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Feb. 25th, 2002 11:43 amJust before I got off work, hub informed me that Bob and Bean were visiting, and he had already eaten. This put me in a crabby mood because he'd always waited for me to come home, or let me know well in advance that I will have to fend for myself; I don't consider this a huge crime but it disturbed my routine so I was not the most cheerful person when I arrived. I was also anticipating (with dread) pilling Bolt- he is an 11 year old cat who needs his teeth cleaned badly. I've postponed it twice already, so I scheduled it once again. The vet wants him to take antibiotics twice a day for 4 days prior to the cleaning. Anyway, Bean mentioned she was good at pilling cats so I gave her the pill when she offered to do it. I was hoping to learn from her technique. I was remiss in not warning her about Bolt's personality, though, and she walked up to him and picked him up.
Bolt doesn't tolerate me picking him up except once in a great while, and then only for about maybe 10 seconds max. So he just went ballistic when this stranger did it; when he jumped down and she approached him again, he turned into the Tazmanian Devil cat and bloodied up her arm. I felt so awful!
Eric and I eventually chased him down, Eric smothered all of him except his head with the towel, and we managed to get the pill down him after a couple of tries. This was inelegant to say the least, and Bolt always seems freaked for awhile after we do it. I don't really blame him; I feel freaked too.
Bean soon went home, saying the adrenaline rush, in addition to other stuff that had happened earlier that day, exhausted her. I apologized another 400 times but she was very forgiving. Bob and Eric and I watched 'Blues for a Red Planet' which was more focused on history and some culture rather than so much science, and not being as enamoured of history (dad's a history teacher, maybe that's why) I didn't find it quite as fascinating as the other episodes, but it was still good stuff.
After sleeping on it I came up with an idea about how to pill Bolt. He seems to get freaky when someone approaches him directly, so for this morning's pill I tried something different. I gave Eric the piller, and came up to Bolt from behind. This way he couldn't back up, which was how he kept escaping last night. I massaged him around his neck and shoulders- if I do that from in front of him, he always flinches back and lays his ears down until he reassures himself it's me. But when he comes to me for attention he sits with his back facing he, and wants me to scratch around his neck and shoulders from behind. I'm not sure why, but that's how he is.
After he started purring, I had Eric hand me the loaded piller and grabbed his head. He immediatedly tried to back up, which didn't work and I was able to get the pill in him in record time. He sat up and looked puzzled, so I offered him a treat. He seemed much calmer. I may have found my method! Hooray! I'll still be a lot happier when I don't have to do this any more.
Bolt doesn't tolerate me picking him up except once in a great while, and then only for about maybe 10 seconds max. So he just went ballistic when this stranger did it; when he jumped down and she approached him again, he turned into the Tazmanian Devil cat and bloodied up her arm. I felt so awful!
Eric and I eventually chased him down, Eric smothered all of him except his head with the towel, and we managed to get the pill down him after a couple of tries. This was inelegant to say the least, and Bolt always seems freaked for awhile after we do it. I don't really blame him; I feel freaked too.
Bean soon went home, saying the adrenaline rush, in addition to other stuff that had happened earlier that day, exhausted her. I apologized another 400 times but she was very forgiving. Bob and Eric and I watched 'Blues for a Red Planet' which was more focused on history and some culture rather than so much science, and not being as enamoured of history (dad's a history teacher, maybe that's why) I didn't find it quite as fascinating as the other episodes, but it was still good stuff.
After sleeping on it I came up with an idea about how to pill Bolt. He seems to get freaky when someone approaches him directly, so for this morning's pill I tried something different. I gave Eric the piller, and came up to Bolt from behind. This way he couldn't back up, which was how he kept escaping last night. I massaged him around his neck and shoulders- if I do that from in front of him, he always flinches back and lays his ears down until he reassures himself it's me. But when he comes to me for attention he sits with his back facing he, and wants me to scratch around his neck and shoulders from behind. I'm not sure why, but that's how he is.
After he started purring, I had Eric hand me the loaded piller and grabbed his head. He immediatedly tried to back up, which didn't work and I was able to get the pill in him in record time. He sat up and looked puzzled, so I offered him a treat. He seemed much calmer. I may have found my method! Hooray! I'll still be a lot happier when I don't have to do this any more.
