Cat howling when taking pills

[cannelle]

Hi,
My 14-year-old cat has been taking phenobarbital for about 2 months now because she was having small seizures and facial twitches. I never had any problem pilling her until a few days ago. Now, whenever I open her mouth to give her her pills, she starts howling like crazy and doing everything she can to escape (she has never scratched or bitten me, though). She has never done that before and it is starting to be difficult (and really heartbreaking) to make sure she gets her full dose of medication. I don't know if it's just because she's fed up with taking pills, but I'm worried she might actually feel pain when she swallows them. I know the vet told me not to stop the medication, but it makes me feel terrible to force the pills down my cat's throat and I don't know what to do. Has something like this ever happened to you? Do you have any tips to make it easier for my cat to take her medication? Thank you!

 

[furry]

Is it possible to crush them up and mix it in with her food? Are the pills actually helping her?

 

[Columbine]

These articles might give you some ideas:-[article="22402"][/article][article="32724"][/article]
Something I've found immensely helpful with hard to pill cats is to have their favourite, extra yummy treat to hand when pilling. As soon as the pill has gone down, give them a treat - the whole while talking soothingly to them and telling them how good, clever and wonderful they're being. Very quickly, they'll come to associate pilling with something pleasurable, and will become more accepting of the process. Staying really calm yourself will help too.

Another option (though expensive) would be to find out if it's possible to get this med as a transdermal cream/gel that you apply to the skin - usually to the exposed skin at the front base of the ear. Liquid meds are something else to look into - some cats actually find it less worrisome to have a liquid syringed into their mouths than taking it in pill form. Liquid meds can sometimes be made, say, fish or meat flavoured too, so are much more palatable and easier to give as a result. Do talk to your vet and find out if the phenobarbital comes in any other forms.

Good luck with it. I hope you find a better solution very soon

 

[cannelle]

Is it possible to crush them up and mix it in with her food? Are the pills actually helping her?

I tried to do that yesterday... I crushed the pills, mixed them with a little bit of canned food and then tried to put it into her mouth (she's a picky eater and she's never had a big appetite so I'm afraid she wouldn't get her full dose if I just put it in her bowl), but it didn't make any difference, she started howling all the same that's why I'm so concerned, I thought it would be easier for her to swallow a bite of food...