Hi. Yesterday our vet just started our 12 y/o cat on 1.5 prozinc 2 times a day. When we try to test her she hisses and tries to bite us so we started putting her in a towel. This worked on our first test today but now when she sees the towel she gets really mad and growls hisses and bites. We were able to get a test tonight before her food but then after she ate we put her in the towel again to give her the shot and she absolutely flipped out on us. She is moving around so much that I can hardly tell if I am getting it in there right. We tried without a towel first but she goes right for our hands and arms as soon as we try. She has always been kind of a crabby cat and only likes my husband and I and growls and hisses at everyone else. She really has never liked being picked up even before this diagnosis so we knew it was not going to be easy...but we had no idea she would be trying to bite us. Does anyone have any ideas? I don't know if we can keep this up...
Newly diagnosed. Cat bites when getting shots. Frustrated.
- Thread starter Diane H
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Squeaky and KT (GA)
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First, HUGS Diane - getting started with a cat that's already a bit 'grouchy' is tough but it will get better, it really will. I do want to suggest something. I can tell that right now you and he are approaching this whole thing nervous, a bit scared of it all and like you're 'ready for battle'. You're expecting her to hate it. You have to calm yourselves before she'll accept this. Change your whole mindset - take deep slow breaths and SING! Yep sing....doesn't matter what song, ABC song, Row Your Boat (as a round with 2 of you.. 
). She can feel your nerves and scared making her nervous and scared. After give her some kind of low carb treats such as the freeze dried chicken/shrimp at the pet store or a few small pieces of boiled chicken. You may feel funny singing but no one's around to know it and you'll be pleasantly surprised.
HUGS! You CAN do this...remember, deep breaths....and another one...
). She can feel your nerves and scared making her nervous and scared. After give her some kind of low carb treats such as the freeze dried chicken/shrimp at the pet store or a few small pieces of boiled chicken. You may feel funny singing but no one's around to know it and you'll be pleasantly surprised. HUGS! You CAN do this...remember, deep breaths....and another one...
Thanks for the advice. It was a nightmare the first try and then the second try I put her in the towel and just held her and stroked her head while my husband did the test and there was just a bit of growling (which doesn't scare me as much)... but the time after that she was just not having it. She has always had a very nervous and crabby temperament so we just accepted her for who she. She will even go after peoples ankles when they walk by too close to her. It all just depends on what kind of mood she is in. I have always been able to pet her and she comes up to sit next to me on the couch and likes to be pet on the head but she has always wanted things on her terms and does not like to be picked up or touched anywhere on the lower half of her body. Our other cat would let us do anything to her. I think the reason I am nervous is because I know she will bite me.... She has bit my husband before and all he did was pet her to close to her tail. She has had recurrent urinary tract infections for the past couple months so I have gotten used to giving her a pill a couple times a day and she will just growl and get over it... but I have never seen her be as nasty as this before. I will try to calm down and sing but it's hard to calm down when she is trying to bite your hand off lol...
Sue and Oliver (GA)
Very Active Member
I am sorry you are having a hard time; she does sound like a challenge. You might post on the Health forum and ask for help. There are other people who have dealt with difficult cats - even feral ones. You may be more likely to get responses for this issue there because it is a larger forum.
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