Please help I’m stressed to hell over this. One of my cats is 14 she is a very nervous cat but usually very affectionte with me. She became ill last week and developed breathing problems. She was found to have fluid on the lung due to heart disease and had 300 ml drained. As a result she is on lifetime meds liquid medication twice a day and a tablet. The problem is she is a nightmare getting medication into her. She is now terrified of me and runs away as soon as she sees me. It’s heartbreaking- I’ve tried giving her the meds in a treat/ cat yoghurt etc she refuses it point blank so I have to force her mouth open and give them that way. So she is now a nervous wreck around me!! Part of me thinks is it kinder to stop medications to stop this amount of stress and distress I’m causing her but the fluid will accumulate and cause her distress anyway !! Has anyone else had a similar situation? Anyhelp, thoughts appreciated I just feel like I’m stressing this poor cat out and it’s killing our relationship x
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Please help I’m struggling to give my cat medication
- Thread starter Jasnmill
- Start Date
Do you have Churu where you are? I would put a bit of the Churu on my finger, then the tablet and then more Churu..sometimes they missed the first few times so I just add more Churu.
For the liquid is it flavoured? My vet gave us a chicken flavour that my cat would eat immediately. Then he said, 'lets try vanilla'. And I wished he would have stuck with Chicken because I was in your shoes, struggle to get her to eat it and her being afraid of me.
Long story short maybe your vet can give a different flavour? Even just for now until she trusts again, then you can try it in a Churu.
For the liquid is it flavoured? My vet gave us a chicken flavour that my cat would eat immediately. Then he said, 'lets try vanilla'. And I wished he would have stuck with Chicken because I was in your shoes, struggle to get her to eat it and her being afraid of me.
Long story short maybe your vet can give a different flavour? Even just for now until she trusts again, then you can try it in a Churu.
Have you considered pill pockets or pill masker for her pill meds? Both can be molded around the pill to make them whatever size you need. Some pills can be crushed up into things like mentioned above - Churu; but there are tons of other lickable treats to try as well.
For the liquid meds, you can try adding them to the 'juice' from canned tuna in water, and even use a bit of the tuna as a treat after the fact. Lickable treats can also be used to mix with the liquid meds. If things like this don't work, ask about compounding the liquid meds into a different form - or as mentioned above, flavor.
Getting a cat to take meds is an experiment and you have to try all kinds of things to find what works best for your cat.
For the liquid meds, you can try adding them to the 'juice' from canned tuna in water, and even use a bit of the tuna as a treat after the fact. Lickable treats can also be used to mix with the liquid meds. If things like this don't work, ask about compounding the liquid meds into a different form - or as mentioned above, flavor.
Getting a cat to take meds is an experiment and you have to try all kinds of things to find what works best for your cat.
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Thsnkyou for your reply! I will keep trying anything! Tuna seems like the best idea I’ve tried different flavour treats it’s like she knows what’s coming so just refuses!! Not soft! Wurst thing is we are going away Thursday to Sunday so our neighbour will be looking after the cats I’m worried she won’t comply but I’ll get tuna and see if he will try it!! Thanks so much agsin!! How stressful!!
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I cut tablets in half and hide them in clear capsules, which I tuck into some Churu treats. My pick guy takes it that way, because the capsule hides the smell/bitter taste of the pill. Like this: Amazon.com: XPRS Nutra Size 5 Empty Capsules - 100 Count Clear Very Small Empty Gelatin Capsules - Empty Pill Capsules for DIY Capsule Filling - Fillable Pill Capsules Empty Gel Caps : Health & Household
I mix medicine with pumpkin and put forti-flora in it mix it up and put it on top of his food and put a little gravy from the cat food on top of that. Then I sprinkle some forti flora on that. He’s feral and medicine is hard to give. I think your dealing with a liquid but for pills I have cut treats in half scoop out as much as I can and glue the pill inside the treat then give them a couple treats then give the medicine treat. You have to get creative sometime. I had an urgent liquid med and. Had to scruff him to give him the medicine. Good luck!
