to help hold my kitty's backside, too! I'm not even that young or small, but it's nice to have a "third arm" to help hold him.
 
Most of the time the less restraint you use the less they'll wiggle. I usually sit on the floor, prop my knees up, and sit kitty on my legs. Other times if she wants to lay down I'll just leave her where she's at and poke her ear. :) Best advice I have for just starting out, give yourself an attempt limit. Poke three times, if still no success, just walk away. I found that if I kept trying, even if kitty wasn't fussy, I'd work myself up from the constant failure so it helped to have a stopping point.
 
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