getting meds into a difficult cat

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Noah & me (GA)

Member Since 2016
I don't post much in Feline Health but enough members here know this or at least who does it. It's also at the top of my profile. Just remember Noah or Dickson and someone can point you in the right direction.
My latest trick, Probiotic yogurt Daniele is a private eater and needs PEG (a laxative) every other day. Obviously I don't want the other cats getting into this and Daniele loves anything dairy so this is what I do.
The PEG gets mushed into the yogurt on a dish dark enough for Daniele to see it, up he goes on the counter. Sometimes he needs a fingertip to get started but once he starts the dish is licked clean. I've asked three vets about probiotic yogurt and they all say yes but please ask your vet first.
The obvious Cats won't eat what they can't smell. Lewis is having thyroid issues and is ravenous 24/7. FF is like Crack to him, whatever meds he needs the stink of FF hides it well and now he doesn't have to pinned between my knees and scruffed anymore.
Thank you Janet / Cream cheese Daniel hears the snap of the lid and comes running. Just don't give too much because they are lactose intolerant.... But just enough to make a little ball around it.
My oldest trick, Transdermal BUPE It's too long of a story but our last diabetic Noah needed all his teeth pulled. This was as painful as it sounds but he would not survive anesthesia and absolutely hated me for giving him oral BUPE. It was bad enough we were willing to risk the surgery when our vet suggested transdermal BUPE. I don't know why but this is still new to a lot of people. Transdermal BUPE comes in a syringe and looks like toothpaste; a little blob inside the ear, rub the ear from the outside to make sure it's distributed evenly and you're done. Tickling his ears was now the worst part of Noah's day. Lucky for us Noah never got constipated and it never affected his numbers. It added three years of a pain free life to an old cat. Again please ask your vet, BUPE can cause constipation.
The worst, I've been there For Jacob I had to use a mortar and pestle to grind up his meds, put them in gel caps and cram them down his throat. He hated it so much we had to take the bed off the frame or he'd never come out. He was misdiagnosed, it was cancer.
There is always an easier way.
 
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Thank you! I've had sick cats over the years and giving meds is always the hardest. The important thing to know before giving pills is how they taste. Mirtazapine is one of the worst (and it's supposed to help appetite of all things). But finding a vet compounding pharmacy can make life a lot easier with some meds. As a pharmacist myself who has compounded human meds I know there are ways to make things more palatable for our fur babies. It's all trial and error. But this website is a great resource! (Sorry to hear about Jacob)
 
how they taste
That made me laugh. Our vet gave us triple fish taste BUPE and couldn't understand why Noah didn't like it. Maybe because it tastes like three fish left in an old boot?
We also have the clever cat right out of Cuckoo's Nest who will cheek his pills. Open wide Andy, all gone? I still vacuum up a Clavamox once a month.
The tragic cat. Marco was mistreated for six years before we got him, he loves the car and living here but if he knows there's a pill coming he starts mouth breathing. If he gets a UTI he needs to get antibiotic shots at the vet. He also resents the crate, he'd rather sit on my lap while I drive like a dog. :smuggrin:
 
I don't post much in Feline Health but enough members here know this or at least who does it. It's also at the top of my profile. Just remember Noah or Dickson and someone can point you in the right direction.
My latest trick, Probiotic yogurt Daniele is a private eater and needs PEG (a laxative) every other day. Obviously I don't want the other cats getting into this and Daniele loves anything dairy so this is what I do.
The PEG gets mushed into the yogurt on a dish dark enough for Daniele to see it, up he goes on the counter. Sometimes he needs a fingertip to get started but once he starts the dish is licked clean. I've asked three vets about probiotic yogurt and they all say yes but please ask your vet first.
My oldest trick, Transdermal BUPE It's too long of a story but our last diabetic Noah needed all his teeth pulled. This was as painful as it sounds but he would not survive anesthesia and absolutely hated me for giving him oral BUPE. It was bad enough we were willing to risk the surgery when our vet suggested transdermal BUPE. I don't know why but this is still new to a lot of people. Transdermal BUPE comes in a syringe and looks like toothpaste; a little blob inside the ear, rub the ear from the outside to make sure it's distributed evenly and you're done. Tickling his ears was now the worst part of Noah's day. Lucky for us Noah never got constipated and it never affected his numbers. It added three years of a pain free life to an old cat. Again please ask your vet, BUPE can cause constipation.
The worst, I've been there For Jacob I had to use a mortar and pestle to grind up his meds, put them in gel caps and cram them down his throat. He hated it so much we had to take the bed off the frame or he'd never come out. He was misdiagnosed, it was cancer.
There is always an easier way.
What an excellent, helpful post! I love Buprenex as a pain reliever, and had no idea it came in transdermal form. Thank you!
 
