THE JOYS OF GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL

1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into it. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. 2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process. 3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away. 4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding her rear paws tightly with left hand, force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger, hold mouth shut to a count of ten. 5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden. 6. Kneel on floor with cat firmly wedged between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into her mouth. Drop pill under ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously. 7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and to repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figures from hearth and set to one side for glueing later. 8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw. 9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. 10. Retrieve cat from neighbour's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door on to neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band. 11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for data on last tetanus jab. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom. 12. Ring Fire Brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologise to neighbour who crashed into a fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap. 13. Tie cat's front and rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty gardening gloves from shed. Force cat's mouth open with small spanner, push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour half a pint of cold water down throat to wash pill down. 14 . Get spouse to drive you to A & E. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call at furniture shop on way home to order a new table. 15. Make arrangements to take cat to vet twice a day for shots.