There Just Has To Be A Better Way!

awww. It sounds like you've tried everything you can.

The only thing I can think of is: can the meds be given in a different form (like a liquid med, chewable tablet) that might taste better to him? My kitty is on these antibiotics that are beef flavoured and chewable... (mind you, he doesn't chew them, I have to force them....but I wonder if it would work for your kitty).

If nothing else, know that you are doing what you have to to keep your kitty healthy It doesn't make us feel alot better for "tormenting" our cats, but I don't feel as bad when I know its for the best and there's no other way to ensure he does actually ingest them.

KittKatt I am so sorry for you and Maverick. It is so sad when they run from us as soon as they see us coming. Once they know what you are doing, they get to smart for their own good. If they just see you are messing with the food they are not going to eat it.


I wish I could make this easier for you. Did you try putting them in a gel cap so there is no smell or taste to them, and then stick the gel cap in the wet food?

Any chance even one of the meds could be given by injection? I know the denamarin can't and that is really a pretty big pill for a kitty.

I know the Denamarin can't, and that is a pretty big pill for a kitty.

Does Maverick have an appetite for a favorite treat? Maybe he would be less stressed if you gave him his pill then he got his favorite, most irresistable treat. That way he would associate a quick pill with a really good reward.

You are the BEST meowmy for taking such good care of Maverick, even if he doesn't think so when you are pilling him.

can it be compounded into a flavored liquid??

Originally Posted by Snake_Lady

awww. It sounds like you've tried everything you can.

The only thing I can think of is: can the meds be given in a different form (like a liquid med, chewable tablet) that might taste better to him? My kitty is on these antibiotics that are beef flavoured and chewable... (mind you, he doesn't chew them, I have to force them....but I wonder if it would work for your kitty).

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Mav's on both liquid & pill forms: it doesn't matter which way he's taking the stuff - he just hates having to do it.

I asked my vet about getting flavored chewable tablets, and he said they're not available for the kinds of meds Mav's on. He also told me that even if they were, it probably wouldn't do much good b/c the icky taste of the meds would overpower the flavor of whatever flavor it is that was put in the meds.

The flavoring that he gave me to put in the liquid stuff is really strong and I put quite a bit of it in the liquid stuff, but Mav still hates it.

Originally Posted by kittymonsters

I wish I could make this easier for you. Did you try putting them in a gel cap so there is no smell or taste to them, and then stick the gel cap in the wet food?

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I haven't tried the gel caps, but only b/c I figure he's too smart to fall for that one, too. He'd probably eat around it, like he did with the pill pockets...

Any chance even one of the meds could be given by injection? I know the denamarin can't and that is really a pretty big pill for a kitty.

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I don't know if any of the meds are available in an injection form. I've actually been thinking of asking the vet about that, too, but I think it would cause even more stress for Mav if I had to run him into the vet all the time for injections. And we have to worry about the cost of it, too. It's been difficult enough to come up with the extra money just paying for the meds. I also had to put money aside to pay for Mav's re-test that he needs to have, and possibly for his surgery to be tested further if the meds don't help him...

Does Maverick have an appetite for a favorite treat? Maybe he would be less stressed if you gave him his pill then he got his favorite, most irresistable treat. That way he would associate a quick pill with a really good reward.

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His absolute favorite treat is tuna - and I've tried that already.

I've been giving him a tuna-treat after "torturing" him as a reward. I keep hoping that will entice him into making the experience a more rewarding one.

You are the BEST meowmy for taking such good care of Maverick, even if he doesn't think so when you are pilling him.

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Awww - thanks! But I'm only doing what any good meowmy would do.

With the gelcaps, they block the smell and taste of the meds. Because they are usually made from beef gelatin the cats actually like them. I open the capsule and cut it down as small as I can and the medicine still fit.

For Stomper's Ursodiol, it is the size of a very small pea, if that. Then I just stick it in his wet food, which has some chunks in it anyway. He is a gulper for his food and he just eats the capsule right up with the food.

