Won't take medicine

LAQ

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My 15 year old has been spraying outside his litter box.. He goes in, but then sprays out of it. He's been examined by the vet twice. No urinary tract issues, no kidney issues, no thyroid issues. So the vet thinks is must be behavioral, though he's super spoiled and nothing has changed in our home that would cause him any stress. Anyway, the vet gave me some medicine for him - kitty Prozac, essentially. I cannot get it into him. If I put it in his food, he detects it and won't eat. I can't get the dropper in his mouth, and when I finally did, he spit the medicine out. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any ideas?
 

Elvisrocks

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My 15 year old has been spraying outside his litter box.. He goes in, but then sprays out of it. He's been examined by the vet twice. No urinary tract issues, no kidney issues, no thyroid issues. So the vet thinks is must be behavioral, though he's super spoiled and nothing has changed in our home that would cause him any stress. Anyway, the vet gave me some medicine for him - kitty Prozac, essentially. I cannot get it into him. If I put it in his food, he detects it and won't eat. I can't get the dropper in his mouth, and when I finally did, he spit the medicine out. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any ideas?
Is it liquid or pill? If it's liquid try churu inaba treats. You can mix it in with it. My cat loves those and that how I give her liquid gabapentin.
 

CookieBeast88

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If it is a liquid, you might be able to try putting it in his water, but if he detects it in his food he will probably detect it there too. If he stops drinking for more than about 12 hours, wash the bowl and give him fresh water without medicine because he shouldn’t go without water for too long. You can also ask the vet for a pill form of the medicine, which you might be able to hide in a pill pocket treat.
 

amandag1

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My 15 year old has been spraying outside his litter box.. He goes in, but then sprays out of it. He's been examined by the vet twice. No urinary tract issues, no kidney issues, no thyroid issues. So the vet thinks is must be behavioral, though he's super spoiled and nothing has changed in our home that would cause him any stress. Anyway, the vet gave me some medicine for him - kitty Prozac, essentially. I cannot get it into him. If I put it in his food, he detects it and won't eat. I can't get the dropper in his mouth, and when I finally did, he spit the medicine out. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any ideas?
Try pill dough to cover it
Or get a pill shooter syringe from amazon and first coat the pill with some of the dough then use the shooter to put it in his mouth
 

crystal dawn

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It's a two person job to medicate some cats. One to hold them still the other to aim and fire the medication into the back of his mouth so he swallows it.

Could he need a bigger box? My male is a big boy and sometimes has bad positioning in our smaller litter boxes but he does great with our extra large one.
 

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There are all kinds of lickable treats to try besides Inaba Churu, such as Vitakraft, Wholehearted, Applaws, Delectables Squeeze Ups, and on and on and on. Buy a few and see if any of them will work for him. There are also bisques and bone broths that might mask the taste as well. And, the good old 'default' - baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut). Any of these will work well with either crushable pills or liquids. You can limit the amount mixed with the meds to ensure he ingests it all.

Aside from that, did the vet mention anything about checking for arthritis? It can affect the way a cat positions themselves to pee/poop - sometimes squatting as they typically do is bothersome to arthritic joints. He is 15 - I suspect he has arthritis. X-rays will tell you for sure, but you may also consider giving an arthritic supplement, such as Cosequin or Dasuquin. Any of these supplements might take a week or two to 'kick in'.
 
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LAQ

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Thanks to everyone. I'm really beside myself. My vet gave us medicine that cats "love." It's liquid. I mixed it in with his wet food and he took one sniff and wouldn't touch it. When I came home from work this evening he was hungry - wouldn't eat it until I washed out his bowl and gave him fresh.

I've really tried everything everyone has suggested. I got him a bigger box with low sides. He goes in the box to poop, no problem. And like I said, he gets into the box, then sprays out. I just don't know what to do. I'm going to try some of the suggested treats above to see if I can hide it that way.
 

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My 15 year old has been spraying outside his litter box.. He goes in, but then sprays out of it. He's been examined by the vet twice. No urinary tract issues, no kidney issues, no thyroid issues. So the vet thinks is must be behavioral, though he's super spoiled and nothing has changed in our home that would cause him any stress. Anyway, the vet gave me some medicine for him - kitty Prozac, essentially. I cannot get it into him. If I put it in his food, he detects it and won't eat. I can't get the dropper in his mouth, and when I finally did, he spit the medicine out. I'm at my wits end. Does anyone have any ideas?
Ask the vet if it comes in pill form or take it somewhere to be flavored. It could be the litter box is too small or he has arthritis
 

crystal dawn

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Our 25 year d female cat occasionally misses the box while in it due to positioning and her hips. My male does too. He'll get in the box but is to close to the edge and sprays out. He's about 8 now. They do this less in our extra large box.
 
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LAQ

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Yeah, I already got him an extra large box.
 

arr

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Instead of an extra large box with low sides, what about an extra large box with high sides, like a plastic storage container with an entrance cut out? Perhaps the sides will be high enough to contain the spray?
 

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To expound on the extra large box concept, many folks get a very large container box as mentioned above, cut an entry point, but make it on the long side of the bin (not the short side like most litter boxes are designed.) If the bin is large enough, there is a possibility that he might turn around in order to go on one of the shorter sides of the bin, keeping his spray contained inside.

If that doesn't work, you can place an actual litter box inside that large container but with the opening on another side so that your cat has to enter the large container through the cut out, but then move around to the side to enter the litter box. If he sprays out the opening of the litter box, it should hit the side of the large container instead of the floor. It will still need to be cleaned, but it should easier than trying to save your floors. You can also use washable pee pads on the floor of the large box - or, even on the side of the large box if that is where his pee hits - making for even easier clean up. Take out the pad and put in a clean one, while you wash the 'dirty' one.
 
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My super senior is on procac and it has done wonders for him. He takes it in pill form. The worst part is cutting the pills into fourths, but it is so worth it. I just wrap his in a soft treat and he scarfs it right down. Maybe your vet can get it to you in pill form? Shadow's just come straight from my pharmacy.

My boy is a rescue of unknown age. According to the vet it is hard to say exactly his age, just old and in the super senior range. He went from a nervous cat who had a humping frog he carried around with him, licked any and all plastic he could find, was incredibly picky about food and impossible to keep at a healthy weight, and chose to not use the litter box more than he did. After going on prozac he eats food, is at a healthy weight, no longer uses his frog, is wonderful about using the litter box, and almost never licks plastic. He has also gone from vanishing the moment someone came over to hanging out and wanting attention. So for him going on prozac was a wonderful change to his life.
 
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LAQ

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Thanks to everyone for their advice. Someone suggested a soft lickable that cats are supposed to love. I ordered it. He won't touch it. I'm just so stressed Nothing works. Nothing.
 

crystal dawn

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Thanks to everyone for their advice. Someone suggested a soft lickable that cats are supposed to love. I ordered it. He won't touch it. I'm just so stressed Nothing works. Nothing.
Try offering the treat without the medication and see if he likes it. After you figure that out, then add the medication. You may need to split it into three parts, a bit without med, with, then without again.
 

FeebysOwner

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Thanks to everyone for their advice. Someone suggested a soft lickable that cats are supposed to love. I ordered it. He won't touch it. I'm just so stressed Nothing works. Nothing.
As I said before -
There are all kinds of lickable treats to try besides Inaba Churu, such as Vitakraft, Wholehearted, Applaws, Delectables Squeeze Ups, and on and on and on. Buy a few and see if any of them will work for him. There are also bisques and bone broths that might mask the taste as well. And, the good old 'default' - baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut). Any of these will work well with either crushable pills or liquids. You can limit the amount mixed with the meds to ensure he ingests it all.
Not all lickable treats appeal to all cats. Don't forget the baby food meats...
 
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