Pilling a Cat - HELP

Blondetotty

Can anyone offer any suggestions about pilling a cat as I'm really struggling.

I recently took on an elderly cat through CPL and when she first arrived was very timid, and hid under my bed for a week. She's since come round and is a really affectionate loving and playful little cat although still timid with strangers and new things/noises etc. Shs started looking unwell a couple of weeks ago and I took her to the vets where she was diagnosed as being hyperthyroid.

The hyperthroidism itself doesn't worry me; my old moggy lived with this for years before succuming a few months ago to unrelated cancer, hence rehoming the cat from CPL as the house just wasn't the same without a furry heartbeat in it. I'm happy with signs, and symptoms and know what to look out for and what it involves.

The only thing that is proving problematic is giving her the pills. I've agreed with the vet that we put her on the once daily Vidalta as opposed to Felimazole twice daily and just hope like hell that the Vidalta agrees with her (it didn't with my old cat but I had no problems pilling him with treats!)

For the first few days I managed to get her tablets in her by hiding it in fish from the fish n chip shop (batter removed and she only had a few bits of it). I then changed to white fish microwaved at home which she won't eat. She's discovered the tablet in the fish shop fish and is reluctant to eat it now and I don't think I can afford £3 a day for a battered fish anyway!
I've also tried the following:

* Fish and crab paste - pill hidden inside it - doesn't like fishpaste
* Pill hidden in a little cheese and 'accidentally' dropped on the floor - won't eat cheese
* Hidden in chicken - won't eat chicken
* Hidden inside a chunk of her cat food - finds it and won't eat the chunks.
* Treats - I've tried most treats, dreamies, natures choice, sticks, pill pockets - she just won't eat treats of any descriptions
* Marmite - Obviously a hater!!
* also hates malt flavoured stuff as she leaves the hairball stuff on her paw until it dries and then just pulls the fur out!

Last resort last night was to spend an hour trying to catch her and force the tablet down her throat with the help of a pill injector thing and with a friend. After finally getting it in her, and her swallowing twice (head back, rub the throat until she swallows - twice) - I'm thinking 'result'…nope, she wanders off and quietly spits it out the side of her mouth! She spent the rest of the evening cowering away from my approach and hiding back under the bed
Plus I can't ask someone to come round every day and help

To make matters worse she has seriously gone off most food now and is barely eating. She eaten a little bit of the special sensitive stomach prescription food and nibbles on fish occasionally but really isn't eating much. The vet just says it doesn't really matter going off food for a while as long as she is drinking, weeing and pooing ok which she is but I'm just stumped as to how to get these pills in her so she starts to hopefully feel better and start eating again.

Any suggestions no matter how outrageous they seem would be very gratefully received

spookylukey

Has she ever tried webbox treats? They're thin sticks that are quite maleable so can be cut into pieces and moudled round a tablet. Other tricks I have used are dairylea/primula, bernard matthews wafer thin ham (this works better than other makes as it's quite moist so it sticks to itself when you make a little parcel round the tablet) defurrum treats (break in half and poke tablet in the goo inside).

Something I've not tried due to having been successful with the above, but how about a piece of hot dog sausage with the tablet poked in.

Have you considered having her thyroid removed rather than going down the lifelong medication route? You'd need to get her thyroid levels stable before the op so she would still need tablets for a few weeks but if she's difficult to pill then sounds like the op may be a better option.

Blondetotty

Yep I've tried Webbox, I think I've tried every treat know to man and cat!

Not tried turkey or wafer thin ham or primula and will give that a go, she's not keen on meat and is definately a fish girl but seeing as she's not eating that either I'll try anything. She doesn't like cheese as such but maybe primula will help.

I'm going to try butter on the pill and a dab on her nose which I've just been told about although I'm still unsure how to flick the tablet down her throat with butter on it, as I'm convinced I won't be able to hold onto the slippery tablet while simultaneously opening her mouth, avoiding her claws and flicking it down her gob

As she's nearly 18 the vets don't want to operate on her to remove the thyroid. We also don't have insurance on her as she's not technically my cat, but rather a CPL cat on a perm foster basis to me! They cover all the vets bills and I give her a home for the rest of her life. She is my little girl now and I love her to bits but she does remain a CPL cat.