haha as much as I hate giving insulin I'd much rather give a shot than a pill any day!! I think every cat knows how to work around pill pocket too. I've never had any success with those. My old cat Latte had to get a Pepcid every day and she took it like a trooper. Probably because I followed it with a Temptations treat so she didn't have time to realize I just shoved a pill down her throat.

My only advice with the cat carrier is to leave it out. Mine is sitting in the middle of my living room so they think it's a toy or a hiding place. Then when it comes time to go to the vet they don't have time to get away. Latte was the best when it came to going to the vet. She had to go almost every week so I think she looked forward to it. She would literally jump into her carrier! I wish I had more cats like that!
 
I just noticed Mocha is a Ragdoll. My best friend had a Ragdoll, Truffles, who was the love of her life. When he passed at 16, she was beyond devastated.. Her hubby and I finally convinced her to get another, she got two from the same litter. Rags and Ari are mine, too, I’m their aunt, lol. Outrageously beautiful, funny, highly intelligent and go limp when picked up. I absolutely love that breed. Mocha is a stunning boy, just gorgeous.
 
The hardest thing to explain to someone about a diabetic cat, the shot is easy, where do you think the blood sample comes from? I'll take the shot every time.
Marco only resents the carrier because he's smart enough not to go under my feet. Yes it's dangerous but the vet is 500 feet away, anything more and he'll just quietly sit in the carrier. All the neighbor's know him because he's street smart and won't leave the yard when he gets daddy time.
Nigel used to follow me out the door and leap into the car, there's a first time for everything.
 
I just noticed Mocha is a Ragdoll. My best friend had a Ragdoll, Truffles, who was the love of her life. When he passed at 16, she was beyond devastated.. Her hubby and I finally convinced her to get another, she got two from the same litter. Rags and Ari are mine, too, I’m their aunt, lol. Outrageously beautiful, funny, highly intelligent and go limp when picked up. I absolutely love that breed. Mocha is a stunning boy, just gorgeous.
Aww thank you. He is just the sweetest. Ragdolls are certainly a great breed to have. They follow you around like dogs, they love attention, they love meeting new people (when my doorbell rings my cats run to the door) and they are incredibly loving. We lost Mocha's sister Latte last year at the age of 6. Completely devastated. She was sick for a long time and I truly believe we gave her a good life and she probably lived a few years longer than expected because of everything we did. We now have another ragdoll named Charlotte and she is just the sweetest. Like a reincarnated Latte. They are the loves of my life and I would do anything for them. Just breaks my heart to have another sick kitty in the house.
 
Aww thank you. He is just the sweetest. Ragdolls are certainly a great breed to have. They follow you around like dogs, they love attention, they love meeting new people (when my doorbell rings my cats run to the door) and they are incredibly loving. We lost Mocha's sister Latte last year at the age of 6. Completely devastated. She was sick for a long time and I truly believe we gave her a good life and she probably lived a few years longer than expected because of everything we did. We now have another ragdoll named Charlotte and she is just the sweetest. Like a reincarnated Latte. They are the loves of my life and I would do anything for them. Just breaks my heart to have another sick kitty in the house.
I know it’s heartbreaking to have a sick kitty. How awful that you lost Latte at such a young age, I know it was devastating and that experience is impacting your feelings today. You’re a great cat mom and the love you have for them is obvious. Hugs, sweetie. You just remember there are thousands of kitties being euthanized because of a diabetes diagnosis but you are fighting like crazy to give your boy a happy and healthy life.
 
Just awful to think that someone would euthanize a cat because they are unable to care for them. Never in a million years! Latte got so sick she was getting WEEKLY steroid shots (meant to be every few months) because she couldn't breathe. She had some unknown idiopathic pulmonary fibrotic disease. Her lungs were so inflamed and just stopped working! We had an oxygen box that we had to put her in several hours a day. She had inhalers & meds and just never got better. I'm sure we induced diabetes because of all the steroids but that was the least of her issues. She finally got to the point where she just couldn't breathe anymore. We had to do the humane thing and let her go. Terribly heartbreaking but I know we did the right thing for her sake. Sometimes I felt like we were keeping her alive for us not for her.

Mocha's not nearly as chill as she was so I'm proud of him for putting up with the multiple pokes I'm doing. I just hope he starts looking at it like a positive thing (getting a treat) rather than negative. I'm scared to do the wrong thing early on and scare him where he won't wanna get his glucose checked. He can be a big baby sometimes!
 
When Nigel was diagnosed I was so proud of him, his numbers and that I could poke holes in a cat. I had a new dentist then and started to tell the receptionist (a cat lover) the story and she cut me off, "Oh sweety, that's when you know their time has come". Oh shut up, I found a new dentist and Nigel lived a very good life.
 
When Nigel was diagnosed I was so proud of him, his numbers and that I could poke holes in a cat. I had a new dentist then and started to tell the receptionist (a cat lover) the story and she cut me off, "Oh sweety, that's when you know their time has come". Oh shut up, I found a new dentist and Nigel lived a very good life.
You are either a warrior for your cat or you’re not. I would fight a grizzly bear for mine. SO glad there are fewer and fewer who feel a diabetes diagnosis is a death sentence. We all need to spread the word far and wide that yes, you can treat your purrbaby exactly as you would a human diabetic through diet, BG monitoring, appropriate insulin dosing and joining this forum. I am thrilled to have access to the vast experience on here. LOL that you changed dentists! :D
 
When Nigel was diagnosed I was so proud of him, his numbers and that I could poke holes in a cat. I had a new dentist then and started to tell the receptionist (a cat lover) the story and she cut me off, "Oh sweety, that's when you know their time has come". Oh shut up, I found a new dentist and Nigel lived a very good life.
Oh wow that's terrible!! I can't imagine an animal lover ever saying such a thing. But then again, I've had family members myself who have said that an antibiotic for a cat was too expensive and just didn't bother getting it. Even when I suggested maybe a different cheaper one would work. I know animals can be expensive but if you aren't willing to put in the work or be ok with some of the potential expenses then you shouldn't have a pet. I know that things can get crazy expensive and we all have our upper limits, but $50 is not too much (this was the case of the antibiotic that my mom wouldn't purchase for her cat). And as a pharmacist myself who knows a little bit about drugs and cheaper alternatives you'd think she'd take my advice :rolleyes:
 
Oh wow that's terrible!! I can't imagine an animal lover ever saying such a thing. But then again, I've had family members myself who have said that an antibiotic for a cat was too expensive and just didn't bother getting it. Even when I suggested maybe a different cheaper one would work. I know animals can be expensive but if you aren't willing to put in the work or be ok with some of the potential expenses then you shouldn't have a pet. I know that things can get crazy expensive and we all have our upper limits, but $50 is not too much (this was the case of the antibiotic that my mom wouldn't purchase for her cat). And as a pharmacist myself who knows a little bit about drugs and cheaper alternatives you'd think she'd take my advice :rolleyes:
I’m surprised she didn’t take your advice! I have had my cats insured since they were adopted. Ten years of paying premiums on Fritz is now paying off, 90% reimbursement. Of course lots of things such as test strips, hypo kit, lancets, etc. aren’t covered, but I’m happy that the vet costs, AlphaTrak meter, insulin and syringes are. I always said I would never have more cats than I could afford to take care of should they get sick. That has to be factored in. Either feed an appropriate diet for an obligate carnivore or pay the price down the road in vet costs which, btw, have suddenly rocketed up.
 
I would never have more cats
In the year before we moved here we lost three and were down to three. At the last minute we adopted two from our vet that were promised as spayed/neutered. Not long after the move the female got pregnant and out popped Nigel, Noah and two more. We had one offer to adopt, she had run over her last cat. That's how we got nine cats and a puppy for good measure. It was stupid good luck we didn't have to remortgage the house, we had no idea what we were in for.
I've watched enough episodes of Hoarders to learn that lesson, the five we have now are enough. If it's not obvious enough I'm in total agreement with Judy.
 
OMG that's crazy! My husband would kill me if we had more than 2 cats. We don't even have kids! It took a while after we lost our last one to be ready for another. Luckily our breeder called us and said she had the perfect cat for us and that's how we got our latest, Charlotte.

I already feel like a crazy cat lady because we have this enormous tree custom made for the cats that's 10 ft tall (looks like a regular tree but has cushions hidden for the cats). And my living room floor is littered with cat toys everywhere! Pretty much they own the place and we are just visitors.
 
In the year before we moved here we lost three and were down to three. At the last minute we adopted two from our vet that were promised as spayed/neutered. Not long after the move the female got pregnant and out popped Nigel, Noah and two more. We had one offer to adopt, she had run over her last cat. That's how we got nine cats and a puppy for good measure. It was stupid good luck we didn't have to remortgage the house, we had no idea what we were in for.
I've watched enough episodes of Hoarders to learn that lesson, the five we have now are enough. If it's not obvious enough I'm in total agreement with Judy.
Well, you and I both have 5, lol. I’ve had Fritz since he was a kitten. When my Maggie died from a brutal hypo event, I didn’t want Fritz to be an only kitty, so we adopted Mia, who had lived the entire first year of her life in the shelter. Five years later, I walked into Petco and saw a darling little tortie in a cage. She chose me, her story broke my heart (rescued from active meth house, no one wanted her), so here came Rena. Two weeks later, the Maine Coon Rescue I had signed up with 5 years earlier had an emergency case, a half-feral full-blooded orange and white Maine Coon, that’s my wild child Bikky. And last but not least, my husband and his cousins were camping, deep in a national park and guess what he found? Sigh….. so here came our tuxedo, Oliver. I sincerely meant what I said and thank goodness had the foresight to get pet insurance. I just couldn’t say no to the ones nobody else wanted. I love them with all my heart. They have surrounded us with love and they are livin’ the life. Btw, I’m the cat slave, not DH.
 
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OMG that's crazy! My husband would kill me if we had more than 2 cats. We don't even have kids! It took a while after we lost our last one to be ready for another. Luckily our breeder called us and said she had the perfect cat for us and that's how we got our latest, Charlotte.

I already feel like a crazy cat lady because we have this enormous tree custom made for the cats that's 10 ft tall (looks like a regular tree but has cushions hidden for the cats). And my living room floor is littered with cat toys everywhere! Pretty much they own the place and we are just visitors.
I hate to break it to you, Christina, but they DO own the place. You’re not visiting, though, you’re the staff! :D:D:D Their tree sounds SO cool!
 
Ain't that the truth. I could be laid out on the floor and the dog would be calling 911 while the cats are deciding who gets what. Does anyone else use these words; "Hey I live here too, You need to get a job, Anything else your highness?"
We get new neighbors all the time so I'm quite happy nobody knows I'm "good with animals". A neighbor brought Sam to our door knowing he wasn't ours, "this is your cat right?" The story is both our Sam and Daniel were being abused by former neighbors and everyone knew it. Daniel just followed me and the dog home one day, Sam showed up at the back door in the freezing rain. Neither were neutered or chipped, no lost cat posters ever went up, just pathetic. Marco was also abused by someone, he's a fearless alpha but if he sees the spray bottle he rockets into the basement. They never forget.
 
