Medication Issues

Cosette had been showing symptoms of a typical kitty cold they get from the shelter. At first it just seemed viral, but lately she developed eye discharge and seemed to not be improving much. I took her to the vet today who put her on liquid antibiotics and medicated eye drops. She made both of those doses look incredibly easy.

When I gave them to her tonight, it was not the case at all. I think she hates me now. She certainly doesn't trust me at the moment and is hiding under my bed. I don't want her to continue this distrust (although I understand why she's scared) and I would rather this be as stress-free of a process as possible. Are some cats just stubborn when it comes to medication? What techniques can I use to make this as painless as possible?

Dogs are so much easier to medicate...

I've found that cats are very good at picking up on your emotional state. So if you're stressing out while trying to give them medicine precisely because you expect it to be difficult, then they'll be upset too. The only thing I've had to give my cat was eye drops, and generally, the calmer I was, the easier he allowed me to hold him down with one arm and put them in with the other.

However, as far as eye drops go, I found the easiest route was to wait until he was sleeping, as soundly as possible, and then just go over and lift his eyelids and drop them in. He did wake up, but he just looked at me and then went back to sleep.

And can the antibiotics be mixed with her food?

I'll give the eye drops while sleeping thing a shot, as well as being in a more relaxed frame of mind.

I suppose the antibiotics could be mixed with her food...the only problem is that because she is ill, she isn't finishing her meals. She gets a quarter cup of Blue Buffalo adult indoor dry twice a day and probably only eats a little over half of that each time. She's lost about four ounces between September 24 (her initial vet exam) and yesterday. So I doubt she would ingest all of the medication she needs.

If you can catch them when they're sleeping it is generally easiest.

Otherwise I always go equipped w/ favorite treats or wet food. Perhaps even a play session w/ a toy afterwards would help?

Have you tried something like fancy feast-if she smells it may finish it. If mixing with wet food do as little as possible(also a few meds taste VERY bad so make sure its not one of those). Science diet RX A/d has helped alot in past for some of my guys

I mix meds with tuna juice or jelly from a canned food. Far as the eyes I put a dab on a qtip and get it in corner then blink the cats eyes to distribute it.

I'm about ready to cry.

I tried mixing the antibiotics in her food, but she smelled it right away and didn't touch it at all. I tried administering the eye drops when she was relaxed and letting me pet her, but as soon as I pulled her lid back, she bolted.

She doesn't like wet food (McGee doesn't either) and since she is ill, she has zero play drive. I really don't know what to do. She hasn't gotten a single dose of anything all day. I feel like a horrible cat mom. She doesn't even let me approach her now.

Crap, now I actually am crying.

What meds are they?
Have you talked to the vet about the problems?
One other thing to discuss w/ the vet is can they do an antibiotic injection & will it be effective enough?

The antibiotic is Clavamox and the eye drops are Tobramycin.

I haven't talked to my vet...she was only just seen yesterday and she did extremely well with both medications while at the vet's office. I don't understand why she's so spastic at home.

Clavamox? could try to see if she will eat a greenies pill pocket and if so get her switched to pills. you approaching from the front to do her eye meds or the back? She in jsut one room or the house?

If 2 Week antibiotic shots not good enough maybe you can bring her to be medicated.

Some petsitters will do meds maybe an option for you and you can learn in home.

Talk to your vet and see if there is a pharmacy that will compound the meds into a cat treat for you. I know there's one in Houston, which is just a one-day ship from me. They come flavored, fish, chicken, beef, and etc. Maybe they could order some for you. I'm sure there's got to be something close to where you live.

Give her some treats when it's not med time so she'll come to you. Does she like cheese? If so, get a little bit and feed it to her. My husband is awesome with one of our kitties. In fact, if he puts the blanket on his lap, she'll jump up in his lap expecting a cheese treat. That's how he used to give her nose/eye drops to her! LOL He gets her in his lap, gives her a nibble or two of cheese. Then he tucks her under his armpit, squirts the meds, then follows up with more cheese nibbles.

Comfort. When at the vets or out of the house I can trim my worst cats nails with ease at home they have the advantage of places to hide.

I was able to fool my girl for a couple of days by mixing the liquid clavomox into chicken baby food (no onion, no garlic).

But, please don't feel badly that you're having a problem with the meds - many many pet parents do. Call the vet in the morning, and ask her advice. Don't forget - a lot of cats are so scared at the vets that they'll tend to stay still - and the vets have had experience with thousands of pets through their years of training, etc.

And, your baby will forgive you - my girl absolutely runs from me when it's Revolution time, etc., but within an hour she'll forgive me.