Cat hiding; needs fluids

[njg55]

One of my cats has kidney disease and started getting sub-q fluids about a month ago, several times a week. She was pretty good about it, and my husband and I were often able to administer the fluids while she was snoozing in a cat basket or move her a short distance from the couch. However, we recently had to add Cerenia to her schedule because of vomiting. We've only done it twice, but suffice to say she hates being held, period, much less having even a tiny pill put in her mouth. I try to make it a more positive experience by giving her a treat afterward, but lately she's been hiding in the closet, or sitting in a main room but positioning herself under a table or behind the couch so that I'd have to grab her, which of course is NEGATIVE reinforcement, particularly since there's often a struggle if I can't get a good hold of her. If she gets away, I won't go after her unless it looks like I could easily catch her because that would only make things worse. I have to choose between letting her go without the treatment she needs or putting her through what is clearly a stressful experience. Any advice on managing this? I've had cats for years and had to give them all kinds of medicine, whether by mouth, in the ears, etc., but this kitty is a tough customer, although also very sweet.

 

[LTS3]

Have you tried Pill Pockets or other things to hide the Cerenia in?

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A cat dose of Cerenia is small so the tiny pill piece can easily be hidden in a yummy treat of some kind.

No advice on the fluids or how to make the process easier now with Cerenia added but TCS members will be along with tips.

 

[njg55]

I think I've tried Pill Pockets before (this poor girl has had a lot of health problems over the years) and she didn't like them. I've been told Cerenia tastes terrible and cats might be able to smell or taste it in food and therefore steer clear, at least after finding it in their food once or twice. We managed to get the pill down her today. She came out of hiding and was in a place where I could pick her up off the floor and put her on a higher surface so we could first do the infusion and then give the pill. We use a small syringe, sort of a substitute pill popper, and chase it with a bit of water from another syringe. Afterward I put the puree from an Inaba Churu packet out for her as a reward. She's now probably back in the closet where I can't grab her to do anything else! She's free until tomorrow, when we need to try the Cerenia again. Maybe she'll just get used to it. I have another cat who has cutaneous lymphoma. He has to take a liquid steroid every other day and he usually doesn't put up any kind of fight since he's been on it for months now.

 

[fionasmom]

Can you take her to the vet for the subQ fluids? I realize this may not work at all for you for a number of reasons, but we had to do this with Jamie and it is a pretty routine practice around here.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. So, your issue is NOT with the sub-q fluids, but with getting the Cerenia down her, yes? If so, please consider the following alternatives. They work with both liquid meds and crushable pills. Feeby has easily taken meds with these alternatives that otherwise have made her foam at the mouth when given orally via syringe. You give just enough of one of the following to ensure she ingests the meds.
1.) 'juice' from canned tuna and chicken, and then give her a piece of the meat as a treat afterward
2.) baby food meats (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut)
3.) lickable treats, such as Applaws, Wholehearted, Tiki Cat Stix, Inaba Churu, Vitakraft - just to name a few
4.) Tiki Cat Mousse (which is complete meal, not a treat)

 

[njg55]

When you use something like baby food or Inaba Churus (I keep a supply of those around all the time as treats), do you just put the pill in it, or try to crush it? Even though they're tiny, a cat could probably manage to lick up the good stuff while leaving the pill behind (and our dog will scarf down an entire dish of his food while somehow managing to leave his monthly flea/heartworm pill untouched, so animals can outwit us supposedly clever humans). I've also read that if you give something that tastes horrible in food, they will start to dislike that food. Should I put the pill, whole or crushed, in a syringe, or just in a bowl? I'm not discounting your ideas at all, and I've heard them before. Just trying to figure out the best approach. Luna doesn't fuss much while we're giving her the fluids, it 's just that it's become more challenging to give them because the addition of the pill has made her more wary of us, and I don't want to make things worse by chasing her all over the room.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I have always totally crushed the pills first, and then mixed them with the treats - whatever they are. Not in a syringe, but in one of the dishes/plates Feeby is accustomed to eating from. I even make sure the pill has completely dissolved in the medium being used. As I said, with Feeby the meds that made her foam at the mouth, when administered alone, were completely acceptable with any of the 'tips' I gave above. They apparently were enough to mask the taste of the meds. It can't hurt to try. I swear, one (or more) of them will likely work.

 

[fionasmom]

If it is the Cerenia problem only, then I would do what FeebysOwner mentions. Fiona was on felimazole for years but would not allow herself to be pilled, or use a pill pocket, or allow transdermal gel. I bought BFF cat food which has a very strong fish component and crushed the pill in a pill crusher and added it to the food, sort of arranging it so that I was sure that she got the entire pill. It worked very easily. The consistency of the cat food, which comes in pouches, is similar to Hartz Likable Stew or any other lickable treat as are now popular.

 

[njg55]

I will try crushing the pill and mixing it in something. She is a "kidney cat," but I hope that a small amount of a non-special diet food or treat won't be a problem. The vet doesn't think she needs to be on Cerenia permanently, but I think that's to be determined. We were able to give her pills two days in a row, and i don't think she vomitted for several days, so we didn't try again. Then I had to get out the carpet stain remover again this morning, so maybe just giving pills every other day or something like that would be sufficient, and therefore less of a battle. At the moment my furry friend is on may lap purring, and preventing me from getting up to do some other things that were on my agenda, so for the time being I am forgiven for my "attack" on her earlier.

 

[LTS3]

Try a different pill dough. Pill Pockets aren't the only brand I use a bacon flavored one for my cat: https://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Paste-2-1-Ounce-Bacon-Flavor/dp/B00KXAEQAM And try the tips in the links I posted above. Baby food, lickable treats, xylitol-free peanut butter, cheese, etc. If none of those work, have the Cerenia compounded into another form. Wedgewood Pharmacy has these options: Maropitant Medication & Information for Animals A local compounding pharmacy can do the same.