Blondetotty

I will say Webbox was the answer to my last cats pilling problem. He would do cartwheels to get some of them so it worked a treat, so to speak! This one is way more difficult to fool!

Wickedkitten

Our vet showed us the easiest way in the world to get a cat to swallow a pill. You just basically tip the cats head back until its mouth opens, drop down its chin, put the pill in the back of the throat and then let go of its chin and tilt its head back down

Takes all of about 10 seconds to do and you don't have to fuss about with hiding pills in food

Mrs_Z

Hi, we also have a cat with hyperactive thyroid.

The fail safe method used to be a cube of raw tuna with a pill hidden in it (very expensive). Now this no longer works, she chews the tuna spits out the tablet. Philadelphia cream cheese has worked well for us, cover the pill in cheese and let her lick it from your fingers.

At the moment it's frozen cooked king prawns. I thaw one prawn eve/morning, cut it in say 5 pieces, with a very sharp knife tip make a small hole in the piece, stick the tablet in it and pray.

I've noticed that if I don't leave food out all day, the cat will be hungrier and tends to eat the piece more readily.

Good luck! We had an episode back at Easter when our cat stopped eating all together and it was a complete nightmare.

spike7451

OK...Here goes..


How to Give a Cat a Pill (followed by How to Give a Dog a Pill)

1. 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 in the pill. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor, and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw away soggy pill.

4. Take new pill from foil wrapper. Cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force open the jaws and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl, and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees. Hold front and rear paws, ignoring 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 vigourously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, and get another pill from foil wrapper. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth, and set aside for gluing later.

8. 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 cat’s mouth open with pencil, and blow down straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill is not harmful to humans. Drink one beer to take awy taste of pill. Apply Band-Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbour’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.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage, and replace cupboard door on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch. Pour shot and drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check medical records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw away tee-shirt and fetch another one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve ****ing cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrapper.

13. Tie the little sod’s front paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Fetch heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth, followed by large piece of fillet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash down pill.

14. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm, and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call in at furniture shop on the way home, to order new dining table.

15. Place “Free Mutant Cat from Hell” ad in local newspaper and ring local pet shop to see if they have any bunnies.


How to Give a Dog a Pill

1. Wrap it in bacon.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Half a disc of cold sausage with the tablet pushed into the middle.

Well, it's working for Madam.

Cook one pack of sausages as normal, eat seven, let one get cold. Slice into coins, then in half. Put into ziplock bag in fridge, every morning she gets one with pill and two for treats.

Done when I ran out of cat sticks. Which, in turn, was more successful than any soft food such as cheese or pât!.

Maybe a bit high in salt, but better to have salt and medication than no salt and no meds.

penny_pincha

I have just bought a pill giver made by Catac at the vets yesterday. Cost me £4.67 (I saw it on the shelf and thought it was £1.67). Looks lie a pair of scissors and has a soft rubber-like end to be soft in the cats mouth.

Blondetotty

Spike, brilliant! That was me two nights ago! (minus point 15, could never get rid of the psychotic little mare)

WickedKitten Tilting the cats head back and dropping the pill in sounds easier than it is, she whips her head back and also lashes out with claws so I have to avoid those as well. We're both traumatised afterwards.:(

Thanks for all the suggestions, I will try a few although last night we managed to hand feed her in the fish and chip shop fish again. Tonight I'm shopping for tuna, wafer thin ham and primula to keep as standby

Cheese and sausages both out as she won't eat them. Weirdly, she is actually afraid of prawns; she ducks down, cowers and then runs away from them until I've removed the offending creature from her sight :rotfl:

Aren't cats such funny creatures to give us so much endless stress but at the same time so much amusement

rita-rabbit

1 trim the claws - front & back

2 Hand feed cat treats to cat & make alot of fuss with cat - stroking/cuddling etc.

3 get an old towel & wrap cat in it - leaving only head poking out - tip back head & prise open mouth with fingers (either side of the head) pop meds in until swallowing is complete.

4 release cat from towel & hand feed more treats & make a huge fuss of cat.

I have dispensed with old towel now as my 2 know I am in charge/as stubborn as they come & will firmly hold them & reinsert if they have the audacity to spit out tablet (however long/many times it takes).