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Restraining a Cat
This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care.
Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.
How can an animal so small be so hard to hold on to?
Variations on these instructions exist.
More is NOT better. Work with the cat in the position that (s)he finds
most comfortable yet provides you adequate exposure to do what you need to
do. The LEAST amount of restraint that is needed should be applied.
Excessive restraint becomes a test of wills and you will find cats to be
stubborn and not give up. The more you attempt to restrain them, the harder
they resist and the less pleasant and more dangerous the experience becomes
for all.
There are several restraint devices that make handling a cat to give it a
pill, place eye or ear ointment or trim its nails much easier.
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Restraint bags can be used to
restrain cats as well as small dogs. The bags are made of canvas
or nylon, with a hook or other type of fastener at the neck
opening and one or more zippers (or strips of Velcro) to allow
selective exposure of a body part. Instead of a restraint bag, a
heavy towel or a pillow case can be used to wrap the cats body,
leaving the head exposed but are not nearly as effective as a
bag. |
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The open bag is draped over the
cats back and the neck closure is fastened. The neck fastener
should be tight enough that the cat cannot insert a front foot
through the neck opening. |
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The cat is turned on its back or
held off the table so the longest zipper can be zipped. As you
close the zipper, take care not to catch the cat's fur in the
zipper. |
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The cats feet are now restrained
so that you can work with his/her eyes, ears or give medication. |
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Zippers are strategically placed around the bag to allow
selective exposure of a body part. This is useful when trimming
claws.
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A second method is to get the cat to lay on the bag, then pull the sides
of the bag around the cat and zip over the back. In my opinion this method
is less effective as the cat often tries to stand as you zip the zipper.
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The cat is placed in a laying
position on the bag.
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The sides of the bag are pulled up over the cat's back.
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The zipper is pulled closed, taking care not to catch the
cat's fur in the zipper.
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The neck fastener is closed. The neck should be closed
snugly, just loose enough to slip a finger between the neck and
the bag. If the neck fastener is too loose, the cat will slip
its front paws out of the bag.
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Muzzles used for cats are called
hoods and cover the end of the face and the eyes. The end of the
muzzle is open for easy breathing. The cat is often less
apprehensive about having its ears or feet handled if they
cannot see.
I prefer those made of cloth rather than the more rigid
leather muzzles pictured below.
The top of the hood that is placed over the top of the cat's
face is wider than the bottom.
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A cat hood can be made using a paper cup and a ribbon or
string. Cut off the bottom of the cup. Punch 2 holes on opposite
sides of the lip of the cup. Tie 2 pieces of string or ribbon
through the holes.
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Place the cup over the cat's nose
and eyes and tie the strings together behind the cat's ears.
You can tie the strings in a bow or in a knot and have a
scissors handy to cut the string to remove the hood.
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The bottom of the cup should extend 1/2 to 1 inch beyond the
cat's nose. The cat can easily open his/her mouth.
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Washington State University assumes no liability for injury to you or
your pet incurred by following these descriptions or procedures.
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