Getting Kitty to take her meds is never easy. If your cat is suffering from a skin or ear infection or a cough due to an upper respiratory infection, your vet might prescribe an antibiotic called enrofloxacin or Baytril. It comes in different forms, with different means of administration.
Liquid for an Ear Infection
Step 1
Draw the prescribed amount of liquid Baytril into the dropper, then set it aside. Wrap your cat in the towel to keep her from squirming away and possibly scratching you. Don't wrap her too tightly, just firmly enough to restrain her legs.
Step 2
Clean the outer part of your cat's ear -- including the inside of the tip -- with a cotton swab. Don't insert the swab into your cat's ear canal.
Step 3
Secure your cat between your arm and your body. For example, if you are right handed, hold your cat between your left arm and your left side. Hold your cat's affected ear at the base with the hand on the side that is restraining her and place the prescribed number of drops into the ear with your free hand.
Step 4
Keep your cat still for a few moments to keep her from shaking her head before the Baytril has had a chance to drain down into her ear. If your cat's ear isn't too painful you can try rubbing the base of her ear to help the medication work its way down.
Liquid for a Cough
Step 1
Prepare the medication by drawing the correct amount up into the dropper. Set the medicine aside. Wrap the towel around your cat, tight enough to restrain her but not so tight that you hurt her or make it difficult for her to breathe. Sit down and hold your cat between your legs in your lap to help keep her upright.
Step 2
Place the tip of the dropper filled with Baytril in the corner of your cat's mouth, pointed towards the back of her throat.
Step 3
Squeeze a few drops at a time slowly into your cat's mouth. Don't go too quickly or it will run back out. Dripping a little bit at a time, though, should trigger a swallowing reaction. Give your cat the entire dose before freeing her from the towel.
Pills for a Skin or Other Infection
Step 1
Place your cat in a corner or have her sit with her back to you while you squat down. Put your nondominant hand over the top of her head, inserting your middle finger in one side of her mouth towards the back near her jaw and your thumb in the opposite side of her mouth also at the back.
Step 2
Pull your kitty's head back slowly and gently so that she opens her mouth. Drop the pill onto the back of her tongue with your free hand, getting it as close to the top of her throat as possible.
Step 3
Close your cat's mouth and immediately stroke her under the chin and along her throat to encourage a swallowing action instead of allowing her to spit the pill back out. Make sure she has actually swallowed the pill before you set her free.
Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.
References
- Vet Info: Treating Cat Cough with Baytril
- Vet Info: Baytril for Cats
- 277 Secrets Your Cat Wants You to Know; Paulette Cooper and Paul Noble
- How to Rise a Well-Adjusted Cat; Pam Johnson-Bennett
- The Complete Guide to Understanding & Caring for Your Cat; Carole C. Wilbourne
- The Cat Breeders Handbook; TIBCC Publishing
Tips
- Given the bitterness of Baytril, chopping pills and hiding them in Kitty's food is not likely to be an option, the authors of "The Cat Breeders Handbook" note.
- Medicating a cat with any method can be easier if you have someone to help you. Your assistant can hold your cat while you administer the medication instead of you having to do everything at once.
- For medication that is given internally, pills and liquid can sometimes be hidden in food if your cat is particularly stubborn. Check with your vet to make sure that this is an option, as sometimes medicine needs to be given on an empty stomach or there may be a reason not to give it with certain types of food.
Writer Bio
Elle Di Jensen has been a writer and editor since 1990. She began working in the fitness industry in 1987, and her experience includes editing and publishing a workout manual. She has an extended family of pets, including special needs animals. Jensen attended Idaho and Boise State Universities. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications.