OT: Is it actually possible to give medicine to a cat?

[jillian ayers]

My day since my cats got back from surgery... They need pain medication, this nasty liquid stuff that you use a needless syringe to give them. I caught the biggest one, Snow Dust, tried to hold her down WITHOUT ripping her stitches, got severely scratched (even clipped claws are dangerous, apparently), caught her when she temporarily escaped, and then fell over when she slipped between my legs and then under the bed to where my arms couldn't reach. Cat #2, Tora, kicked me in the gut with her back leg as I tried to hold her, and then spit half the medicine back on the floor (it's still brown on the carpet there ). I even tried putting the medicine into 2 little cans of wet cat food, and they ate everywhere but where the medicine was injected. AARRRGGHH!! And there's my third cat that will come up as I'm struggling with one of the others and sniffs me all over, not helping very much. The next day was easier with Tora, but Snow Dust whopped the syringe out of my hand, spilling ALL the medicine on the carpet (another big brown spot ). I would hold her down, but her stitches are liable to break and cause more pain than the pain medicine could help and the possibility of ANOTHER bottle of pain medicine this time. I love my cats, but REALLY!

 

[snakes'n'fish]

Get a big towel , drop it on them while your petting them , wrap them up. Locate the head and ... well then it's back to where they spit it out all over the floor part. LOL cats hate medicine more that children !!!!
Wrap her in a towel it is easier to control them.

 

[newreefers]

As I have 2 cats I have been through this myself, the towel idea is usually the best way, just get it pretty far forward to hold the front legs. The only other idea I know of is to quickly grow about 7 more arms. LOL good luck

 

[sebae0]

its funny how they can smell where the meds are and eat around it lol. my dog that is 14 has a incontinence problem so we have to give her a pill daily. trying to pry her jaws open to make her swallow it is to hard because she wont open. so we smash it and have to add it to food but she still seems to eat around it like your cats, its pretty funny watching her. good luck though

 

[michelle13]

To try to avoid the medicine being spit out you can hold their chin up and gently stroke their throat (on the outside of course). This will encourage them to swallow. I had to do this trick on my cat for several weeks! Have also used it on dogs and horses and seems to work well.....Good Luck!

 

[swilbs83]

Whenever I give my dog medicine(usually a pill) I put it in a large hunk of ice cream(just big enough to swallow whole) and the he eats it without ever knowing. Do they have some sort of soft treats for cats? If the ice cream doesn't work, you can always try one of those.

 

[ophiura]

Ah, but cats appear to be less fooled by this trick. My dog didn't even bother to chew a lot of her treats, so they were easy to hide

[hr]
in. But cats are very picky about their food, no doubt.
I agree to hold the mouth shut as long as possible, and stroke under the chin. This does help encourage them to swallow. And the towel advice is very good also. If you had

[hr]
, I would have a pill popper, which really helps shoot the

[hr]
to the back of the throat.

 

[jillian ayers]

My main fear was ripping their stictches on their stomaches (a very sensitive place, and right where I needed to be able to hold them). I will definately try the towel trick. However, i did try the stroke the throat thing... yeah right! Anything that went near their mouths got bit! Thanx for the advice guys!

 

[thomas712]

I am giving one of my Siamese cats liquid meds right now for respritory problems.
Here is something to lift your spirits, if you haven't seen it before.
EXCERPTS FROM A DOG'S DIARY
Day number 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Day number 181
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
Day number 182
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm - OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
1:30 pm - ooooooo. bath. bummer.
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5 30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!
EXCERPTS FROM A CAT'S DIARY
DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape,and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair. I must try this on their bed.
DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what Iam capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what agood little cat I was...Hmmm. Not working according to plan.
DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture.This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer". More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time.

 

[buzz]

I had to do the oral syringe meds with one of my cats once...all you have to do is get them to open their mouth a little, then just squirt the stuff. It will go right down their throats. Sometimes there is a little splatter, but usually most goes in...use your finger to get them to open the mouth...they will open the mouth kind of like a gag reflex. Then you have to be quick...but that's the time to inject.

 

[scotts]

Just have to tell you about giving medicine to a dog. Wrap it in a piece of cheese and the dog will never know it was there.
I made a joke to a friend and suggested that they wrap the medicine they were giving to their 6 month old baby in a piece of cheese and they did not get the joke. Little uncomfortable for a while, but me and my wife laughed about it later.
Scott

 

[maryc137]

My dog takes her weekly pill in a piece of Velveeta, or any leftover meat we may have. My two cats aren't as easy. The himalayan we can usually get a pill down eventually, but the 14 pound persian just refuses. If he needs medication for anything, I always the beg the Vet to give it in shot form if possible.

 

[jillian ayers]

Buzz,
I tried to do what you suggested from the get-go but everytime that syringe got anywhere near her mouth, Snow Dust would freak out and trash around like a fish out of water. I finally had to let her go because she was going to rip her stitches. In fact, I know she may have hurt herself because the next morning you could see dried blood around the wound. However, I think their wounds look ok, but not sure...
Snow Dust

 

[jillian ayers]

Tora

 

[buzz]

Hmm...you have to be real quick with the syringe, and get it before they realize it...that part's not easy at all. Can you kind of pin the cat to the floor, maybe in your lap where they can't move around much? If not, take a different route...
Let the vet know that you are having trouble...the oral syringe is the easiest to give people to administer to their own pets, but with some meds, there are other forms...and other meds that do the same job. Perhaps they can get you something easier. Or maybe they can give them a shot, or help you out with your existing meds.

 

[adobesky]

what was the surgery for? were the two cats spayed? if it was just a spay i don't understand why they gave u pain meds. i worked in a vet clinic for a while and never saw anyone get pain meds for a spay. my cats never got it. usually they don't need it. they are normally up and raring to go in just a couple of days...

 

[jillian ayers]

Yes, the cats were spayed, I thought it strange too at first that they were given pain meds, but I went online and found that alot of vets say that there will be some pain in the first couple of days after the surgery. However, thank God, I've been able to stop giving them the meds and they are back to normal and jumping and running and scaring me every time...

 

[adobesky]

i was thinking since my last post about pain meds...i know when my dog broke her leg they gave her a patch, the meds lasted three days at a time. they shaved a little hair off her neck at the back where she couldn't reach it. might not work for cats since they lick and groom themselves so much. something to think about if you ever have need of those meds again.

 

[thomas712]

Jillian - I hope that your cat is doing better and you were able to give it all the meds that it needed.
I just learned tonight that my cat has cancer, it's a tuff night here at the homestead.
Thomas

 

[tigerlover]

Use the towel, and put the syringe as far back as possible in their mouth