Need help - quick transition to wet food? Also, ACV?

I adopted Chula and Paul a few weeks ago.  They had been raised on kibble and while Paul will eat wet food, Chula will not. Now I need a quick way to get Chula to transition to wet food as she needs meds for a stubborn UTI.   I know from past experience that I can not pill a cat, so will have to crush the meds up and put them in her food.  I'm assuming medicating a cat through the food is better done with wet food than dry, since it can be mixed up better, but I don't know that for a fact.  However,  since it seems she's prone to UTI;s, getting her off kibble and onto wet is important in and off itself.

Her first antibiotic (Orbax)  was liquid but as soon as it ran out, blood began reappearing in her urine. To be honest, I had a hard time even getting this in her so am not sure she ever got the full dose.  I took her back to the vet and got a prescription for Baytril, which the vet says is a stronger antibiotic.  The vet tech gave Chula a couple of doses on the spot and even she had problems pilling her, so I anticipate it will be impossible for me to accomplish this.  I need to get the med in the food.

In reading about switching a cat to wet food, I've come across several posts of people sprinkling toppers on the food.  Fortiflora seems rather promising.  Even if it just got Chula to eat the food for the course of the antibiotic, it would be a help.   Can anyone give me some advice on the toppers- e.g. the ones that work best?

I also am wondering - are there any canned foods that seem to appeal to kibble eaters more than others?  Mine have always eaten Friskies, and that's what I offered Chula, although the vet sent me home with some samples (Hills, I think) that neither she nor her brother Paul (who eats anything) would touch.  This month I have spent so much money at the vet (and toys and supplies for the new babies) that I have to wait until next month before I can invest in trying a lot of new foods.    I really need to try to make the most of the Friskies I have on stock.

Another question - I've read some people have luck treating UTIs with apple cider vinegar.  Has anyone had success with this and how is it done?  Are there any dangers to it? 

Sorry for the length.  I am just so worried about this.  Although she does not seem to be in any pain, she must be in some.

For medication, which has to be almost instant, have you tried pill pockets, coating the pill in paté, making your own pill pocket with eg chicken breast (bite size chunk of chicken, make a slit in the middle and pop the pill in), any other varient on coating the pill and feeding as a treat? More ideas here http://www.thecatsite.com/a/pilling-cats-must-know-tips-for-hiding-pills

I would suggest that fortiflora is your best bet for converting a kibble addict to wet, as a primary ingredient is animal digest - the same stuff kibble is coated in to make it appetising. A great resource for both uti issues and converting kibble addicts is http://www.catinfo.org

Lastly, I get that your girl currently doesn't like wet food. As a short term measure to get meds into her, have you looked at the complementary wet foods? A lot of them are things like chicken breast in broth, and look just like canned 'human' food. If your girl likes straight chicken (and most cats do...though I know there are exceptions) then that type of food could be an option for 'spiked' meals. The other choice for med meals could be all meat baby food...apparently cats fond that hard to resist too. Just make sure they're grain and seasoning free.

I have to say, I generally pill cats (and dogs) straight these days as I find it the quickest method and I can be certain the whole pill goes in. I do understand that it's not for everyone though.

Hope your baby gets better soon

Edit: if a vet tech struggled with pilling your girl, I totally get why you're looking for less confrontational methods

I keep hearing good responses with FortiFlora although I had a finicky eater that didn't exactly dive into her food with it on.

It's still a battle with her, the little devil.

I would buy up a bunch of different flavors and cuts, of whatever brand you feel comfortable with, and see what she may go for.

I might also try canned pumpkin (plain, not with the spices added) as a topper, loosely mixed in.

Some cats go nuts for it, go figure.

I also might try crushing up a bit of her old dry food that you know she likes, and sprinkle that on top of wet, to kind of trick her into starting the meal.

As they used to say when I was researching appetite stimulation for my chronic renal failure cat management:

Sometimes you just gotta "prime the pump" and they'll say to themselves:  "Oh yea - food.  I remember liking that."

Good luck.

Thank you so much Columbine and 4catsNcounting.  I definitely now have a lot of ideas now as to how to approach this.  The links were really helpful and all the hints are great. 

I have tried the Greenies Pill Pockets with a cat in the past.  They worked exactly once.  The second time my Wesley spit it out and after that there was no getting it in.  He wouldn't even eat the pill pockets without the pills!  Fast learner that one.  I'm going to try the fortiflora but until I can get it, I'll try hiding the pill in tuna and chicken - I've never tried either one before.

Anyway, thank you both again!

I've used apple cider vinegar with some success, though I use it more as a treatment for an active infection than I do an ongoing thing since it sometimes upsets her stomach and she won't eat it in her food. I try to do 1/2 tsp twice a day in 3 tablespoons of water but she's a small cat and it's usually too much (bubbles come out of her mouth ). I end up with 1/4 tsp in a bit over 2 tsps of water and try to go slowly (via syringe). I do this once in the morning and once at night and she does okay. I have noticed since switching her to wet food and avoiding fish she has improved a lot. 

Thanks cathaver.  That's exactly the kind of info I was looking for re: acv.   I agree - I was only thinking of this for active infections.  I'm glad your kitty is doing better now, these recurring infections are miserable.

Gosh, I'm wondering why your vet couldn't give your kitty an antibiotic shot instead? That's what we did with Mikki when she had a UTI as we hated giving her meds and she hated it too!

I did have an experience with ACV... could have been a fluke...but it was several weeks after her UTI.. I saw her go into the litter box a couple times ...with no results and thought...ohhhh here we go again. Hubby and I were going to take her to the vet when he got home from work,, so I took ACV on a cotton ball, and dabbed it on the scruff of her neck several times in the next few hours... and BINGO, she went to the bathroom and was regular after that... we didn't even have to take her in.

Wow - this apple cider treatment is news to me.

cathaver - you administer it orally?

and MnM - you apply topically on the skin?

I tried to syringe some diluted cranberry juice once - that was a sad joke on me. 

Yes, I put it oh the scruff of her neck! I also put some diluted 50/50 with water in her wet food.... a tiny bit... it's hit and miss if she'll eat it so I quit doing that. But the day I put it on the scruff... she was in and out of the litterbox with no results..then after I put the ACV on ... she miraculously went! I don't know if it helps relax the bladder or what..but she went! I read up on it online (I'm so bad at that) and thought I'd try it...

I really should try it diluted on her hot spots..

May want to consider Adequan injections, as PSGAGs have been proven to relax feline bladder walls and repair the lining. A series of 8, 2 per week, for 4 weeks, is very efficacious for feline idiopathic/interstitial cystitis. The med is administered SQ or IM by your vet or their nurse, fast in and out visit to limit her stress, which is likely a contributing factor to most cystitis cases.

Feliway too, and calming collars. Females rarely get infections and never get obstructions, as that particular lovely problem is isolated to the penis/urethra anatomy of our very unfortunate tom cats. Thus, adjusting pH and mineral content dietarily doesn't really make a consistent impact for females with cystitis. Inflammatory response to stress is the #1 cause of urinary problems in queens. I would say you could try glucosamine, specifically Cosequin capsules sprinkled onto food, but you're already facing an oral med predicament with one medication, let alone adding a second.

Hope Chula rebounds like a boss soon!