Right?So important to familiarize our beloved pets with EVERYTHING so that when it's ",go time" it's no big deal.
J Jasnmill ,I'm sure you've discovered what is the easiest method for you to use from the many FANTASTIC suggestions here,please let us all know how you are doing
When you get back from your trip do begin the special (& everyday) treat tricks you've heard about so that it's all common place and enjoyable for your girl to look forward to at Med time,it'll just be treat time!
What is her name? They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks,well you can and cats love learning new things that are fun and TASTY.... so that saying is just not true!The best to you,we are all here for you and your fur baby
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This is the video I learned from as well!
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Me as well. Betty takes three capsules in the morning and three in the evening. She always shows up for meds because she loves the A/D. I call it her "cake frosting." I didn't always get food into her after she took her meds until I started taking some of the A/D after she's taken her meds, and put a starter strip in her food. Now meds time is so easy with her. She will take up as many capsules as I put down for her, meow for more, and purr the whole time.
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You may also want to have a look at getting your meds compounded. I get Betty's gabapentin compounded after figuring a dose that works for her and doesn't knock her on her butt. I asked the vet to send Wedgewood a prescription for 35 mg capsules. She would not take the liquid and I don't have to "eyeball" split up 100 mg pills anymore. You may even stumble upon a form and a flavor that she actually enjoys. My last cat used to take her chemotherapy as a concentrated anchovy flavored oil. I got it concentrated so I could give less of it. I mixed 0.1 ml of anchovy flavored oil medicine with about an equal amount of salmon oil for about a dime or nickel's sized puddle of oil. I put that on a plate for her and she made it disappear in a few seconds. Then she got unadulterated breakfast after that. Hopefully you can find something between treats, A/D, and/or compounding to make meds time fun time for both of you.
Veterinary Pharmacy for Compounded Pet Medications
Wedgewood will work with you to find a flavor your cat might like. I believe they can send you, possibly for a small fee, non-medicated flavored blanks that you can use to see which flavors your cat may go for. If they don't offer this service, damn! They should.
Veterinary Pharmacy for Compounded Pet Medications
Wedgewood will work with you to find a flavor your cat might like. I believe they can send you, possibly for a small fee, non-medicated flavored blanks that you can use to see which flavors your cat may go for. If they don't offer this service, damn! They should.
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I've struggled with giving medication to my cats too. One of my cats got so stressed with the pilling thing that he would drool all over the place afterwards...awful!!! I tried pill pockets, and that worked once. Precisely once. My cats won't touch those things ever again.
I saw that youtube video of the cats eating pills off a rug (inspiring!), so I started experimenting with my cats. I finally got a system going and it works!!!!! God bless!!! What I do is, I make a "treat" ball with about a quarter ounce of their usual food, then I drop the pill onto it and surround it with a few pieces of their favorite treat (Whole Life freeze dried chicken or turkey). For one cat, I cover this with Inaba Churu squeezable treat, for the other I use his regular food (he doesn't like the Churu). For the first couple of times with a given med, I used a can of Fancy feast, because if they developed an aversion to the food at least it's something I don't usually feed them. Anyway, they both gobble down the food & pills, no problem at all. In fact, for one cat I now just drop the pill into his regular food at mealtime, no need for the extra treats.
The pills I have for them are coated so they're not bad tasting, but if I had to give them a pill that isn't coated, I'd use that gelatin capsule trick. The problem with liquid meds is that it's impossible to completely hide the taste, so I gave up on that. Gabapentin and prednisone are particularly awful. Taste it yourself, you'll see!
