What's new

Brushing my cat's teeth. How did my life come to this?

jesskab

jesskab

Watch me sizzle & twizzle
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
3,963
So, I'm sitting here on a Monday night training my cat to let me brush her teeth. I'm at the stage where I brush across her teeth with gauze. I'll move on to liver toothpaste in a couple of days. Never did I know I would do this in my life! Then it occurred to me, there are so many things I've done as a mother that I never expected to do. Like the time I had to clean baby puke off the items in my cart before checkout. Eew! Or the giant inflatable obstacle course I had to scale to "rescue" my crying 2 year old.

What are some things you've done as a parent or fur-parent that you never could have imagined? Tell me I'm not alone in this.
 
:rofl

The title of the post literally made me LOL. I love it so much! And I agree (although I have admittedly never brushed an animal's teeth, hehe).

It's amazing how you don't even balk at cleaning up gross stuff when it's your kid's gross stuff... poop, vomit... all part of the game.

The worst thing I ever had to do as a parent was clean up throw up at 3AM. But not just any throw up. My son leaned over the bed to throw up... did I mention it was a TOP BUNK BED. Yes, all over his brother below, and the ENTIRE room. I'm talking in the toy box, closet, walls. It was an amazing amount of emesis and I had to clean out the whole room (put the boys on the couch after showering and changing PJs). It took me the rest of the night... and I had to go into work the next morning. I still shudder...
 
@jenevang
Oh no!
Yep, the life of a parent. I probably wouldn't have made it to work. No wait, if I'd be home with the puking kid, I might be running to work. Sorry hubby, you take this one. Work needs me. :run
 
Oh gosh...you are brave. I'm not sure my cat would let me go anywhere near her teeth.

When my daughter was a baby she would have huge blowouts. Like I'd never dress her in an outfit I loved because I knew it wouldn't last long. When I did, I'd hurry up and take a photo so that I'd at least have a good memory of her in a cute outfit. I've had to clean her up everywhere in this city. Haha! I'm using this fact to embarrass her later on in life. *insertevilsmileyface*

I'm also one of those people that will use the sleeve of my shirt to clean a dirty nose. I dislike runny noses. I'd rather have my sleeve dirty. My kids, nieces, nephews, whatever I'll wipe.
 
This is a fun thread. Just last night, we were reading stuff on how to express a dog's anal glands and trying to decide if it was something we could tackle ourselves or leave to the vet. They're like our kids right, you do what you have to do!
 
@carrie1977 I hate to admit it, I use my sleeve too when necessary. I surprised myself recently when I used my spit to clean toothpaste off my son's cheek at school. I was horrified one day when day when I picked him up & he'd had dried up toothpaste on his face all day. You'd think someone would have grabbed a paper towel or something. So when I saw it on his face when I dropped him off on another morning, I did the old tried & true Mom spit shine. LOL.

@NancyBeck
I wasn't going to mention it, but I have to. I truly knew my husband had a good heart when I saw him with our guinea pigs. We rescued Taquito with mites. My husband bathed him every day with the medicated shampoo. I distinctly remember him lifting up each arm & scrubbing those little guinea pig armpits one at a time. It was the funniest sight. When Harvey the guinea pig was elderly, my husband had to massage his belly to help him poop. Oh my gosh, these memories are cracking me up.
 
Last edited:
@jesskab - Ahahaha! I have so done that, too. I always HATED when my mom did that and said I never would. :duh My BFF makes her kids lick their own finger and then directs the finger to where the wiping needs to take place. I never think to do that.:giggle
 
NancyBeck said:
This is a fun thread. Just last night, we were reading stuff on how to express a dog's anal glands and trying to decide if it was something we could tackle ourselves or leave to the vet. They're like our kids right, you do what you have to do!
Click to expand...
Ewwww....no...off to the vet they go!
 
I haven't had to brush my cat's teeth, but I have attempted to trim her nails. That's a sight. And a chore. One better left to the tech at the vet's office in my opinion (says she of the scarred body). LOL
 
@gonewiththewind Oh Cheryl, never did I think the cat & I would be this close. I tried cat mouthwash in her water, but she wouldn't drink it. Someone said spray it in her mouth with a syringe. That would get me scarred! The key is to getting her purring so much with her eyes closed, that she doesn't notice I'm swiping at her teeth. It's absolutely ridiculous.
 
jenevang said:
:rofl
The worst thing I ever had to do as a parent was clean up throw up at 3AM. But not just any throw up. My son leaned over the bed to throw up... did I mention it was a TOP BUNK BED. Yes, all over his brother below, and the ENTIRE room. I'm talking in the toy box, closet, walls. It was an amazing amount of emesis and I had to clean out the whole room (put the boys on the couch after showering and changing PJs). It took me the rest of the night... and I had to go into work the next morning. I still shudder...
Click to expand...
And we don't get trophies or awards for that??? Oh man that is the definition of a nightmare night. And after work you got to come home to sick kids ... ugh!!!

carrie1977 said:
When my daughter was a baby she would have huge blowouts. Like I'd never dress her in an outfit I loved because I knew it wouldn't last long.
Click to expand...