Thriving pets http://www.thrivingpets.com/home.php has size 3 capsules which are the smallest I have been able to find. Also look through their meds for liver disease. They might have something you can try. This is the compounding pharmacy I get all of Zoes CRF medicines from

For the injections, if it is a Sub-Q injection you can easily do that at home. Just like learning to give sub-Q fluids. You can even do IM injections, but that usually needs someone to hold the kitty as well. As your vet and see if they can get injectable meds and then have you try it once in the office to teach you. My Zoe is SO much better with injectables. No way anyone is stuffing anything down her mouth. So I get injectables for her.

Their are pharmacies that make flavored chews for pets. I had Chicken flavored chews for Prozac for Izzy. (before I found pill pockets) These are rather large, about the size of three nickels stacked on each other. I found though chopping it up and then mixing in the food worked very well. The cats liked them, just wouldn't chew them up.

Wedgewood pharmacy is who my vet used. http://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/animals/

Their is also Vetpharmacies of America. I haven't tried them, but I had a friend who wasn't real pleased with their service. The have a pretty long lag time between order and shipping. However there service reps where very nice on the phone. Their toll free number is here http://www.vetrxrx.com/

I have had great service with thriving pets and wedgewood. Rapid shipment, and everything can be done via internet once a script is on file.

Check prices at all three, there can be an amazing difference in costs for the same product.

When Lilly was on Ursodiol for her liver issues I ended up having to mix the contents of the capsule with a small amount (about 2 cc's) of home-made chicken broth and give it to her in a syringe. After about of week of doing this she started to like it, not run away and, I think, actually looked forward to it.

Lilly had been on various meds for months and absolutely hated getting pills. She learned how to remove the pills from the pill pockets and would not eat any food with meds mixed in. My very loving and sweet girl would run away from me anytime I would come in the room cause she knew I was going to grab her and stuff something down her throat. The only thing I found to work was the chicken broth trick.

I tasted the Ursodial and it was not terrible tasting. Have you tasted the medication that your Mav is on now? If it's not extremely bitter or nasty you might try mixing it with broth. (I had to make my own broth cause store bought almost always has onion and/or garlic in it)

Lilly did not like getting the syringes of broth at first, but once she realized that it wasn't as bad as being pilled she did not run from me anymore.

Hope this helps. I understand completely how exhausting and frustrating it is to constantly have to give medication to a cat that does not want it.

I'm surprised that a compounding pharmacy wouldn't make flavored medicine... that's a big part of what compounding is for. I'd just contact a different pharmacy. There were several available in my city — they didn't even specialize in pets, but they readily offered me a choice of five different cat flavors, including beef, chicken, fish, etc. Fish is generally best for overpowering medicine flavors and scents.

It does sound like you've tried almost everything. If you do end up just having to give the meds by hand, use a pill popper. That, and having a super-calm, relaxed demeanor when you do it, will reduce the cat's stress and yours, so that it becomes more of a matter-of-fact routine.

I didn't read the whole thread, but did you try the Greenie Pill pockets yet? They don't work for everyone, but my Jordan about takes my finger off to get the treat. I put his pred in them & it's like he doesn't even know it's there.

Thanks to everyone for all your help & responses, and I apologize for not responding sooner. I haven't been feeling well, and there's also been quite a bit of stuff going on to deal with lately. I appreciate all your help.

Originally Posted by Rang_27

I didn't read the whole thread, but did you try the Greenie Pill pockets yet? They don't work for everyone, but my Jordan about takes my finger off to get the treat. I put his pred in them & it's like he doesn't even know it's there.

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I did try the Greenie Pill Pockets, but Maverick just ate around the pill.

And to whomever it was who suggested the pill popper, I do have one of those, too, but with Mav, it works better if I just pop the pills down his throat.

Maverick is doing somewhat better now with taking his meds, although he still doesn't like it and I usually have to get him from underneath the bed b/c he knows when it's time to get the stuff. But he's not fighting me as much as he was, and I think he's beginning to understand that I'm only trying to help him.

It seems as if he's feeling better, too: I noticed that he's been more lively lately, and he's also been more loving again towards me - much like he used to be before.

So hopefully the meds are helping, and he won't need any further testing except for the blood panel to check his liver enzymes again. We'll find out in another 2 weeks or so.

Thanks again peeps for all your help & suggestions.