arrggh! new cats have tapeworms!

I adopted 2 two-and-a-half year old cats from the SPCA yesterday. I had to take one to Vet already today because of tapeworms. He also has an upper respiratory infection and ear mites. Since he and his brother have been inseparable, we're treating both of them for the ear mites and tapeworms. But - I have to keep them separate long enough to get their pills into them, and they're just not having anything to do with their pills in the pill pockets! Any ideas on how to get these guys to take these pills? The one who didn't go to the Vet is under the bed and we had to put a collar on him until we could tell them apart and that came off while I was trying to get the pills into him. sigh. My Garfield has been gone a month and I thought this was a good time to get a pair of cats to keep me company, but so far, I think they both hate me. They miss each other, but I can't put them back together just yet.

The easy way that we found to have a cat take a pill is for one person to restrain him (hold him on the lap, and hold all his legs down), and the other to quickly open his mouth (if you gently squeeze the sides of his jaw, he will open his mouth) and pop in the pill. Then hold his mouth shut and carefull massage his throat with a couple of fingers. Try to make it as fast as possible and talk calmly and quietly to him as you do it.

It worked with my cat, anyway! I'm sure someone else will have more suggestions.

Did the SPCA not guarantee their health at all? I haven't heard of them adopting out cats that are not in good health...

As soon as you can get the pill in each of them the worms should be gone within 24 hours.
You also need to make sure they are on flea meds (advantage, frontline or revolution only) that way they wont get worms again.

Those dewormer pills are usually pretty big, Droncit is the one I'm thinking of.

Anyway, I split those in 4's to put them in separate pill pockets. Of course, you want to be sure that they'll eat an empty pocket first, or else you're stuck with a cut up pill.

Those pills are also very nasty tasting...so be prepared for some drooling and such if you have to give them the old fashioned way.

Well - I finally got the pills into them! I think they HATE me now. The one who went to the Vet got the ear mite and Advantage from the Vet. So I was able to get those into the one who stayed home. I got his collar back on him so I was able to put them back together. It doesn't look like they're eating. They sniff the Wellness dry food and walk away. I know it's not what they're used to - I have some other small sample packages that I'll try.

In signing papers yesterday at the SPCA, I acknowledged that they may have health problems and released the SPCA from any liability. But - I don't think it would have made any difference. These guys are mine.

your new kitties don't hate you, they just don't love you yet. they will, it just takes a bit of time. My Cricket and Tigger can't stand the site of me if I have a Frontline or a bottle of ear medicine in my hand. But if I show up empty handed and offer a warm lap, they're all over me.
don't worry, they'll get over the trauma of a new home, new humans and the vet ordeal-and before you know it, they'll be underfoot all the time. hang in there and don't get discouraged.

I'm happy to hear you got the pills in them!

And naw, they don't hate you. They're just nervous in a new home, and probably not feeling so great with worms and mites and more (oh my!). They'll settle in and all of this will be a story to tell them about when they first came to their new home!

Sometimes cats don't know that we are doing what's best for them! Pixel hid under the couch today when she saw her kennel come out... she's only been to the vet once before, but she learns quickly!