I can't get the antibiotics into Ophie!

[StillMedusa]

So she had an argument with Tyson next door and has a gammy eye. Prescribed eye ointment, metacam and antibiotics.

She is NOT a cat who likes being handled except on her terms. We are managing the eye cream but the antibiotics are a disaster. Tried pills...nope nope. Got liquid. Only 1.7ml but she swallowed... retched.. threw up and then foamed at the mouth dramatically before disappearing out( no where to be seen all day since!)

She is a drama queen but I can't do that to her. ANy ideas? I am hoping the eye ointment will do the trick as she isn't unwell but the vet did want her to have the antibiotics!

I wouldn't try those again - sounds like she might be allergic to that brand. Contact vet for a different option.

With pills, we cut cat food into chunks, make a hole in a chunk with a skewer, drop the pill in and then squidge the meat back over it so it's entirely hidden. Worked for our cat.

Poor Ophie! My cat has to have tablets twice a day and hates them - the orange one even more than the pink one (think he can smell the colouring agent). I roll the tablet in a little cheese or chicken or - and this is the nuclear option when all else fails - a little bit of smoked mackerel. The stronger the smell of the treat, the easier it is. Would any of these appeal to Ophie?

The only thing I can get my cat to have without foaming is the little tablets cut in half and then I open the mouth, tip the head back and put it as far back on the tongue as I can, then close and hold their mouth shut until they swallow (easier said then done I know with an aggressive cat)

Can the vet give her antibiotic injection instead? There’s no point putting either of you through this.

She had one injection at the vets but he said the meds worked better orally.
She is the least food orientated cat I have ever had.. turns down chicken, fish.. I have to beg her to eat any wet food (and I don't like that she vastly prefers dry when she actually decides to eat!) She's a glorious pain the ass.
I'm going to have to ask if we can just do another injection or two... I could probably do those myself (or my dd2 can...she's a children's nurse so used to awkward customers!)

From experience, some types of Dreamies have a soft centre; you can very carefully break off the end and insert a small pill in there. Otherwise my last resort is to crush the pill into a bit of one of those paste treats in tubes (the name escapes me) or thick yogurt and smear on a front paw. They have no choice but to lick it off.

My old cat used to always have injections, he was small but very determined when it came to pills.

I think a repeat injection is the way to go. Have you tried one of those pill popper things. I used to get 8 pills a day down Fatty that way. However she was an exceptionally cooperative cat!

@chemenger I tried paste with my cat. Smeared it carefully on paw and waited. He looked at me, blinked, tucked said paw under him and went back to sleep

@YesQueen, that shows what a clever boy he is, you should be very proud.

@chemenger I was too busy googling how to get the paste out the sofa he was sat on he literally just slept like nothing had happened

I am currently giving my cat antibiotics by wrapping her in towel so her feet can't get out and scratch me. It's only got worse as the antibiotics are clearly working and she's now full of beans and not happy!

I give her a Cosmas Snackie straight after and she forgets immediately.

Her sister used to have tablets every day and we gave them in a Lidl catstick (same as Webbox but cheaper and softer so easier to mould round the tablet) - she just viewed them as a treat and ate them up. But with the antibiotics I feel I need to know she's had every one so it's wrap up in blanket each time.

Crushed and mashed into a small piece of butter ??

I used to crush a tablet between two spoons and mix the crushed tablet into their food. You can always give half the food first (with the crushed tablet) so that they will eat it all and then you can give them the rest.

I have a cat who isn't very food motivated and who hates being handelled, and she is on metacalm once a day for arthritis. I'd second the thick yoghurty stuff in tubes (lickety-lix, I think?) - it looks and smells revolting - but she loves it. I'd try crushing a tablet and mixing it up in some. The salmon flavour is particularly attractive.