Here's a pic of Mocha's sister Charlotte in our giant cat tree
charlotte in tree.JPG
 

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Ain't that the truth. I could be laid out on the floor and the dog would be calling 911 while the cats are deciding who gets what. Does anyone else use these words; "Hey I live here too, You need to get a job, Anything else your highness?"
We get new neighbors all the time so I'm quite happy nobody knows I'm "good with animals". A neighbor brought Sam to our door knowing he wasn't ours, "this is your cat right?" The story is both our Sam and Daniel were being abused by former neighbors and everyone knew it. Daniel just followed me and the dog home one day, Sam showed up at the back door in the freezing rain. Neither were neutered or chipped, no lost cat posters ever went up, just pathetic. Marco was also abused by someone, he's a fearless alpha but if he sees the spray bottle he rockets into the basement. They never forget.
The dreaded spray bottle. I just have to reach for it and they both go running!
 
It took my Tigger getting to age 10 before he would even respond to a water bottle. I think he would swim if there was a place. I would spray him for misbehaving and he would just look am my like "Is that all you got" At one point was trying to keep him off the kitchen counters and sprayed him with the faucet sprayer, little if any reaction. At twelve he owns the counters and everything else.
Love the tree and the occupant.
 
The spray bottle is the forbidden zone for a lot of people. I'm sorry to say this but Lewis can be the most obnoxious, meanest cat I've ever had. Every six months I just show him the bottle and once a year he gets a squirt. I've tried everything else, stomp your feet, a loud clap, it just doesn't work.
I've rescued other abused cats but none have had such a turnaround as Sam. Persians aren't my thing but he is the sweetest boy.
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It took my Tigger getting to age 10 before he would even respond to a water bottle. I think he would swim if there was a place. I would spray him for misbehaving and he would just look am my like "Is that all you got" At one point was trying to keep him off the kitchen counters and sprayed him with the faucet sprayer, little if any reaction. At twelve he owns the counters and everything else.
Love the tree and the occupant.
I had a cat once that loved the water too. She'd try to get in the shower with me every day! I had to kick her out!
Most cats love the faucet though. Mocha figured out that if he chewed hard enough on the filtered water faucet (it had a plastic tip) then it would give him a couple drops of water. And don't even think about getting one of those touch sensor faucets! It only took about a week or 2 for both cats to figure out if they just touched their nose to it it would turn on. Needless to say I took the batteries out and I haven't used that functionality since :rolleyes:
 
The spray bottle is the forbidden zone for a lot of people. I'm sorry to say this but Lewis can be the most obnoxious, meanest cat I've ever had. Every six months I just show him the bottle and once a year he gets a squirt. I've tried everything else, stomp your feet, a loud clap, it just doesn't work.
I've rescued other abused cats but none have had such a turnaround as Sam. Persians aren't my thing but he is the sweetest boy.
View attachment 62141
Sam is sooooo precious! You can tell by looking he’s sweet as can be.
 
I had a cat once that loved the water too. She'd try to get in the shower with me every day! I had to kick her out!
Most cats love the faucet though. Mocha figured out that if he chewed hard enough on the filtered water faucet (it had a plastic tip) then it would give him a couple drops of water. And don't even think about getting one of those touch sensor faucets! It only took about a week or 2 for both cats to figure out if they just touched their nose to it it would turn on. Needless to say I took the batteries out and I haven't used that functionality since :rolleyes:
They are so smart. Most people don’t realize that. I think it takes actually living with them to understand just how brilliant they are. Fritz has very long toes, they function like fingers. He can actually open a closed door by turning the doorknob, using those finger-toes, which is a bit frightening. Cats are fascinated by water. The water bottle is an empty threat around here, but with 5 of them, I had to find a way to have the ultimate control, like when they get into a spat. I found the perfect tool, pictured above.
 
