Do you know how to put eye drops on a cat? Here is a short guide on how to do it and the little tricks to adopt to put the drops in your cat’s eye.
For the care and health of our beloved cats we do everything, even transform ourselves into nurses. Obviously we are talking about small operations that can be done at home, without the help of a veterinarian. For example, how to put eye drops on a cat. Do you know how to do it? Let’s see together what are the small tricks to be adopted.
Veterinarian yes, veterinarian no
When our little domestic cats are sick, it is always necessary to seek veterinary care. Never do it yourself, it is absolutely out of the question. We can’t play doctor with our pets. However, there are situations in which we can do without his assistance.
Putting eye drops on your cat is one of these situations. Once the vet has ascertained the cat’s ailment, and has given the care to put the eye drops, you can also proceed on your own. Where it is a therapy to be followed for several days (perhaps even for two weeks in a row) it is obvious that going to the vet every day can be very uncomfortable.
In some cases, perhaps due to work commitments, it is even impossible. But don’t worry, putting eye drops on the cat without being assisted by the vet is possible. Let’s see how to do it together.
Keep calm
The first thing to do is to approach the operation with great serenity and calm. It is normal that the first time you may be afraid of doing something wrong or that the cat reacts in an unpredictable way and gets hurt (or it may do it to you by scratching you, for example).
And it is precisely for this reason that we must remain calm and act naturally. If you are worried and agitated, things could get complicated, because the cat will feel your fear and get agitated. In this case, before acting, it is necessary to calm the cat or try at another time.
Before putting the eye drops
First of all try to put the cat in a comfortable position to be able to put the eye drops. A good solution is to put the cat in your arms, a position in which you can also wait a few minutes so that it relaxes. Alternatively, you can opt for a flat and raised surface, such as the classic table.
At the same time, you need to be sure that you are keeping an eye on your cat while giving him the eye drops. For this reason you have to grab and hold the cat by the scruff (exactly like the mother cat does), firmly but without exaggerating. That way you won’t hurt him.
If it is the first time you put the eye drops in the cat’s eye and you are afraid that it may scratch you, you could wrap it in a cloth, in such a way as to… disarm it. Before proceeding, check the condition of the cat’s eyes. If they are dirty or there are secretions, clean them thoroughly.
How to do
After this preparatory phase, you can move on to the actual operation. Here’s how to do it:
- Place a hand on the cat’s head to open the affected eye;
- place the bottle perpendicularly and at a close distance from the cat’s eye, to direct the drop in the right direction;
- wait for the drop to fall into the cat’s eye, which he will close by reflex. At this time you will have to clean the eye from any excess drops, to prevent it from cleaning with the paw afterwards;
- remember to always reward him with a very small snack; especially if you have to put the eye drops for several days, the cat is more likely to accept more willingly to be put a drop in the eye to get the small reward. It is also a way to gain the cat’s trust;
- If you have any doubts or just can’t get it on your own, don’t hesitate to contact your vet.
