Cat refusing to eat food with medicine in it-help!

[archfiend]

The cat has been undergoing various tests over the last few months, culminating in X-ray and ultrasound today. Nothing conclusive but kidneys and intestines show some inflammation which needs treating.

He has eaten nothing all day due to anaesthetic and is now refusing food with powdered medicine in it despite being hungry. He is a very picky cat-won't touch anything that isn't cat food eg chicken, pilchards etc so hiding the smell of the medicine v hard.

Any tips or recommendations for smellier cat food that I can use? Currently on whiskas senior in gravy.

Thanks!

Mine found them anywhere. The only thing to do was wrap him in a blanket, keeping his paws firmly bound, prize his mouth open with one hand and drop the pill at the back of his mouth and then stroke his throat until he swallowed and then let him go. It often took several attempts-he was good at holding it and spitting it out. Good luck.

I can cope with pills-we have a pill firer thing the vet gave us! This medicine is in powder form though so I can't pour it down him (I don't think!). Maybe I'll just have to try little and often and hope!

Thanks-think I'm going to need it!

Sorry-never had powder-I was assuming that you powdered the pills.

You can get little tubes of dried prawns or chicken called Thrive. My cats, both v fussy eaters, go CRAZY for a bit. One shake of the tube outside and they come running from miles away... And because it's dried you can break it into a powder. I sometimes sprinkle a tiny amount on top of bog standard dry food and they scoff the lot. It could work with powdered medicine mixed in? Sainsburys sell it, if that's any use... Good luck

exoticfruit-sorry, probably didn't make myself very clear on OP-being driven mad by cat!

gladbag that sounds good, will give it a try-thank you!

Our old boy is currently either starving himself or eating raw steak, but only if it's been freshly cut up Due to the somewhat limited diet, I've bought this which he bizarrely loves, and licks it off the steak before eating the rest. And that from a cat who now turns his nose up at tuna!

well, I went and bought some Sheba as it was the only alternative available at local shop. It reeks and is therefore doing a good job of disguising the medicine as he is now deigning to eat again.

So, upside is that cat is eating and getting medicine. Downside, the house stinks of cat food!

you can mix with water or something and syringe down his throat.

Glad you found that Sheba works. My vet recommended mixing the meds with sardines in tomato sauce - was surprised to find that cat like strong sharp flavours! Anyway I give her this as a treat now (the sardines, not the meds).

my cat has to have steroids for allergies. I crush them and put them in a treat called Lick E Lix. It's like a tube of salmon or chicken flavoured paste treat, i mix the crushed tablets in the paste and she just laps it up with no fuss. I got them in Sainsburys, def worth a go IMO. She was wise to all my other tricks of getting them in her!