My cat hates me

nekochan

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My cat Mr Grey has been having to take some bad tasting liquid medicine, and he stopped coming around me, and now he is to the point where he will start to struggle as soon as I pick him up. He now is basically living on the second floor by himself, where there is no heat(it's not that cold, maybe 60-65F), to stay away from us or because he associates the main floor with getting the meds. I don't know what to do. When I go upstairs he runs and hides, he barely comes downstairs and when he does if I talk to him, or move towards him, he runs away.

I found a way to hide the medicine, so he won't have to taste it but I don't know how to get him to come downstairs and not run away from us. He doesn't like treats so I can't entice him that way. He used to be very cuddly and come and lay on my lap all the time.
 
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yayi

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In my experience, they come around. Some take longer than others but in the end they trust you again (unless they were seriously traumatized somehow). 
 

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Having had to medicate Lola (seizures) her entire life, twice a day, I know the feeling. :( A normally cuddly cat who no longer wants to socialize is heartbreaking.

What does Mr Grey take as a 'positive' thing, if he doesn't like treats? Combing? Is there a certain canned food, or dry food, that he likes as an extra special treat?

When Lola's been avoiding me b/c of medicating, I've given her special treats of a dry food she loves but I don't feed regularly. I also make a point to go find her often to pet her & put her down, with nothing 'bad' happening. It takes time, but she does get over it & go back to herself every time, it just takes awhile sometimes. :(
 

blueyedgirl5946

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My cat Mr Grey has been having to take some bad tasting liquid medicine, and he stopped coming around me, and now he is to the point where he will start to struggle as soon as I pick him up. He now is basically living on the second floor by himself, where there is no heat(it's not that cold, maybe 60-65F), to stay away from us or because he associates the main floor with getting the meds. I don't know what to do. When I go upstairs he runs and hides, he barely comes downstairs and when he does if I talk to him, or move towards him, he runs away.
I found a way to hide the medicine, so he won't have to taste it but I don't know how to get him to come downstairs and not run away from us. He doesn't like treats so I can't entice him that way. He used to be very cuddly and come and lay on my lap all the time.
'Can the medicine be purchased in pill form. Pill pockets work very well in giving cats a pill.
 
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nekochan

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No unfortunately the pill form it comes in is a capsule, and the doses they are on are smaller than the amount of the capsules.
 

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So you have to open a capsule and pour it out?  You might be able to pour it into a pill pocket and sneak it in that way.
 
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nekochan

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No, I use the liquid Version, not the pills-- the pill version the dosage is too large. I did try putting the liquid in a pill pocket but it didn't work, there's too much volume and also no way to keep the liquid from leaking out and flavoring the pocket.

As i said in the priginal post though i did find a way to hide the medicine-- what I've been doing was I have these "CatCaps" which are empty capsules that you can put medications into, so I have started putting the liquid into these empty pill capsules myself which I had bought before when my other cat was on bad tasting pills, but the problem is he is still hiding and acting the same way as before, if I put my hands near him he acts like something tastes bad and runs away, if I. Talk or walk towards him he runs, etc...
 
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eb24

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No, I use the liquid Version, not the pills-- the pill version the dosage is too large. I did try putting the liquid in a pill pocket but it didn't work, there's too much volume and also no way to keep the liquid from leaking out and flavoring the pocket.
As i said in the priginal post though i did find a way to hide the medicine-- what I've been doing was I have these "CatCaps" which are empty capsules that you can put medications into, so I have started putting the liquid into these empty pill capsules myself which I had bought before when my other cat was on bad tasting pills, but the problem is he is still hiding and acting the same way as before, if I put my hands near him he acts like something tastes bad and runs away, if I. Talk or walk towards him he runs, etc...
I think it will just take some time for him to come back around. But, if you found a way to mask the medicine he should eventually stop associating you with it. Try making your interactions with him as fun as possible. Try going up there with a wand toy and have a little play session. The wand will give some distance between your hands and him and he may be more interested. Or just stick out your hand offering to pet him without picking him up. 

Another way might you might try is putting the medicine in some cat milk. Mine who doesn't love treats goes bonkers for cat milk so anytime I have to give her medicine I just mix it with that and put it down for her. Because she's drinking the milk out of a bowl she doesn't associate it with me. Having you removed from the action may help him. 

If he's really associating the downstairs with getting his medicine perhaps you should start giving it to him upstairs? At least it will move him back down to where everyone is! 


Also, be sure you check with the vet that there is nothing medical causing his recent anti-social behavior.

Good luck! 
 
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nekochan

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When I go upstairs, he runs and hides and if I play with a toy, he still wont come out... The other cats will start playing with me but he will keep hiding until I leave.
I don't think he likes cat milk, he is really picky... He won't even eat wet food most of the time, or even eat real meat.

He has started to come into my bedroom the last few nights, after I go to bed, and come on my bed, so that is a good sign at least-- although if I get up for a drink of water or something when he has entered the room he runs out of the room and hides, and if I put my hands near his face when he is on the bed he will leave. :/
 
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nekochan

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So I figured something out. When Mr Grey gets upset if I put my hands near his face, I thought it was just because he associated my hands with the Atopica. However I have now realized, tht he is doing it because he can still smell the medicine on my hands! It always happened at night when I was in bed and he came on the bed, well I give his medicine in the evening, and even though I wash my hands several times at least between preparing the medicine and when I go to bed he can still smell it on my hands! I figured it out because I had someone else doing the meds for a few days and he didn't react to my hands during that time, and he definitely sniffs my hands before he gets upset and starts acting like he has had something bad tasting,
I am not sure how to fix this, but I am trying a new idea. I am going to try to put the Atopica in the empty pill capsules ahead of time, so it will be prepared for several days worth instead of doing it each time right before I give it to them. So hopefully I won't get the liquid on my hands so much. I'll see if this helps any.
 
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