Urgent..cat who has epilepsy won't take medicine!

Hi. I'm new here so this unfortunately is my first post. I have an urgent situation....

My cat s semi feral. She was part of a colony I cared for and she and her brother have been indoor kitties for a year now. Well over time Pandora, the kitty, started having seizures. Until this weekend, they were once a month. This weekend it was every 7-10 hours after not having any for six weeks.

I took her to the er because my vet was closed yesterday. They ran blood tests and nothing was found. I can't do an mri now. They prescribed keplar (I think that's what it's called), so I told them she's feral and can't be handled to administer meds. It has to go in food.

They sent me home with this liquid and said I can add it to her food.

It's grape! She refused all food. I tried scruffing her but failed. She's creams and scratches and climbs walls. Today I took her to my vet twice to administer meds...I throw a robe on her and put her in the carrier covered.

Because the meds given yesterday need to be given three times per day, I can't give it to her. I'm at work. So my vet called in phenobarbital in chicken flavor.

My cat is refusing any food with it in there. Even her favorite. I tested the theory and gave her plain food and she gobbled. Switched it with the medicine food and she walked away and hid under the couch.

I called my vet. He said due to her size these are the only two medicines she can have. If I can't give her medicine, then she will be left to seize. She will die eventually.

I will call the pharmacy tomorrow to see if they can make another flavor. I also need to know if pheno always smells smoky and metallic....if yes, I'm in trouble.

This is why I'm posting. Does anyone have advice to mask the flavor? She's allergic to fish.

Thanks. She's only a year and a half.

If she comes out from under the couch I'll try to nab her with my robe and scoop her up for the carrier. My husband can help hold her down. i can't do this everyday. We have schedules that don't have us here at the same time regularly.

Please help....what hides the flavor?

Thank you
Sherry

"She Screams and climbs walls "

Sorry I'm using an iPad and it has atrocious autocorrect

You might try getting a tablet form and burying it in a pill pocket or wrapping it in cheese or something like chicken or turkey baby food (no spices.)  The problem now seems to be that she can smell the liquid because it's mixed in with the food, but if it's buried deep within a layer of something tasty, maybe you can fool her. Knowing cats,  if you do fool her, it will only be for a short time and you'll have to figure out several different "wraps."  

There are two threads active right now on pilling cats.  There are a lot of suggestions in them and maybe one or more will work for your girl.

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/315546/cat-refuses-to-eat-pills-in-pill-pockets#post_3955936

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/313723/how-do-i-get-my-cat-to-take-a-pill

Contacting a pharmacist to have something specially compounded is a great idea.  They might even be able to work up a transdermal gel, although since Pandora is semi-feral, this might be difficult to apply as well. 

BTW:  welcome to TCS! 

Hi. Thanks for the reply.

I spoke to my vet and They don't make a pill or injectable. It's such a low dose it's only these two liquids.

She's feral so traditional methods don't work. She can't be handled.

Food is the only option and liquid is the only kind. So I need to know how to mask the flavor.

Thanks tho

I can surely relate to what you're going through, although my situation is a little different.  

My kitty Nat was born feral and I tamed him and his sibs and his mama and brought them indoors about 12 years ago.  He began having seizures about 4 years ago.  Right now he's on phenobarb.  I've tried both the regular and the chicken flavor.  He doesn't like either one.  It's hard catching him, I usually catch him before meals when he's interested in being around me.  I do this twice a day and have since January of last year and he's had no witnessed grand mal seizures. He's missed a few doses here and there since I can't always catch him.  I really don't know what else to tell you about pill pockets and masking the flavor because I haven't had any success with that.  

Here's a thought.  One of my vets attempted Phenobarb transdermal cream.  You rub in a certain measured amount in the hairless part of kitty's ear, twice per day.  This bypasses the GI tract of course, so there will be no phenobarb blood level, per se, BUT it may be enough in his system to help the seizures.  Does he have grand mal or just petit mal seizures?  I don't believe there is much experience with transdermal cream to control seizures so this may well be a dead end for you.  You may have to just find that pill masker that he doesn't mind taking.  But still I thought I would mention it. The cream did seem to help him some.

Good luck!

Hi there. It's liquid not pills. I am sure it's bitter.

She has always had petit ones. Saturday night it was horribly violent and lasted 40 sends not the usual 20 and it was her fifth seizure in 24 hours.

The meds are new as of yesterday so the vet said she will seize if I miss a dose this early.

I'll ask about the dermal. However her brother frequently grooms her ears.

If they don't make a pill, you can try putting the liquid in empty gel caps yourself. You can get gel caps of various sizes at pharmacies or through amazon.  Bury the gel cap in the pill pocket or other treat and she might eat it voluntarily without you having to actually handle her.  Most cats can't resist chicken or turkey baby food (no spices) so that might be a good first choice.

I'm wracking my brain to think of something to disguise the flavor and smell but since she's allergic to fish, I'm not coming up with anything.  I really hope the pharmacist has something for you.  As for the gel, depending on how long it takes to be absorbed, perhaps you could just keep Pandora separate from her brother for an hour or so?

It's worth asking about the cream or gel for sure.

Her fish allergy just causes hair loss. If fish is magic what do you recommend, besides canned tuna (Mercury). ? It might be worth the hair lossmuntilmi find a better way

Thank you btw.

