Remudamom Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 We can not get our 13 yr old 17 lb cat to take his UTI meds. I'm so frustrated I want to cry. We've tried hamburger and milk. He refuses to eat or drink it. I've dissolved his meds in water and shot them down his throat with a syringe. He coughs it up. It looks like it all comes back out. I've only been sucessful once in just shoving the pillS down his throat. Because of my arthritis my hands just can't grip very strongly. We wrap him in a towel and hold him down and that doesn't work. I'm calling the vet tomorrow, hoping she'll give me something to inject him with. If anyone has any different ideas let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I have a piller--an instrument that holds the pill and can be shoved into the back of the throat. You should be able to get one for almost nothing at the vets.This is hard to use if the cat is too terribly uncooperative, though (clawing and twisting and biting). I use it with all my cats, and I've gotten pretty good over time--while holding the cat by the scruff, I rub the pill end of the plunger against the side of the lip (or a child rubs the eraser of a pencil along the opposite side of the mouth) until they open up; then I poke it in quickly. Sometimes I try to be gentle, and they spit it back up--the end is soft rubber, so it can be pushed into the back of the mough without doing damage. Can you give shots? Perhaps giving injections instead of pills would be a good choice--you might have to give one a day in the scruff of the neck. Some cats ignore me when I shoot them; others howl. ??? BTW, showing dominance might help you--sometimes taking a cat by the scruff of the neck and giving it a bit of a shake while saying, "No, no!" can get a cat to cooperate. Then I "sit" on the cat--one leg on each side and my feet closing off the back so the cat cannot back up. I do this when I need to--I don't do anything near painful to the cat, but I do show him that I'm the mama! Some settle down long enough for me to get the piller down the throat. HTH. J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon in MD Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 They were strongly scented treats with a pocket for the pill. I don't know how well these would work though if the medication is terrible in taste and smell. they worked like a champ on some things that I had to give our girls....First time I have not had to sit on the cat, Jean. Boy do I know that game..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doran Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 They were strongly scented treats with a pocket for the pill. I don't know how well these would work though if the medication is terrible in taste and smell. they worked like a champ on some things that I had to give our girls....First time I have not had to sit on the cat, Jean. Boy do I know that game..... I laugh everytime I read this, because I can relate to it sooooo well! We, too, had success with Pill Pockets (actual name) -- the first time we used them. The second time, however, our smart cat learned to eat the pocket from around the pill, leaving the pill behind. Ugh. After that, I had to take the pill and smash it between two spoons, then mix it into a small amount of wet food that I knew she would enjoy. Worked like a charm. Until next time...;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda's Mommy Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I'll third sitting on them. Use one hand on top of the head to pry open their mouth and use the other hand to stuff the pill in. Then hold jaw shut with both hands and blow in their face, it will force them to swallow. I found it's easier to immobilize this way than trying to wrap them in a towel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 When I have to give my cat pills or liquid, I set her on top of the dryer and immediately grab her upper jaw from above to pull it open. I shove the pill to the back/squirt the liquid to the back, clamp her mouth shut, and stroke her throat until she swallows. It usually works fine. She's a pretty squirmy cat when it comes to being held, so the dryer top works best for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamagistra Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I laugh everytime I read this, because I can relate to it sooooo well! Hysterical! :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 OK, I'm soooo sorry, Remudamom - But when I glanced at your post, I thought it said, "Cat he!!" :lol: After I read it, I realized it probably is! Hope you get things to go down smoothly - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Similar to what the others have said... Wrap cat snugly in a towel. Jam/hold the towel-wrapped lump between your legs as you are kneeling on the ground. Cat should be facing away from you. (Make sure your bottom is down on the groud too so that the sneaky cat can't wiggle out backward under you, lol.) Use one hand (non-dominant hand usually works best for me) under the chin & use thumb & pointer fingers to pinch/pull mouth open back at the corners of the mouth. Since you're behind the cat, this should also aim the cat's head up too. As soon as you get that mouth open, drop the pill as far back on his tongue as you can get it. Then, hold his mouth shut & stroke his throat until he swallows (a couple of times). Go raid the liquor cabinet (for yourself). :D Good luck. (I'm currently giving 3 cats in our house pills & am doing this routine 6x a day. Ack!) The pill shooter things are good too. You can get those from the vet usually or from places like PetSmart. Hang in there. You can do it. Sometimes it takes a few practice times. And, hey, your kitty must be doing a little ok if he has enough fight in him to give you a hard time. Shots, if possible, can also be a good option. I had a cat who required shots & pills for the last 2 years of his life. He was so good for his daily shot but a complete nut case for pills. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrixieB Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I have to give my elderly cat a pill multiple times a week. I wrap his body tightly in a towel. Then I put him on his back on my lap, pin him down with one forearm, open his mouth, and drop the pill toward the back of his throat. Disclaimer: someone (not a vet) once told me that this could cause a cat to choke, but mine never has. If your cat is very uncooperative, using a pill gun might be your best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soph the vet Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Everyone already beat me in giving great suggestions. Depending on the severity or resistance of the UTI bug, injections may or may not be an option. It really depends on which antibiotic your vet wants your cat on. Repeated injections of penicillin will drive your cat nuts after a few days as it tends to sting some. I've found the cat pillers work best but there is always some cat that no matter what you do, he gets that dang thing back up!! Some antibiotics can be mixed with fish oil as a liquid and cats seem to like that, so ask your vet about that too. Soph Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 Thanks all. We took him back to the vet yesterday. His bladder was not full and uncomfortable, but he was straining to pee, so they're going to keep him a couple of nights. Maybe we can get him straightened out a bit before he comes home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 I laugh everytime I read this, because I can relate to it sooooo well! We, too, had success with Pill Pockets (actual name) -- the first time we used them. The second time, however, our smart cat learned to eat the pocket from around the pill, leaving the pill behind. Ugh. Funny story, because right now I am so frustrated with our dog! He doesn't even like the pill pockets--spits them right out! Imagine me trying to wrestle a pill into our 80-pound all-muscle lab who thinks he's still a puppy! Sorry to get off topic from the OP... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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