I have a specific question that is only for people who feed their cats Sheba cat food. No tangents, please.
My parents' cat will only eat Sheba and they struggle to open the little containers because they both have dexterity issues with their hands. Anyone have any tips that might help?
My parents' cat will only eat Sheba and they struggle to open the little containers because they both have dexterity issues with their hands. Anyone have any tips that might help?
Comments
here's one that I think looks much better than pliers - i like how the curve looks like it helps peel back the lid, too
https://www.amazon.com/Durable-Aluminum-Container-Protecting-Arthritis/dp/B0020ML3UC/
Mine are medical grade; ER-nurse friend brought home a case that had had the sterile packaging breached and would have been thrown away. If the ones you ordered aren't great, maybe mooch from a vet?
Micro Center carries the cheap kind; my serrated-jaws ones are from there and it's a world of difference getting my fingers in their poorly-chromed hoops. Medical ones are like buttah.
(Generally, anything that grips and also gives you distance from the foil covers is excellent, since those damn things will CUT you.)
👉 SnapFresh Cordless Electric Scissors, 4V Electric Mini Cutter, Carpet and Cardboard Cutter with a Replacement Blade, Rotary Cutter for Cardboard Packages Leather Plastic https://a.co/d/i4N7LJV
https://www.sheba.com/contact-us
They may have heard it 10,000 times already and have a stock answer...or maybe hearing it the 10,001st time prompts someone to say "um, should we change the packaging?"
If only there was something like that - they could keep the container flat on the counter or table, slip the key over the foil tab & just roll it up.
Old fashioned solution to new packaging.
Good luck.
Then if your parents still had issues with getting the pouches open a safety cutter or scissors would be able to help.
Either way I am hoping one of the solutions works so everyone can be happy!
I got these from Lee Valley Tool
No experience of these I'm afraid but could something like these with the wider nylon pad be an option - https://www.ml-oc.com/product/Eyewire-Forming-Pliers/?
I have terrible grip strength and struggle most in the kitchen with containers like these and many others. I just keep a pair of pliers (and occasionally vice grips!) in the kitchen for opening things.
https://www.core77.com/posts/115379/Compensatory-Design-for-Difficult-Packaging-A-Kitchen-Tool-for-Opening-Yogurt-Containers
I set the container on a non-slip trivet or jar opener to keep the container in place while I cut. Then my other hand stays safely away. Plus the blade of the Slice is safer while still being functional.
My only idea is one of those old fashioned stab can openers with a decent handle - maybe a wooden one that's easy to grip - could be used to pierce the foil & run it around the rim to make a flap.⬇️
Is that something they have tried already?
Cat tax
He's also not exactly small, he's about 13lbs.
My beautiful Fig is in liver failure and barely eating. We tried Sheba today because of your post. He’s mad for it!!
Cats really like it though! I think it's half can-opening adrenaline, and half cat crack being a secret ingredient.
Sometimes she's all about it, sometimes she's like "meh".
Do they see an occupational therapist at all? That’s a specific task they could help problem-solve.
I know that they can be finicky to unlock, though, so it may not be a perfect idea
The bonus is that you are less likely to get sprayed in the eye by meat juice.