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Post by Skellinton on Jun 5, 2019 21:35:27 GMT
We have two cats who take thyroid pills. One of them is a little stubborn, but not too bad, generally he will take it without too much hassle. The other cat was good for a month of so, but then became difficult. We started her on cream cheese to hide the pill and that worked for awhile. Then she turned her nose up at that so we started stuffing it in cooked chicken, when that stopped working we switched to dried apricots (her favorite treat), that stopped working so we tried cheddar cheese. Now she is refusing that.
Several times the past few days we have had to scoop her up and push the pill in. She is a very sweet cat, but she has NEVER liked being held or picked up and we have had her since she was about a month old. She was left over night in a very small container at a vet’s office right before we got her and I swear she has PTSD from it. I not making light of PTSD at all, I sincerely believe she was traumatized by that, when she has to go to the vet no matter what size carrier she screams the entire time, it is awful. The second she is out she is fine, even at the vet’s office.
Anyway, since she hates being held it is hard to see her suffering for me, no matter how brief and since my husband will be out of town for a week I am dreading getting her meds in her while he is gone. It is hard enough with two of us, me alone is going to be brutal and I am afraid she will start to hate me after a week of it!
Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can try? Can I give her raw chicken? The chicken was hard because when it is cooked it didn’t “hold” the pill well and she would spit it out, I think raw chicken may be easier to hide the pill in.
TIA, sorry that was so long.
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Post by 950nancy on Jun 5, 2019 21:40:52 GMT
My cat was perfect except for the taking of medicine. My vet said they could eat raw chicken if it was fresh.
Now my sheltie was another story. For 12 years, she took meds. Her last year or so she had 6-8 pills a day and I just had to toss them in her food and she gobbled them up like candy.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 7:20:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2019 22:13:10 GMT
Check with the vet and see if you can crush the pills and add it to her food.
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 5, 2019 22:18:11 GMT
Check with the vet and see if you can crush the pills and add it to her food. They are super bitter, apparently , I think she would reject the food. She sniffs all the coverings we give her, and that is why she is rejecting them. You can give her the same food without a pill and she gobbles it up. You can put two balls in front of her and she will eat the one without the pill, but not the one with. Thank you for the suggestion though.
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Post by bothmykidsrbrats on Jun 5, 2019 22:19:02 GMT
I hide my cats pills in Gerber meat baby food. Gerber is the only brand I've found that doesn't contain onion powder.
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,899
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
Aug 2, 2014 13:03:45 GMT
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Jun 5, 2019 22:19:29 GMT
I googled for you. How to give a cat a pill: Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil, and blow down drinking straw. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap. Tie the little @!!@#@#$%'s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of steak filet. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and remove pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
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Post by MichyM on Jun 5, 2019 22:28:26 GMT
Have you ever tried just pilling her?
Pandora, my cat that passed away last month had a daily medicaton. For about a year I was able to hide it in a treat. Until the day that she decided it wasn't going to work any more. CATS...sigh.
She did not like to be picked up.
Every morning I would get everything ready (she also had to use an asthma inhaler), pick Pandora up and set her in the chair right next to me on my left. She liked that bette than being IN my lap. I then gave her a treat (she was very treat motivated).
Then I'd wrap my left arm around her, holding her close to me. Pick up the pill in my right hand, then gently tip her head back so she was looking at the ceiling. Pry the mouth open. Quickly drop the pill (quite literally) down her throat (it was in my right hand), and poof, we were done.
More treats and lots and lots of praise.
There are tons of youtube videos if you're better with visuals. Good luck!
ETA: if you're stressed about this, your cat will be too. Find a time where you're not rushed. In a quiet location. Make it a ritual. And go into it knowing that success is the only option.
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 5, 2019 22:36:18 GMT
Have you ever tried just pilling her? Pandora, my cat that passed away last month had a daily medicaton. For about a year I was able to hide it in a treat. Until the day that she decided it wasn't going to work any more. CATS...sigh. She did not like to be picked up. Every morning I would get everything ready (she also had to use an asthma inhaler), pick Pandora up and set her in the chair right next to me on my left. She liked that bette than being IN my lap. I then gave her a treat (she was very treat motivated). Then I'd wrap my left arm around her, holding her close to me. Pick up the pill in my right hand, then gently tip her head back so she was looking at the ceiling. Pry the mouth open. Quickly drop the pill (quite literally) down her throat (it was in my right hand), and poof, we were done. More treats and lots and lots of praise. There are tons of youtube videos if you're better with visuals. Good luck! I can try, she is just so contrary and smart. She knows when it is pill time I think, but there isn’t much I can do about it in the morning. Today she wouldn’t even take the cookies they always get when I leave the house because they were next to the cheese ball with the pill! She usually the one who follows me around the second I pick up the cookie bin because she is terrified I will forget to cookie her and that I will just cookie her siblings. In the evening I might be able to do that if she is in a snuggly mood, but if I picked her up she would just jump right down and hide. She can be the sweetest cat in the world, and the most ornery. I agree that my being stressed doesn’t help. I get up at 5 am to deal with the cats so I don’t have to be rushed, but it is still stressful. The boy that is good about the pill is on a special diet, and he doesn’t love his food, but his siblings do, so I have to watch him eat and keep the other cats away after they are done eating their bowls. He is not food motivated at all and is one of the rare cats who doesn’t worry about starving to death if he hasn’t eaten for 20 minutes, so he takes a bite or two then wanders off. He won’t eat at all if contained in a room hence me following him around the house with his bowl. I am sure she senses my stress, but I worry so much about them, I can’t help it. I just want them all to eat their own food and be healthy! I didn’t think about googling videos, I will try that. I just don’t want her to be scared to be near me if i have to force her to take a pill twice a day for the rest of her life!
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Post by MichyM on Jun 5, 2019 22:40:40 GMT
Have you ever tried just pilling her? Pandora, my cat that passed away last month had a daily medicaton. For about a year I was able to hide it in a treat. Until the day that she decided it wasn't going to work any more. CATS...sigh. She did not like to be picked up. Every morning I would get everything ready (she also had to use an asthma inhaler), pick Pandora up and set her in the chair right next to me on my left. She liked that bette than being IN my lap. I then gave her a treat (she was very treat motivated). Then I'd wrap my left arm around her, holding her close to me. Pick up the pill in my right hand, then gently tip her head back so she was looking at the ceiling. Pry the mouth open. Quickly drop the pill (quite literally) down her throat (it was in my right hand), and poof, we were done. More treats and lots and lots of praise. There are tons of youtube videos if you're better with visuals. Good luck! I can try, she is just so contrary and smart. She knows when it is pill time I think, but there isn’t much I can do about it in the morning. Today she wouldn’t even take the cookies they always get when I leave the house because they were next to the cheese ball with the pill! She usually the one who follows me around the second I pick up the cookie bin because she is terrified I will forget to cookie her and that I will just cookie her siblings. In the evening I might be able to do that if she is in a snuggly mood, but if I picked her up she would just jump right down and hide. She can be the sweetest cat in the world, and the most ornery. I didn’t think about googling videos, I will try that. I just don’t want her to be scared to be near me if i have to force her to take a pill twice a day for the rest of her life! I totally understand, and I worried about that with Pandora. If you do it at the same time every day I think that will help. Pandora knew that after I got up to pour my second cup of coffee it was time. Then she woud decide if she was going to be contrary that day and make me pull her out from under a chair, or if she was going to cooperate-ish
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Post by annaintx on Jun 5, 2019 22:44:04 GMT
Google "how to pill a cat" and maybe that will help. GOod luck!
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Jun 5, 2019 22:49:22 GMT
The thyroid pills I take are very bitter!
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Post by gillyp on Jun 5, 2019 23:15:04 GMT
RedSquirrelUK that was hilarious! There are too many sharp bits on cats to be able to pop a pill down its throat without some type of mishap! OP is there a liquid version of the meds that could be masked by, say, tinned tuna? Or given via a syringe? I found a syringe, orally, much easier to administer than a pill. Our GSD is currently on two pills daily. He’s far easier to dose than the cat. He lets me open his mouth and put the pills at the back of his throat. The vet nurse said I was mad putting my hand in his mouth but how else will he take them? If I put them in his food he leaves them behind in the bowl!
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justmeami
Shy Member
Posts: 45
Jun 26, 2014 0:38:54 GMT
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Post by justmeami on Jun 5, 2019 23:55:30 GMT
I had the same issue and did some searching on YouTube. The one thing that I saw that worked, even with my cats that's refused to take a pill any other way, was to put down wet food on a washcloth (or anything with a rough surface) then the pill then a bit more food on top. For some reason the rough surface disguises the feel of the pill so they swallow it down. Good luck!
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QueenoftheSloths
Drama Llama
Member Since January 2004, 2,698 forum posts PeaNut Number: 122614 PeaBoard Title: StuckOnPeas
Posts: 5,955
Jun 26, 2014 0:29:24 GMT
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Post by QueenoftheSloths on Jun 5, 2019 23:59:12 GMT
2 tips. First, the pill tastes bad, so encase it in an empty gelatin capsule. You can buy these online, like $10 for 1000 of them. I like size 3 for my cat, it is big enough to hold a pill, but small enough for him to easilt take. The pill is encolsed inside, so no bad taste. Second, a pill gun. I have one pretty much like this www.amazon.com/dp/B07FCGRDQN/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07FCGRDQN&pd_rd_w=fXPMI&pf_rd_p=8a8f3917-7900-4ce8-ad90-adf0d53c0985&pd_rd_wg=gIHsC&pf_rd_r=SPWQB4TMQYEESARYX9A7&pd_rd_r=8aebd1d0-87ed-11e9-971d-cb070323b0ba With it, you can pop the pill much further back in the cat's mouth and increasing the odds of it going down the throat instead of out of the mouth. Plus, with the pill in the capsule, if they do spit it out, you get a few more tries before the capsule disolves instead of the pill being a gooey mess. For months I was giving one of the boys 9 pills a day, some of which tasted awful, and this method saved my life.
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QueenoftheSloths
Drama Llama
Member Since January 2004, 2,698 forum posts PeaNut Number: 122614 PeaBoard Title: StuckOnPeas
Posts: 5,955
Jun 26, 2014 0:29:24 GMT
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Post by QueenoftheSloths on Jun 6, 2019 0:01:04 GMT
Oh, I guess I have another option. Your vet could get the medication compounded into a more palatable form/flavor. One of my previous cats took thyroid meds for many years in liquid form. I would mix it in with some meat flavored baby food and he would eat it off a spoon.
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Post by pjaye on Jun 6, 2019 0:03:26 GMT
Check with the vet and see if you can crush the pills and add it to her food Just a note - this is always a bad idea. If the cat doesn't eat all of the food then you never know how much of the medication they've had. It just results in either the cat getting a different (i.e. inadequate) dose of medication every day or you just succeed in putting them off their food and them refusing to eat that food ever again (which can be problematic for cats who are picky eaters already). Also don't fall into the trap of getting it compounded into a lotion and rubbing it in the ear, there's only a limited number of medicines that really work this way (otherwise why don't they make them like that for people?...because they don't work, that's why!) Again it just results in an under dose of medication and your cat's condition not being treated adequately. You could get it made into a liquid...but you're still doing to have to squirt it directly into her mouth and I find liquids more traumatic to give then tablets anyway. Just get the cat used to being pilled, google, there's plenty of videos to show you how or ask the vet. But basically you get behind the and sort of bend over them a bit, so your body blocks them from escape, then you put one hand over the top of their head and your thumb and forefinger on either side of their jaw, tilt their head back and apply gentle pressure until their mouth opens, with the other hand drop the pill right at the back of their throat, get used to doing it, be fast and they won't even know they just had a pill. Give them some affection or a treat and try to make it a positive experience rather than a traumatic one. If the cat is smart...get the pill out in advance if needing to give it that way they won't be able to hide when they hear you getting it.
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christinec68
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,384
Location: New York, NY
Jun 26, 2014 18:02:19 GMT
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Post by christinec68 on Jun 6, 2019 0:06:52 GMT
This sounds like my cat. She would sit on me or next to me purring for hours but fought like hell if I had to handle her for anything. We tried all the tricks and nothing worked long term. We ended up getting her thyroid medicine in a trans-dermal form. I just had to put a little dab of gel on the inside of the tip of her ears. Piece of cake! It's more expensive than a pill but I don't remember that it was prohibitive.
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,795
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Jun 6, 2019 0:21:49 GMT
put the pill on peanut butter and wipe/stick it to the roof of their mouth. They lick it down and the pill along with it.
It has worked with all stubborn pill takers of the past and present.
Just for medication taking though because...
"Overall, cat's should not eat peanut butter, unless it is being used as a way to give your cat medication. ... If cats ingest too much peanut butter at once, it will result in vomiting and/or diarrhea."
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 6, 2024 7:20:06 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2019 0:22:13 GMT
My torte cat was polled when she was young. Actually I put whipped cream on my finger along with the pill and she took it. That worked for a while. Now she won't go near whipped cream and she doesn't trust me!!! DD gives her pills by either pulling her (she works with animals, so it's easier for her) or by getting her canned pate food and sticking it in there and she'll eat it. She's extra difficult because when stressed she'll spray--it's gross!!!!
Did you try the pill pockets? Some cats fall for it and you could buy them online.
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,795
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Jun 6, 2019 0:23:53 GMT
My torte cat was polled when she was young. Actually I put whipped cream on my finger along with the pill and she took it. That worked for a while. Now she won't go near whipped cream and she doesn't trust me!!! DD gives her pills by either pulling her (she works with animals, so it's easier for her) or by getting her canned pate food and sticking it in there and she'll eat it. She's extra difficult because when stressed she'll spray--it's gross!!!! Did you try the pill pockets? Some cats fall for it and you could buy them online. I just saw them at Menards of all places. Didn't even know they existed because, peanut butter. (see above)
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ashley
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,400
Jun 17, 2016 12:36:53 GMT
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Post by ashley on Jun 6, 2019 0:27:53 GMT
I bought soft kitty treats and mashed two together around a pill. Not sure your girl would fall for that. Have you tried rotating through the other disguises that used to work?
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 6, 2019 1:13:57 GMT
My torte cat was polled when she was young. Actually I put whipped cream on my finger along with the pill and she took it. That worked for a while. Now she won't go near whipped cream and she doesn't trust me!!! DD gives her pills by either pulling her (she works with animals, so it's easier for her) or by getting her canned pate food and sticking it in there and she'll eat it. She's extra difficult because when stressed she'll spray--it's gross!!!! Did you try the pill pockets? Some cats fall for it and you could buy them online. She doesn’t like the pill pockets at all, even empty! We tried giving all the cats empty ones just for practice when Walter started the pills, but she is the only one who wouldn’t eat them. Little jerk took the cheeseball from my husband without any drama tonight. He promised he would give her one before he leaves tomorrow. Fingers crossed if I can be as calm and nonchalant as he is she will take them the next week when it is just me at home.
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 6, 2019 1:15:35 GMT
I bought soft kitty treats and mashed two together around a pill. Not sure your girl would fall for that. Have you tried rotating through the other disguises that used to work? I might try that. I also read that I should just give her empty pill transportation items randomly so she isn’t suspicious when she gets a cream cheese or cheddar cheese ball.
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 6, 2019 1:17:53 GMT
I had the same issue and did some searching on YouTube. The one thing that I saw that worked, even with my cats that's refused to take a pill any other way, was to put down wet food on a washcloth (or anything with a rough surface) then the pill then a bit more food on top. For some reason the rough surface disguises the feel of the pill so they swallow it down. Good luck! That is super interesting. I will try that tomorrow!
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Post by jackietex on Jun 6, 2019 1:25:18 GMT
I've started using Vetoquinol Pill Wrap Treats on my little old lady chiweenie who had no teeth. It's has the consistency of Play-Dough and is bacon flavored (and scented). She loves it! I didn't think she would take it, but she does. Vetoquinol Pill Wrap Treats
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 6, 2019 2:15:51 GMT
I've started using Vetoquinol Pill Wrap Treats on my little old lady chiweenie who had no teeth. It's has the consistency of Play-Dough and is bacon flavored (and scented). She loves it! I didn't think she would take it, but she does. Vetoquinol Pill Wrap TreatsJust ordered that! She loves bacon, my poor husband can hardly eat it without out grabbing it out of his mouth! He doesn’t give it to her though since it isn’t safe. That may do the trick. Thank you.
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Post by Skellinton on Jun 6, 2019 2:16:18 GMT
Trying to find gelatin caps too.
Thank you all for your suggestions!
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Post by Zee on Jun 6, 2019 2:24:36 GMT
My cat had to take medication daily for the last two years of his life. I used a compounding pharmacy that made it into a tuna flavored liquid. I doubt it tasted good, but he got used to a quick squirt down the hatch right before dinner and the process was really simple, much much easier than a pill.
Eventually I didn't even have to hold him, I just called him for dinner and he'd come to me and I'd open his little mouth and squirt it in and hand him his dinner. But he really trusted me, it wasn't quite so easy for anyone else to do.
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ashley
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,400
Jun 17, 2016 12:36:53 GMT
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Post by ashley on Jun 6, 2019 3:22:06 GMT
I bought soft kitty treats and mashed two together around a pill. Not sure your girl would fall for that. Have you tried rotating through the other disguises that used to work? I might try that. I also read that I should just give her empty pill transportation items randomly so she isn’t suspicious when she gets a cream cheese or cheddar cheese ball. I was going to suggest something like that too, but your phrasing was much better than mine so I’m glad I didn’t try. “Empty pull transportation items” love it. I hope you find a solution that’s easy on both of you. I had to give my slightly feral cat daily antibiotics and pain medication for several weeks in the fall and it was terrifying.
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Post by birukitty on Jun 6, 2019 4:40:47 GMT
Yes, you can give your cat raw chicken. It should be very fresh and you can't leave it in the fridge for longer than 2-3 days. We feed our cat a raw food diet of which raw chicken is the base. Think about it this way-before we came along feeding cats the processed foods off the shelves we buy it from what did cats eat? Whatever they could catch-let's say mice. And how did they eat those mice? Did they stop after they caught them to build a campfire and cook the mice? No, of course not. They ate them raw. Cats have special bacteria in their mouths that we don't to counteract the bacteria in raw meat. Dogs do too.
We keep the food we feed Jesse in the freezer and then take out each canning jar one at a time and keep it in the fridge no longer than 2 days. You can do that with some raw chicken too if you want to try to put the pills in that.
Or you could ask your vet to send the prescription to a compounding pharmacy and have it made into a flavor cats like-like tuna.
Personally I would try the compounding pharmacy first. When we switched our cats to a raw food diet 5 years ago one of them took to it immediately. Biru, the Siamese, was more picky and I had to put tuna pieces on top of it for the first few days.
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