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Two cats. One elderly with kidney failure. She was supposed to be dead 6 mos ago per the vet, she's fine. Special diet, which she cheats on, we stopped trying to give her the IV fluid because she was so darned strong, three of us couldn't hold her. Her last blood test was the same as it was in July, bad but not horrible so she's holding her own. Active, interested and happy.

Cat #2 was feral. She was a kitten when we first saw her about a year ago. We decided to TNR. That was a trip, it was SO difficult to control her the ASPCA could barely administer the second shots and give her the FIV and FIL test I wanted to see if I could bring her in the house. We still don't know if she is a boy or girl, they never told us what operation they did, and they couldn't control her enough to sex her. At home, she is a complete baby, begging to be picked up, loves to be held and carried like a baby, I can clip her nails, clean her ears, rub her belly, anything. She'd love to make friends with the Old Girl, but knows her place. She is definitely the undercat. When company comes, she bolts and won't come out until they are gone.

She still has round worms. (she was a very successful hunter) She hasn't been outside since October 2013 except for a brief foray last week. She didn't have time then to hunt. I can see the worms in her vomit when she has a hairball, so it's pretty bad. Both cats were treated with wormer, she twice. I treated her again yesterday. Pilling her was no fun. I'll repeat in 10 days (it's 140 mg piperazine 3x) from the aspca) but I've done this before and apparently it didn't work.

So, two questions...am I wasting my time worming her, is there a better medication? And the biggie...

How the heck to I take a wild cat to the vet? She is going to freak! I normally don't vaccinate my cats after the first set, as I have had two cats with vaccine sarcoma, but this girl is at too great a risk for escaping, and rabid animals have been found nearby. I won't do that, I'll have her vaccinated in the tail. I also want her chipped. I called one vet and they don't want her in the office at all...Do I offer to drug her?

I am of no help for the medical aspect.

But is there any chance that a vet in your area would make a home visit? As of yesterday, I would have laughed at that suggestion. But I've just learned that there are actually vets that specialize in that particular area. Maybe that would ease at least some of the stress?

[This message edited by truthsetmefree at 3:20 PM, April 28th (Monday)]

Can you calm her after the car ride? Crate her to get there, then go in a exam room calm her, papoose her in a towel, and get her shots wham bam?

Do any vets in your area make house calls?

I'll check. Thanks. Although she'd still try to disappear!

I too took in a formerly-feral kitten years ago. He is absolutely the biggest luv-bug to me, sleeps with me, likes to sit on my lap etc etc. But anyone pulling into the driveway, stepping onto porch or into house sends him into immediate hiding.

I didn't take him to the vet for the first 8 years of his life; he was too terrified to go anywhere near my doors so I didn't have to worry about him escaping.

But he started stumbling around one day and I had no choice, he had to go to the vet because something definitely wasn't right.

I put the carrier into bathroom, got Opie, and got him in carrier. He of course was terrified and I was just as upset. I was sure he'd make a run for it at the office, even told them that ahead of time.

But at the vet? he was so scared he didn't want to come out of the carrier. We had to take it apart around him. he was too scared to move and he wouldn't even stand up, just huddled there. Sweet as pie, no hissing, no meowing, best cat ever in the office. Of course, we took precautions and had the room doors closed so even if he did jump down from table he couldn't run outside the exam room. It was the total opposite of what I expected to happen. he ran out of the carrier and peed at the same time when we got home.

he was diagnosed with diabetes so we've made many trips over the years since then...same response every time...he is too scared to move at the office. They've never seen him stand entirely up on his four paws; it's always been a low crouch like he's hiding. We commented on that again just this morning when he was there. He no longer pees as he comes out of carrier when we get home but I'm always prepared just in case.

The best way I've found to get my cats into carrier is to put carrier on closed toilet lid, pick up cat and then nudge them forward...since they want to stand on something solid, their front paws go into carrier and they just walk forward. If their front paws touch anything else solid they balk at the door and don't want to go in, but give them air, and they'll take the carrier. Never thought it would work with Opie but works like a charm every time.

I had a very agressive Orange Tabby growing up. He was a nightmare to take to the vet! He would go crazy, and the vet always ended up with horrible scratches on his arms.

They used to use a choke chain on him at the vet which, IMO, made the whole situation worse. Eventually they gave us "kitty valium" to slip into his food before his appointments. It really helped!

I'm all for drugging them to make it less stressful. It does no one any good to have them so freake out that they ate incontinent and loose all their hair.

No house visiting vets within 150 miles. I like the idea of calming her when we get there. Sounds like a two man job-she loves my H as much as me.

Any ideas on the worming meds? Should I doss her again with the piperazine or is that futile?

See if you can find a vet to give you a calming medication you can give her at home before her appointment.

There is this mesh thingie, I'll call my vet tomorrow to find out what it is really called and get back to you, that they used for my wild cat that didn't hurt at all. It's oblong (sometimes rectangular) metal with lots of mesh. They basically close it over the cat and it holds them tight like in a womb. Cat can't move, but is held securely and they stop freaking out. My vet then pokes her in the butt with a needle that has a pre surgery sedative.

Kit cat was (she has since passed) out for the count and all medications, shots, teeth cleanings were done pretty much one shot one kill....til the next year.

I would talk to the vet about the worming meds. Sounds like you either never got rid of them, or have something different that what you think you have. Either way you may need different wormers.