I saw that youtube video of the cats eating pills off a rug (inspiring!), so I started experimenting with my cats. I finally got a system going and it works!!!!! God bless!!! What I do is, I make a "treat" ball with about a quarter ounce of their usual food, then I drop the pill onto it and surround it with a few pieces of their favorite treat (Whole Life freeze dried chicken or turkey). For one cat, I cover this with Inaba Churu squeezable treat, for the other I use his regular food (he doesn't like the Churu). For the first couple of times with a given med, I used a can of Fancy feast, because if they developed an aversion to the food at least it's something I don't usually feed them. Anyway, they both gobble down the food & pills, no problem at all. In fact, for one cat I now just drop the pill into his regular food at mealtime, no need for the extra treats.
The pills I have for them are coated so they're not bad tasting, but if I had to give them a pill that isn't coated, I'd use that gelatin capsule trick. The problem with liquid meds is that it's impossible to completely hide the taste, so I gave up on that. Gabapentin and prednisone are particularly awful. Taste it yourself, you'll see!
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That's wonderful that you found a system that works for your cats! It's so much nicer when you're all on the same team at meds time.
For liquid meds, I have them compounded back to a capsule or pill, if possible. Prednisilone comes in a pill. Gabapentin can be compounded into powder. Standard 100 mg dose is a smaller amount of powder than the capsule size. Once I figured out approximately how much Betty needed to keep her eating while waiting and recovering from necessary dental work, I had that size custom compounded through Wedgewood.
How does one go about getting a medicine compounded? And where all is Wedgewood available? I think this would help anyone having issues medicating their cat. I have issues with liquid sometimes and have no clue where to look or anything..
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I didn't read the replies, Kind of in a hurry.
What are the medications that you are giving her?
You can ask your vet, when they open, if there is an injectable version of the medication you can give?
Often times cats that are hard to medicate by mouth are much easier to medicate with an injectable.
It is very important that you don't stress your cat.
Often times what I have seen happen is:
Owner starts looking at clock around an hour before medications have to be given. O starts to stress about it. Cat notices this. Then for the next hour every time the cat is anywhere near the owner, they look at the cat and think " I just can't do this" Cat picks up on this and now is avoiding owner. Owner reluctantly starts to get medications out and starts dreading what is going to happen next. Cat starts getting defensive and will hide. Owner finds cat, who now feels hunted, and drags him out of wherever he is and brings him to the area they have the medications set up. Cat is now starting to fear for his life. Owner and cat struggle while foul tasting (to the cat) medications are administered. Cat starts gagging on the meds and finally in his mind breaks free of the owner. Owner then chases cat down to apologize and cat sees this as more of a threat and hides more and in different locations and now avoids owner all together because he no longer trusts them. Owner cries because they feel they have hurt their cat and Owner is frustrated.
You may recognize some or all of the above or you may not see yourself at all doing any of these things. But try the following for medicating your cat.
The times to give medications often do not have to be exact. Sometimes it is easier to give the medications an hour earlier or an hour later if more convenient for you or your cat.
Personally, I hate liquid medications in cats. I feel there is more of a chance for aspiration, and they always taste horrible and wind up on the cats fur as opposed to the cats' mouth.
Often giving a pill is much easier. I will often coat the tablet with a little of the sticky pill pocket stuff just to make it easier to give. In case the tablet does touch the inside of the mouth or Toung, it will taste like the pill pocket and not the medication.
Get your medication ready without the cat knowing it. Cats will learn the sounds leading up to being medicated so be sure to switch things up.
Go to the cat. Don't bring the cat to the medication or a specific place to medicate. Take the medication that is ready to the cat and give it to the cat without any drama at all.
Most important is after giving the medication, leave the cat alone. Don't try to give a treat unless they really like treats. Just walk away.
Sometimes it is easier to give only one medication at a time. In that case an hour or two won't make a difference.
Most important is the next time you and your cat are in the same place, don't stare at them. Just be normal.
I know it is hard to do but try to act confident in what you are doing. Even if you don't know what you are doing 100%, just fake it. Cats can't tell the difference between real confidence and fake confidence. Move quietly and keep your voice quiet or don't use voice at all.
