Cat Doesn't Like Me, But Loves My Roommate

[Kvla]

I've had this cat since she was about 4 weeks old. I've had lots of issues with her that resulted in me having to give her medication. She doesn't take restraint well and doesn't like any human food.
We tried a compounded medication so that it is flavored, thinking she might take that medication better. Instead, after her first dose, had a vomiting episode that led me to take her to the emergency clinic. She had irritation in her intestines. She was put on more medication, (metronidazole and cerenia) She hasn't been eating her bland diet because she isn't much of a human food eater, so I wasn't able to give her the metro, but with 2 people, a towel, a pill gun, and 3-4 tries we got her to take half a cerenia pill. It's traumatic.

I think my cat associates me with getting medication. She won't take any treats from me and won't eat if I'm near her. When I reach over to pet her she attacks my hand (reason she needs meds) but with my roommate, she lays on her bed, stays near her, cuddles with her, and purrs. She has never purred with me ever.

I am extremely jealous and heartbroken. I don't know how to get her to like me more. We live in a one bedroom apartment and my roommate never gives her treats. Is there any advice that you guys can give to get her to like me more? I'm considering stopping her daily meds solely because of how bad it gets. How can I regain her trust?

 

[ArtNJ]

I don't think you are going to be able to do much until you solve the pill issue. You could try pill pockets. Basically a hollow treat, the pill goes inside. Here is a random brand (there are many): Feline GREENIES® Pill Pockets® Cat Treats - Chicken | cat Vitamins & Supplements | PetSmart. They aren't exactly super reliable, but they can work, especially if the pills are really small.

Once you get the pill issue solved, you have to approach the cat like you are trying to bond with a new cat.

 

[Kvla]

I don't think you are going to be able to do much until you solve the pill issue. You could try pill pockets. Basically a hollow treat, the pill goes inside. Here is a random brand (there are many): Feline GREENIES® Pill Pockets® Cat Treats - Chicken | cat Vitamins & Supplements | PetSmart. They aren't exactly super reliable, but they can work, especially if the pills are really small.

Once you get the pill issue solved, you have to approach the cat like you are trying to bond with a new cat.

She won't take pill pockets. It sucks, I've tried just about everything.

 

[recurringecho]

When I reach over to pet her she attacks my hand (reason she needs meds)

Do you mean that the reason you put her on medication in the first place is because she had a history of attacking your hand? If so, does she have a history of attacking your roommate's or any other person's hand? If she has no other issue with any other person, she might not need the behavior-correcting medication in the end, and it might be because how you are approaching her that's causing her to attack. Also, since you took her in at 4 weeks old, she most likely was not properly socialized by her mother and siblings on how hard to bite/not to bite, so that might have been why she was attacking your hand too. Just asking since if she doesn't actually need the medication, it would be great if we can get her off that, especially since it is stressing you both out so much.

Anyways, to re-establish trust, you have to show her that you're not all bad. Don't approach her with the treat if it agitates her. Put it on a plate on the ground at a distance comfortable for her, making sure she sees you do it, and then walk away. Play with her using wand toys and other interactive toys. If she feels uncomfortable with you petting her, don't reach out over her. Let her sniff you first and see how she reacts. If she rubs her head and cheeks against your hand, go ahead and pet her, but let her go if she show signs of discomfort. Basically, treat her like a new cat and let her set the boundaries.

Is it possible to train your roommate to give her meds too, or at least to help you restrain her? That way, your cat will see that it's not only you that restrains her and won't continue to associate only you bad things. In addition, she probably can sense your stress when you're giving meds, which will stress her out too and make things more difficult. Having your roommate give meds when it gets too much can help with the process.

 

[Maria Bayote]

She doesn't take restraint well and doesn't like any human food.

Hello. Just want to add that Human food or table food is not good for cats, especially if there are onions, garlic which can damage your cat's red blood cells and result to anemia. Even in small amounts can also be toxic to cats.

Try to pick her up and pet her repeatedly without having to give her the meds. Cats are smart. Your kitty already has associated you with medicine, so whenever she sees you automatically she is in escape or fight more. Try to play with her everyday, long before you give her the meds.

