Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Flip

Original poster

Poorly cat, stressed owner.

7 replies

flanjabelle · 17/03/2016 07:25

My poor cat is poorly. It started with some upset stomach, which I put down to a slight change in the recipe for her food. I tried a bland diet and slowly switching her back over to her food but she just got worse. Her stomach bloated out and she became lethargic and just looked so sad.

Took her straight to the vets last night and they have said she has colitis. She has been put on anti biotics in case of any bug, I have been given a paste to firm up her stools and a gastro friendly food to put her on. They aren't sure if she will go back to normal or not.

She doesn't mind the food, and is eating that happily but the rest is another story. I wrapped her in a towel and tried to give her the paste and tablet and she freaked out. More paste ended up over me and her face than in her mouth, and she managed to spit out the tablet three times before I got it down her. I'm scratched to pieces despite the towel and she is now staring angrily at me from the other side of the room. Help?

Also, the gastro friendly diet was expensive from the vets, is it possible to buy it elsewhere if she doesn't go back to normal and needs it long term? Its royal kanin, chicken and rice wet food.

My poor cat, she is so upset with me. :(

OP posts:

MuggaTea · 17/03/2016 10:15

i would search the internet i am sure you can find it cheaper.
i would wait until you know that you will need it long term though. goodluck

depending on the paste, you may be able to use a syringe.

for the pill, you have to investigate what technique works for your cat. take a break between attempts otherwise you will stress her out. does she have a favourite food? sometimes hiding pills in cheese (you can mold around the pill) or chicken works (This is our technique).

Original poster

flanjabelle · 17/03/2016 14:50

Thank you, the paste comes in a huge syringe that you have to dial to the right amount each time so I don't think I can decant it. She is only allowed the special food at the minute so I can't even hide the pill in something. Thank you anyway though I will just have to keep trying different ways.

OP posts:

gamerchick · 17/03/2016 14:53

Is there no way to smear the paste on the fronts of her feet? She won't have a choice to eat it then?

MuggaTea · 17/03/2016 16:46

For the paste, perhaps try giving her the paste when she is hungry? is she rejecting it because it is nasty, or is just the trauma of the pill?

Original poster

flanjabelle · 17/03/2016 17:26

Smearing it on her feet is a pretty good idea, but will have to be done in a dew goes because she has to have quite a bit at a time. I think she is rejecting it because I have to put it in her mouth. She's not happy with the huge syringe going in her mouth. I did the paste first, then the pill.

Dp will be here later so will be able to help with it this evening. Actually my cousin who is a vet nurse is popping round too, so I can ask for her help!

I will try it when she is hungry before her last meal later. The vet has said she should be having 1 1/2 pouches a day, but that is a lot less than she is used to eating and she's not happy about it. She's a very slim cat so she isn't overeating. Is it OK to give her two pouches instead of 1.5?

OP posts:

Penguinepenguins · 18/03/2016 19:23

Big girl cat had to have this paste, at first was very suspicious about it but ended up just eating it, at first though I mixed it in with some tasty chicken which I shredded into tiny bits.

Tablets have also always been an issue with her, putting them into butter, pate or a piece of raw steak means she just nibbles them up and I still have arms :)

My cats will simply not why are you giving us this disgusting food who do you think we are eat the "special diet" food. I put them onto kitten food when big cat was poorly with tummy issues seemed more palatable on her tummy along with chicken and rice that I made for them. I'd try it carefully though.

It's awful when fur-bombs are poorly, my big girl has chronic stomatitis now so we're constantly at the vets. I hope she improves soon xx

Also what breed are they? I have British shorthairs who are natural HUGE and eat like tiny humans, other vets have complained about their weight and tried to get them to diet my current vet is very happy with their weight as its what they need to be for their breed (boy cat weighs over a stone! Which people find shocking but it's a good weight for his breed) girl cat who I talk about before lost half her body weight and the kitten food really helped her get up to weight.

Wishing her a speedy recovery

TCmytreasure · 19/03/2016 16:12

I second smothering the tablet in butter. It makes it slippery & easier to just slide down their throat. We wrapped the cat in a towel, opened his mouth & dropped in the tablet then hold his mouth shut & massaged his throat. It worked but was still stressful & took 2 if us but we did get him to have the tablets!

Flip