Struggling to give cat medicine

[cardicoat]

My 10 year old female cat has been diagnosed with a bacterial throat infection today. The vet thinks it's secondary to an initial viral infection so has prescribed antibiotics in liquid form.

She does not like being handled at all and is a big, strong girl. Me and dh have tried wrapping her in a large bath towel which she kicked her way out of so we tried a blanket, but it was too soft and she got out of this too. She doesn't fully escape, but ends up only partially wrapped.

She's also very quickly flicking her face from side to side so I can't get the syringe into her actual mouth. The medicine has been ending up on her face and in her eye, as well as on the blanket. She has swallowed most of the dose.

I don't like distressing her, but she won't take the medicine in food, treat or off a spoon, I have to make her take it. Does anyone have any techniques for stopping her from moving her face? I've tried holding her scruff, but this failed as well. She is unbelievably strong and determined. I've got two bottles of this stuff to get into her over the next two weeks 🫣

I had this when trying to give my chunky cat medicine from a syringe, trying to get someone to hold her while I prized her mouth open really stressed her out. Eventually I would just kneel behind her on the floor and hold her chest then pop the syringe in the side of her mouth and she would take it no problem that way! Good luck!

Alternatively can you try hiding it in lick e lix as that seems to work with some cats

Cats hate medicine! You just have to be really strong, the longer the course of treatment the worse they can get. Just remember it is for their good! Wrap up tightly, squeeze open mouth and shove it in, they will hate you.

I was going to suggest lick e lix, works a treat for ours.

She won't eat lik e lix 😢

Have you tried different flavours?
Fish steamed in milk
Bit of neat cream, not much obvs but just enough?

I can get some cream tomorrow.

Before Likielix existed I used to mix medicine into tinned pilchards.

Or double cream.

I don’t know if this works for liquid but it has for tablets which I ground up with a pestle and mortar - blend with wet cat food like pouches of Felix and, this is the tip, microwave it for 10 seconds so it develops a slight appetising aroma (for that cat anyway!)
Theory is they just smell the food and not the medicine and tuck in. Hopefully unless the syrup is strong that might work?

Try to put one hand at the back of her head to stop it moving too much and the put one finger at the side of her mouth as though that finger is trying to move sideways into her mouth, her mouth may pop open as a reflex and you may be able to get the medicine in. Helps me tablet my cat

I had to give mine tablets once. Only way I could do it was to grind them up with the back of a spoon. Then mix into a tiny amount of smooth chicken pate cat food, suck the pate up into a calpol syringe. Then hold cat on a towel on my lap, facing away from me, hold head and squeeze pate into the side of her mouth. She squirmed but usually swallowed most of it. Would probably work even better with liquid medicine.

I have to give my cat meds twice a day. She initially resisted but we've got in a routine now.
I pick her up, sit her on the worksurface and tuck her into my body on the right side. I use my right arm to cup her chin to tilt her head up and using my thumb and forefinger get her to open her mouth and put the meds in with my left hand. Works well. Good luck.

I was going to say this - I gave daily liquid meds to my old girl for several months by adding it to lick e lix

Put the cat on a hard surface ( floor or table ) then one of you pin it down by its shoulders with its back end lodged against you , so it can’t go backwards and then the other person can stick the medicine in . It does work if done correctly.

How much does she like food and treats?

Mine are better with tablets which can be enclosed in a bit of cat stick - cheaper the better as they tend to be squishier.

For the food motivated cat I can chuck one of these and she'll chase it.

For the picky sod, vet usually gives an injection which saves us all a lot of stress as he is very strong so would be dangerous to try and pop one in his mouth.

She's really fussy with food and I think she'll detect the medicine now and associate it with being squashed and made to take it. I can try and add it to her fishy breakfast as she loves the tuna tins.

I've posted this on mn before....

How to give a cat a pill ... and a dog, too

How to give a cat 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 pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

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

1. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

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

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

1. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore 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 vigorously.

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

1. 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 mouth open with pencil, and blow down drinking straw.

1. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away.

10. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

11. Retrieve cat from neighbor'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.

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

13. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.

14. Tie the little @!!@#@#$%'s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of steak filet. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

15. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and remove pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

16. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

How to give a dog a pill:
Wrap it in cheese.

😂😂😂 yeah, this is totally true

I'm scared in case I waste the medicine by squirting it onto the towel/cat/husband/floor. She deserves to be fed a Fishermans Friend and left to get on with it at this rate 😂

That's why it may be worth trying human food. It smells different and has a much higher concentration of fish. Current cat goes mad for tuna. Which he doesn't get, Nevis it's not good for him, but I would certainly use it to hide medicine. Or pilchards, which dcat hasn't had, but an earlier dcat went mad for.

Tell me how autocorrect can change because to Nevis!

Aw look at the cute lil kitty 🙄

After years of many cats I've found the best way is to approach from behind kneel over their whole body so they cant back out, thick glove on one hand to put in mouth to keep it open (head raised) and the medicine inserted with other hand, keep their head up and gently massage throat till you feel them swallow, give lots of fuss and release, then give them a treat! Good luck!

What works for me is to basically sit on top of her so that your knees are squeezing then on either side to keep them still, with your legs crossed behind you so they can’t scoot out behind, one arm around the chest holding their face from below and then stick the syringe in the side of the mouth and squirt. Blow gently on their face to get them to swallow. Good luck! They soon forgive and forget :)

If she really won't take it, ring the vet tomorrow. They can give her a long acting antibiotic injection.