 

[Kvla]

Do you mean that the reason you put her on medication in the first place is because she had a history of attacking your hand? If so, does she have a history of attacking your roommate's or any other person's hand? If she has no other issue with any other person, she might not need the behavior-correcting medication in the end, and it might be because how you are approaching her that's causing her to attack. Also, since you took her in at 4 weeks old, she most likely was not properly socialized by her mother and siblings on how hard to bite/not to bite, so that might have been why she was attacking your hand too. Just asking since if she doesn't actually need the medication, it would be great if we can get her off that, especially since it is stressing you both out so much.

Anyways, to re-establish trust, you have to show her that you're not all bad. Don't approach her with the treat if it agitates her. Put it on a plate on the ground at a distance comfortable for her, making sure she sees you do it, and then walk away. Play with her using wand toys and other interactive toys. If she feels uncomfortable with you petting her, don't reach out over her. Let her sniff you first and see how she reacts. If she rubs her head and cheeks against your hand, go ahead and pet her, but let her go if she show signs of discomfort. Basically, treat her like a new cat and let her set the boundaries.

Is it possible to train your roommate to give her meds too, or at least to help you restrain her? That way, your cat will see that it's not only you that restrains her and won't continue to associate only you bad things. In addition, she probably can sense your stress when you're giving meds, which will stress her out too and make things more difficult. Having your roommate give meds when it gets too much can help with the process.

Hi, I believe that her biting does stem from me raising her so young, but she has also bitten other people besides me too. Sometimes people can be very rough with her and she won’t bite, but other times, she’ll bite before even touching her. She’s attacked my roommate randomly also, but still sleeps with her at night and lays behind her in a chair. I would like to stop the medication, but all of the behavioral discouragement I have tried and has been suggested to me in the past, hasn’t worked out for her. I’m considering just stopping the med anyway because she’s been biting me for so long I can handle it, the only thing that’s stopping me is that I feel bad that my cat bites people lol.

I will start to work with her like she’s a new cat with some of the things that you suggested, but it’s hard when my roommate is home because all my cat wants to do is love on my roommate.

I have been having my roommate help pill her as well because it’s impossible for me to do it by myself. You need at least 2 people ):

Hello. Just want to add that Human food or table food is not good for cats, especially if there are onions, garlic which can damage your cat's red blood cells and result to anemia. Even in small amounts can also be toxic to cats.

Try to pick her up and pet her repeatedly without having to give her the meds. Cats are smart. Your kitty already has associated you with medicine, so whenever she sees you automatically she is in escape or fight more. Try to play with her everyday, long before you give her the meds.

I’ve only given human food that has been recommended to me by my veterinarian and people on this forum in order to give her medications. My point was she’s not good motivated, especially not with human food.

She doesn’t enjoy being held, so you think that it would do more harm than good to pick her up even if I’m not giving her the med? Then she might associate me with the girl that always picks her up AND the girl that always gives her meds?

 

[ArtNJ]

She doesn’t enjoy being held, so you think that it would do more harm than good to pick her up even if I’m not giving her the med? Then she might associate me with the girl that always picks her up AND the girl that always gives her meds?

Well, yes, cats that aren't lap-ready hate being forcibly restrained. I always tell people with a new cat, the worst thing you can do is "try to show them how nice it is". The best way to bond with a new cat, or in your case re-bond, is to let the cat be the boss of the relationship and only do the things they like.

It is just going to be tricky or impossible until you solve the pill issue. How long is the cat on pills? A long term thing?

 

[Kvla]

Well, yes, cats that aren't lap-ready hate being forcibly restrained. I always tell people with a new cat, the worst thing you can do is "try to show them how nice it is". The best way to bond with a new cat, or in your case re-bond, is to let the cat be the boss of the relationship and only do the things they like.

It is just going to be tricky or impossible until you solve the pill issue. How long is the cat on pills? A long term thing?

Okay. She’s a little over a year old, so as for right now it’s a long term med, but I hope to get her off of it someday.

 

[ArtNJ]

Since its a long term thing, my advice would to do a separate thread titled Need Help Giving Pills Without Trauma and list out the stuff you've already tried. There are some experts on this topic, but they may not have seen your thread.

How many times a day do you need to give pills? It might be possible to build a bond back up even if pill-time remains traumatic. Tougher, but perhaps possible.

 

[Caspers Human]

In my experience, the best way to give medicine to a cat is to do it "quick and dirty."

