How Do I Get My Guy To Take His Meds?

[MikeyB036]

I have a tux boy who keeps getting UTI's. He is a sweet fellow otherwise, sleeps right next to me all night, etc., but when I start giving him meds, he HATES ME to days on end! Won't even be in the same room with me!
When he gets the UTI, he pees everywhere. I get it, I do! But he cannot continue to get this infection! Anyway, when he needs meds, he HATES IT! Then he hates ME!
After he starts to feel better, if I even come into the room to sit with him, he runs away. I wasn't able to give him the whole compliment of meds he needed this last time, becuase he just won't come near me. I do not want to traumatize him worse by chasing him all ove rthe house to shove meds down his throat.
I decided I can probably prevent the UTI by giving him some other stuff - uva ursi was recommended. But the problem is, he'll ONLY let me give him something from a dropper/syringe once, and then the games begin again!
What can I do to alleviate some of his freaking-out in order to feed him what is good for him? They say you HAVE TO give the uva by dropper, and NOT to put it in their water dish?

 

[Erinlinkcappy]

It’s a never ending nightmare! I’m just finishing off a 6 week course of antibiotics with my cat. People gave me lots of good advice here but a lot of it was also just getting the knack of it. The best advice was to put butter all over the pill so it slides easier ( though you are using drops now)

It helps if you have a second person who can hold them and wrap them in a blanket and towel. These days we are practiced - he opens the cats mouth and I shove it down right at the back. I still mess it up a few times though! Sometimes we do it individually but the towel wrap is always necessary. He hides from us too - makes me feel horrible

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I would ask vet about compounded Doxycycline chews, although they are costly. I would not mix with Uva Ursi.

 

[cat1967]

See if there is a pill you can use. I don't have any difficulty with my cats giving them pills. I take them by surprise though. I serve the food to them when they are hungry and then I go behind them and press with my left hand (thumb from the cat's right side and finger from the left) like you are holding their head, I press the jaw to open while pulling the head a little back and throw the pill inside the back of his mouth. Then I keep the jaws closed so that he doesn't spit it. It is not hard once you get the knack of it and mind you I had been giving pills to a very wild cat I have who only allows me to caress his head and if I touch a hair from the rest of his body he hisses and scratches me. So if you can give the medicine in a pill, ask the vet and do that. Hope it works. And of course all cats have hated me from time to time for treating them. They hate me if I groom them, if I spray them for fleas, when I give the pill for the worms etc.

 

[Willowy]

You can get the meds flavored at a compounding pharmacy. It'll cost extra, but that's better than him hating you! Some cats will take the flavored meds like a treat, or you can mix it with some chicken baby food so he'll lap it up. Of course, don't try to give it to him in a dropper or syringe or he'll know it's meds even if it tastes good, lol. Offer it like a treat.

 

[saladflambe]

Every cat is so different. It's a pain, isn't it? I typically have to do pills in a pill gun with my own cats - they'll take pill pockets sporadically, but it's unreliable. I don't have help, so I back them up against the wall or I "sit" on them, tip their heads up, gently pry open the mouth by pressing in at the edges then have just gotten VERY good at quick pill gunning...good aim too. Ha. Then lots of praise and a special treat.

I have to wear gloves with one of mine because he puts his paw up and gets me with his claws sometimes.

 

[silkenpaw]

Have you tried putting the medicine in food or in something yummy like tuna or baby food? My Ford takes his medicine by himself as long as it’s in a pill pocket.

Are the meds you are giving him in a liquid? My Java hated getting liquid medicine, even though it wasn’t bad-tasting. She does much better being pilled.

I hope you work this out. A peeing cat is no fun. Also, why is he getting multiple UTIs? That needs to be addressed.

 

[Tagrendy]

I have a tux boy who keeps getting UTI's. He is a sweet fellow otherwise, sleeps right next to me all night, etc., but when I start giving him meds, he HATES ME to days on end! Won't even be in the same room with me!
When he gets the UTI, he pees everywhere. I get it, I do! But he cannot continue to get this infection! Anyway, when he needs meds, he HATES IT! Then he hates ME!
After he starts to feel better, if I even come into the room to sit with him, he runs away. I wasn't able to give him the whole compliment of meds he needed this last time, becuase he just won't come near me. I do not want to traumatize him worse by chasing him all ove rthe house to shove meds down his throat.
I decided I can probably prevent the UTI by giving him some other stuff - uva ursi was recommended. But the problem is, he'll ONLY let me give him something from a dropper/syringe once, and then the games begin again!
What can I do to alleviate some of his freaking-out in order to feed him what is good for him? They say you HAVE TO give the uva by dropper, and NOT to put it in their water dish?

There are pill maskers - dough like consistency product, you out the pill in and the cat eats it - maybe will help?

 

[LTS3]

Try Pill Pockets or other similar pill dough for pills and capsules. I use a bacon flavored one for my cat's pills.

Many medicines can be compounded with flavorings and into other forms such as a chew treat or transdermal gel. Ask the vet if these can be done with the medicines your cat is on. You can use a local compounding pharmacy or ask the vet to call Wedgewood Pharmacy. Take a look on the Wegewood Pharmacy web site to see what the options are for the medicines your cat takes: Medication Information for Pet and Horse Owners

I decided I can probably prevent the UTI by giving him some other stuff - uva ursi was recommended.

It looks like Uva Ursi is a holistic / natural type remedy. Be aware that many of these products don't work very well and, if the product is not specifically for pets, may contain an ingredient that is harmful if ingested by a pet.

What do you feed your cat? Dry food only diets is one reason why many cats have urinary issues in the first place. Prescription dry foods are no better although they main contain ingredients to acidify the urine or something. Keeping a cat well hydrated by feeding only canned food can help keep the urine diluted enough to prevent most issues. You'll find more info here: Cat Urinary Tract Diseases: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection

 

[MikeyB036]

I appreciate all the replies!

This is liquid medication. I can "sneak up" on him fairly easily to give him the pills. There were only 3 of them! But the liquid was supposed to given for at least a week, more like 10 days. He didn't get all of it.

:-(

In the meantime, I am now giving him Uva Ursi. Yes, it's supposed to be for cats, and helping with kidney function....we'll see what happens....

As far as what he eats....well, there are a lot of cats (6!), so we have to feed dry. Canned is very expensive. However, now that at least one is having issues, we have added canned. Unfortunately, they HATE it! If I ONLY give canned, it might actually go bad before they'd eat all of it.....

I tried switching them over, but some were so stubborn, they wouldn't eat at all! They get a choice now (both), I find that most of them are eating at least SOME canned.....not sure about my "UTI boy." So we're trying to fix that issue.

I suspect (based on what the vet has said), that the reason HE keeps getting a UTI is because of shorter urethrea (urine is trapped in tubules?), AND/OR he squats too low in the litter box and "sucks up" dirty urine after going before he leaves the box. We have one cat who literally STANDS UP - almost sprays when he goes, so no danger he'll get a UTI! In fact, we have to buy plastic TUBS - with high sides - for a litter box, otherwise he sprays over top of it!

 

[Father of furbabies]

When my older kit, before she passed away from age, needed meds I would break the capsule open or crush the pill (with a pill crusher) then mix it into a very small amount of wetfood when she was hungry. She would gobble that small amount down then I would give her the rest of the food.