Distrusting cat after vet visits and pilling

[patchesinva]

Any advice? Several vet visits in the last two weeks with liver aspirate procedure and sedation! Is eating again but nervous around me. Also doing a terrible job at pilling adenosyl which she spits up!

Please help! Hate her looking so sad.

 

[mservant]

It is hard going through this, and feeling your cat's confusion at why you are treating them this way.  

Can you try to be around your cat, just quietly being with them talking and fiddling with their toys and things without being very directly engaging with her?  Much as you would if you had just brought her home. Offer her food or treats when you approach to try and reassure her you mean her well, and avoid direct eye contact.  Offer your hand to pet but let her come to you so she doesn't think you are going to pick her up for med's or going in her carrier; best if sitting down at her level.

You being relaxed is also important and the more stressed you feel about the situation she will pick up on this and most likely associate the stress with the vet visits so always think they are about to happen.  Try to breath slowly, and move smoothly and slowly. Try to relax your muscles and your mind if you can as this will help her.  

If you haven't been using Feliway that might help as well. It's not a quick fix but can offer a more subtle, longer term reassurance for cats.

I hope things settle for you and that giving the medication becomes less difficult and stressful.  

 

[patchesinva]

Thank you so much for your response. I know I have really been stressed and that hasn't helped! We just gave her the pill through the pill popper and so far it's not come back up. She has been a little more herself today.

 

[mservant]

Another site member recently shared they drink relaxing herbal tea before doing stuff like putting their cat in the carrier and stuff, I think we all get stressed going through times like this.  Find what ever helps you to feel calm and settled and this will help your cat too. They are so easily affected by how we feel.

Giving meds can be very hard, and I had one girl who would go off and spit out or even be sick somewhere ages after she appeared to have taken stuff - she was a real madam when it came to being sick. She was vet phobic and I had to seriously try and chill out before I attempted to go near and put her in her carrier!

 

[patchesinva]

So the bad news is she vomited 30 mins after we gave her the pill and all food came up with it! Ugh! She's not getting the benefit if her food or the adenosyl at this point! I need to talk to my vet tomorrow.

 

[mservant]

  things settle down and your vet has some alternative to how you are currently having to give her treatment.