Ugh!! Yuck. You know, now that you mention it, my daughter was a mess. I actually have to switch brands of diapers. I can't remember which way I had to go, but if my son had worn Huggies, she needed Pampers. One of them held the poop in better. It was higher and tighter on the back. Otherwise, the poop would shoot straight up the back.

NancyBeck said:
Just last night, we were reading stuff on how to express a dog's anal glands and trying to decide if it was something we could tackle ourselves or leave to the vet. They're like our kids right, you do what you have to do!
Click to expand...

Yep! I had a paralyzed dog who ended up with some hot spots as she was coming to the end of her life. I remember cleaning out this huge open wound and keeping it clean, bandaged and padded for her. The things we do ...

@NancyBeck
I wasn't going to mention it, but I have to. I truly knew my husband had a good heart when I saw him with our guinea pigs. We rescued Taquito with mites. My husband bathed him every day with the medicated shampoo. I distinctly remember him lifting up each arm & scrubbing those little guinea pig armpits one at a time. It was the funniest sight. When Harvey the guinea pig was elderly, my husband had to massage his belly to help him poop. Oh my gosh, these memories are cracking me up.[/QUOTE]

That's so sweet.

carrie1977 said:
@jesskab - :duh My BFF makes her kids lick their own finger and then directs the finger to where the wiping needs to take place. I never think to do that.:giggle
Click to expand...

I've done that too!!

gonewiththewind said:
... but I have attempted to trim her nails. That's a sight. And a chore. One better left to the tech at the vet's office in my opinion (says she of the scarred body). LOL
Click to expand...

Oh my! I can't do the nails. The guinea pig nail trimming ended in a bloody disaster. The dog's nails are too think. I just spend the $15 and have the vet or Pet Smart tech do it for me. I can't be responsible for that level of trauma to my poor animals.

jesskab said:
@gonewiththewind Oh Cheryl, never did I think the cat & I would be this close. I tried cat mouthwash in her water, but she wouldn't drink it. Someone said spray it in her mouth with a syringe. That would get me scarred! The key is to getting her purring so much with her eyes closed, that she doesn't notice I'm swiping at her teeth. It's absolutely ridiculous.
Click to expand...

awwww ....
 
I used to have an F2 Bengal, which essentially means he was not considered a domesticated animal. He was an amazing and wonderful cat in most ways, but there was a time when I had to put SoftPaws on him. I will just say that a lot of time and padded clothing were both involved and I'm not signing up to ever do it again. But I did it and we both survived.
 
jesskab said:
@carrie1977 I hate to admit it, I use my sleeve too when necessary. I surprised myself recently when I used my spit to clean toothpaste off my son's cheek at school. I was horrified one day when day when I picked him up & he'd had dried up toothpaste on his face all day. You'd think someone would have grabbed a paper towel or something. So when I saw it on his face when I dropped him off on another morning, I did the old tried & true Mom spit shine. LOL.

@NancyBeck
I wasn't going to mention it, but I have to. I truly knew my husband had a good heart when I saw him with our guinea pigs. We rescued Taquito with mites. My husband bathed him every day with the medicated shampoo. I distinctly remember him lifting up each arm & scrubbing those little guinea pig armpits one at a time. It was the funniest sight. When Harvey the guinea pig was elderly, my husband had to massage his belly to help him poop. Oh my gosh, these memories are cracking me up.
Click to expand...

You do have a way with words, Jess! I can just picture those baths in minds eye, so adorable!
 
I have five kitties and I have to brush all their teeth once a week. I use a baby toothbrush and shut them in the bathroom. They don't like it one bit but let me do it. Its really worth it. They used to have bad breath and red gums, now they don't. Its also alot less expensive then the vets.
 
Oh me oh my oh. How appropriate. For the next two weeks my other half and I are sitting our two grand dogs. Zoe is quite used to us as I cared for her a lot as a pup. Snoopy is just turning doggie teenager and let us know right off he isn't that happy being here. He promptly made a huge mess on the kitchen floor right after not eating most of his dinner last night. I may be turning to to you experts for some advice, that's if we survive...
 
Back
Top