By that, I mean... Grab the cat. Give the pill. Done. Over in thirty seconds. Let the cat run and hide or do whatever it wants. Don't bother the cat until it calms down and comes out of hiding.

It is worthwhile to try to do it the easy way with pill pockets or hiding the medication in food but, if the "nice" methods don't work, you HAVE TO give the cat is medicine or else it will get sick.

A pi$$ed-off cat is better than a sick cat. Right?

Once you establish a routine... In... Out... Done... Over... the cat will get used to it and won't be so flustered. It should just become a "normal" thing.

Casper is also a recalcitrant pill taker.

We tried all the tricks.

He took his meds in a Pill Pocket one time. The second time, he ate the treat and spit out the pill. After that, he won't even touch Pill Pockets even if there is no pill inside.

We tried crushing it up and putting it in his food but met with only limited success. We got our vet to give us Casper's meds in compounded form that is supposedly chicken flavored but we still have to sneak it into his food, a little at a time throughout the day. If he detects the stuff in his food he won't eat.

Finally, we decided that Casper HAD TO take his pills or he would get sick.

I just threw a towel over him, sat on him and gave him the pill. He was pi$$ed at me for about half an hour but I just let him be and he eventually came around.

We have a "pill popper" and it works well but we decided that it was unwieldy. If Casper sees the pill popper he will run and hide.

We decided that it's better and faster to use bare hands.

If you wet the end of your middle finger, just a little bit, the pill will usually stick to your finger just long enough to get the job done. Just push the pill to the back of the mouth *just* until you trigger the gag reflex. Hold the mouth shut until you see the cat swallow. Done!

Casper's Girl-Human figured out a way to give him his pills with almost no commotion at all. She sneaks up on him when he's napping. The whole thing is over before Casper even knows what happened.

He gets up and walks around the room with that "FU" look on his face for about five minutes. She gives him a kitty treat. After that, everything is back to normal.

Casper has been taking his meds, regularly, for a few months, now and it's all become just another part of the routine.

So, the best advice I can give about pilling your cat is, "Just Git-er Done!"

 

[CreamsiclePuff]

Can I ask what medication your cat is on?

When my cat needed pills every day I hid them in a tiny amount of fresh, raw beef liver from the grocery store. Just enough liver to poke the pill into. (too much would cause an overdose of Vit A) Worked every single time.

 

[Caspers Human]

Do you mean me and Casper or Kvla and her kitty?

Casper takes two pills. One for urinary crystals. The other for megacolon.

He doesn't have to take them every day but probably once a week for the megacolon and about as often for the crystals. Mostly just for maintenance but also when Casper has flare ups. We keep an eye on his litterbox. As long as he's pooping and peeing once or twice per day, he's okay. If his litter box visits become infrequent, he gets a pill. If a pill doesn't work in 24 hours, we call the vet.

Casper also gets a quarter teaspoon of Miralax in his food every day. The dosage of Miralax can be adjusted up or down as needed.

Casper is also one of those cats that doesn't eat human food.
Me might have a lick of butter or Vegemite on occasion. He also nibbles on tuna fish, occasionally. When we have tuna he we save him some bits of tuna and a spoonful of the juice.

We have tried liverwurst. He does like that but only a nibble. Other than that, Casper is strictly cat food and kitty cookies.

The pills we give Casper for megacolon have been compounded into a (supposedly) chicken flavored lozenge but he won't eat it. He will take this pill if we grind it up into a fine powder with a mortar and pestle then put it into his food but he occasionally turns up his nose unless we mix it in really well. If Casper has a flare up and won't take his medicine in his food we have to make him take it the old fashioned way.

His pill for crystals is a gelatin capsule. We tried sneaking it into his food but that's a no-go. That one has to go down the old fashioned way, as well.

As long as Casper gets enough water and we feed him food that doesn't aggravate his urinary tract, he doesn't have too much trouble with his crystals. We give him one of the capsules, just for maintenance.

If Casper stays okay, he doesn't need pills every day.

Even if Casper's pill schedule isn't every day, he has had medicine enough times that he's pretty much used to it, by now.

 

[Kvla]

we’ve tried gabapentin liquid, gabapentin capsules, and gabapentin compounded into a fish flavor (she loves tuna and tends to prefer salmon flavored foods). She takes the med once a day, but since she might’ve had a reaction to the compounded medication, we’re switching to amitriptyline in a week if I decide that I want to continue the meds.