I do hope some of this helps. I know it’s hard but just try not to stress on it. Also if you fail, just stop and try later.
Call your vet when they open and see what they can do or if they have advice.
What are the medications that you are giving her?
You can ask your vet, when they open, if there is an injectable version of the medication you can give?
Often times cats that are hard to medicate by mouth are much easier to medicate with an injectable.
It is very important that you don't stress your cat.
Often times what I have seen happen is:
Owner starts looking at clock around an hour before medications have to be given. O starts to stress about it. Cat notices this. Then for the next hour every time the cat is anywhere near the owner, they look at the cat and think " I just can't do this" Cat picks up on this and now is avoiding owner. Owner reluctantly starts to get medications out and starts dreading what is going to happen next. Cat starts getting defensive and will hide. Owner finds cat, who now feels hunted, and drags him out of wherever he is and brings him to the area they have the medications set up. Cat is now starting to fear for his life. Owner and cat struggle while foul tasting (to the cat) medications are administered. Cat starts gagging on the meds and finally in his mind breaks free of the owner. Owner then chases cat down to apologize and cat sees this as more of a threat and hides more and in different locations and now avoids owner all together because he no longer trusts them. Owner cries because they feel they have hurt their cat and Owner is frustrated.
You may recognize some or all of the above or you may not see yourself at all doing any of these things. But try the following for medicating your cat.
The times to give medications often do not have to be exact. Sometimes it is easier to give the medications an hour earlier or an hour later if more convenient for you or your cat.
Personally, I hate liquid medications in cats. I feel there is more of a chance for aspiration, and they always taste horrible and wind up on the cats fur as opposed to the cats' mouth.
Often giving a pill is much easier. I will often coat the tablet with a little of the sticky pill pocket stuff just to make it easier to give. In case the tablet does touch the inside of the mouth or Toung, it will taste like the pill pocket and not the medication.
Get your medication ready without the cat knowing it. Cats will learn the sounds leading up to being medicated so be sure to switch things up.
Go to the cat. Don't bring the cat to the medication or a specific place to medicate. Take the medication that is ready to the cat and give it to the cat without any drama at all.
Most important is after giving the medication, leave the cat alone. Don't try to give a treat unless they really like treats. Just walk away.
Sometimes it is easier to give only one medication at a time. In that case an hour or two won't make a difference.
Most important is the next time you and your cat are in the same place, don't stare at them. Just be normal.
I know it is hard to do but try to act confident in what you are doing. Even if you don't know what you are doing 100%, just fake it. Cats can't tell the difference between real confidence and fake confidence. Move quietly and keep your voice quiet or don't use voice at all.
I do hope some of this helps. I know it’s hard but just try not to stress on it. Also if you fail, just stop and try later.
Call your vet when they open and see what they can do or if they have advice.
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Veterinary Pharmacy for Compounded Pet Medications
You can use their site to look up what medications can be compounded into which forms and flavors. You can call their customer service if you need help with that. They may even be able to send you unmedicated flavored blanks if you are not sure which flavor to choose. If not, they can coordinate a speedy exchange if the flavor you chose was a dud with your cat. I had to do this with my last cat, Krista, who had a poor reaction to a duck flavored medication. Once you have decided on the form and flavor, you can have your vet call or fax in the prescription. Wedgewood customer service is really fantastic and easy to work with. I had a vet who was dragging her feet on refilling the prescription. I had already called the vet twice myself. I called Wedgewood and they said, "sure, we can send a reminder" and that got the process moving again. I'm a big fan of Wedgewood. I've used them for multiple medicines, multiple forms, and multiple flavors. If I was ever not satisfied, I called them up and we worked it out.
Oh wow ok is this company available everywhere? I honestly didn't know this was a thing until seeing people mention it on this site. And I think more people need to know about it. Awesome. Thank you for the reply.
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I think they deliver throughout the US.