The spray bottle is the forbidden zone for a lot of people. I'm sorry to say this but Lewis can be the most obnoxious, meanest cat I've ever had. Every six months I just show him the bottle and once a year he gets a squirt. I've tried everything else, stomp your feet, a loud clap, it just doesn't work.
I've rescued other abused cats but none have had such a turnaround as Sam. Persians aren't my thing but he is the sweetest boy.
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I've hard that about Persians. My friend's persian is so mean!!
Mocha loves the sink too..
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It took my Tigger getting to age 10 before he would even respond to a water bottle. I think he would swim if there was a place. I would spray him for misbehaving and he would just look am my like "Is that all you got" At one point was trying to keep him off the kitchen counters and sprayed him with the faucet sprayer, little if any reaction. At twelve he owns the counters and everything else.
Love the tree and the occupant.
Holding up a water bottle gets me The Look and no one budges. Is that all you got pretty much sums it up.
 
I'd like to use that horn on my sister's bratty kids, especially the supposed genius that wore diapers until he was five. I made one cry when I told her the bacon she was eating was a pig's bum.
Smart? More like the master manipulators, isn't that called an abusive relationship?
 
I had great success last week getting pain meds into Allie by putting it in a tiny ball of cream cheese with a little butter on top of that.
 
That tree is even more awesome than I imagined, and Charlotte, so beautiful.
There was a 1 year waiting list when we bought it. Each one is custom made. A company called A Hidden Hollow in Florida. The guy makes one at a time customized as you like. My kitties are very spoiled!
 
I had great success last week getting pain meds into Allie by putting it in a tiny ball of cream cheese with a little butter on top of that.
Never thought of that. Cats like cream cheese? I'll have to try that next time I have a pill to give
 
I'd like to use that horn on my sister's bratty kids, especially the supposed genius that wore diapers until he was five. I made one cry when I told her the bacon she was eating was a pig's bum.
Smart? More like the master manipulators, isn't that called an abusive relationship?
I think it is. I have allowed myself to become a complete cat slave. I find myself saying things like “I get to eat too!” You are hilarious! I can’t tell you how much I have laughed reading this thread so far. I have to leave Fritz this afternoon for a real treat - a dreaded wellness exam for his sister. Lord, not the vet again. Thank you for considerably lightening my day. Still laughing about the dog calling 911 while the cats divvy up your earthly possessions. :smuggrin:
 
An animal behavior specialist would tell you that's all wrong showing a cat who's the boss. Nuts to that, I'm paying for all this.
Daniel knows the sound when I snap the lid on cream cheese and just adores me for it. That's a good trick.
 
There was a 1 year waiting list when we bought it. Each one is custom made. A company called A Hidden Hollow in Florida. The guy makes one at a time customized as you like. My kitties are very spoiled!
Mine had a tree, an actual tree with silk leaves, but it didn’t have the cushions, yours is the ultimate cat tree! Mine is in storage after Fritz started chewing on the leaves, I may look into having one made at some point. Are the leaves silk?
 
It won't be long before this thread gets moved or shut down, we're clogging up feline health. Personally this is good for my health. o_O
 
Mocha is extremely photogenic, but then, what ragdoll isn’t? Here are my nephews, Aramis and Ragnor (Ari and Rags). Ari has the little white chin like Mocha.
View attachment 62145
Beautiful babies! I call Mocha the nutcracker because of his white chin. The white runs all the way down his belly too. Usually he looks like that picture but lately since the diabetes his fur is all nasty & matted. He's got terrible dandruff too. Poor baby. Hoping controlling the diabetes will get his fur back to looking good
 
Mine had a tree, an actual tree with silk leaves, but it didn’t have the cushions, yours is the ultimate cat tree! Mine is in storage after Fritz started chewing on the leaves, I may look into having one made at some point. Are the leaves silk?
Yep, just like a regular fake tree you'd have in the house. Mine don't mind the leaves, but they collect a lot of hair. I'm constantly cleaning it. It's also hollow in the back with "stairs" so they can climb up
 
Beautiful babies! I call Mocha the nutcracker because of his white chin. The white runs all the way down his belly too. Usually he looks like that picture but lately since the diabetes his fur is all nasty & matted. He's got terrible dandruff too. Poor baby. Hoping controlling the diabetes will get his fur back to looking good
It will.
 
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