Her dose is .5 ml twice per day.

She's still hiding under the couch and I HAVE to give her medicine within the hour. I'm frantic

Oi, mercury.  I didn't think of that.   Do sardines, mackerel or salmon have mercury in them?  Those are the three I see recommended most frequently, in addition to tuna.

If the fish are mercury free, see if she'll eat them with the medication in them.  Otherwise try putting the dose in the fish juice and rub it on her paw.  She'll lick it off.  The problem is that you might not get the full dose in her but it's better than nothing.    You can also try the paw method with meat gravy of any sort but if the medication taste comes through, she might not lick it off as completely.  

Try to stay calm for this (always easy to say, hard to do).  Cats are very sensitive to human emotions and she'll pick up on your anxiety.  

I am so desperate I'll give her anything that will make her take it.ill try tuna in the morning. If it doesn't work I'll throw a blanket on her if I can catch her and put her in the carrier to hold her down to administer the medication.

The good thing is my vet gave her two doses today and very little of the phenobarbital got into her via food tonight.

My vet scared me tho. I can't miss any doses. But what am I to do with a feral cat? She's loving and loves to be pet but that's where it ends. Every grab ever trap, I lose more trust. She is hiding now and I HAVE to go to bed for work tomorrow. I took off today but I can't take more time.

I've lost sleep over this since her cluster started.

Thank you for all the advice. If I can't Medicate her tonight it is what it is. But I need to do it in the morning. Paws crossed tuna works.

You really are in a bind.  I know exactly what you mean about losing trust when you grab them.  It's a very hard tightrope to walk.    Good luck with getting her treated tonight and since you said "Paws crossed,"  here are my Chula's good luck paws.  They're getting a work out today - I already posted them elsewhere once already.   


Try to get some sleep.      And I really hope all goes well.  Please let us know what finally works!  

Thank you both hehe. I will post an update in the morning.

Tuna won't work. This nasty medicine REEKS of metallic smell. Thru the tuna I smell it across the room. She took 5 bites and left. So I tried giving her dry so I could nab her. She refuses to eat if her back is to me. She saw me one time while she was eating and is hiding under the couch now.

She won't be medicated today. Not last night nor today.

I looked into the topical. Unfortunately I can't use it because my other cats groom her ears. I am not locking a cat in a room all day every day and night which is what I'd have to do. And again, she's feral. I can't grab her now she's wise to me

I'll see if we can up the dose and give her a pill pocket. That's my last recourse. If my vet says no, then she will be without medication until the seizures get so bad I have to put her down.

I've had nothing but anxiety attacks over this. She's only one and a half.

I'm really sorry to hear all this. If the pill pockets don't work, can you put the medicine in some tuna water and rub it on her paws?  I know you said she's feral but does she allow you to touch her at all?  If there is any way to get it on her somewhere where she can lick it off, that's better than nothing at all.  What a heartbreaking situation, for you and for her.       

About the gel - since it tastes so nasty, it's quite possible Pandora's brother will stop grooming her ears after a few unpleasant licks.  It might be worth checking with the vet to see if it would hurt her brother to be exposed to a little bit - just for the time it takes him to learn that licking her ears gives him a bad taste in his mouth.  People use products like bitter apple all the time to train cats not to bite or lick things they shouldn't.  Maybe the same philosophy would work here?  

She gets a half ml which is a lot to rub on her.

I know you're trying to help and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.... She is letting me pet her thankfully. But the smell of the medicine is SO bad, the tuna isn't strong enough. I used every drop I had in the only can I had to get her to eat the 5 bites she did.

I think the medicine makes everything it touches rancid. Her food bowl made me gag when I was throwing out the food.

Tesla, her brother, is funny. He licked her ears when they had infections and goopy medicine in them lol.

I'm gonna call my vet at 9am when he opens and tell him we HAVE to find another way. I know she likes pill pockets because the vet only had that as treats yesterday and she ate it even distressed. It was empty of course.

Pandora, the epileptic kitty, is SO finicky. I want to get her grain/gluten free as it's a last resort to minimize inflammation and she won't eat "that"

Hi!

Ok some updates:

Pandora has yet to have a seizure with 2 mostly missed doses. 

I called the Pharmacy and the vet.  The pharmacy said they are usually compounding the cream (as you mentioned) for the ear. Since we can pet her, this might work- however, my vet said it's generally a waste of money because the cream does not give a full dose. He feels compounding pharmacies always say they can make things in different ways, but effectiveness is key. I told the vet, although I understand that, right now it's the ONLY option I have to get something in her while we try other methods. That he agreed with.

So I am going to get 5 days of cream tonight for her. I'll buy gloves while I am there too.  The pharmacy is also going to make what I call a "meatball" of medication flavored with roasted chicken which I will throw into her food- she'll eat some normal food, then i'll drop the ball in. She will get all of her dose in one bite. Then she can go on eating without her food being infused with that nasty metallic taste.

The pharmacy said humans complain all the time about the taste- so what vet would think a CAT would be ok with it? It baffles my mind.

The good thing is my options are not exhausted yet. Thanks for the great tips! In my anxiety attacks over this, this forum kept me sane because I had a way to ask questions and get a reply so quickly.  I will post an update tonight after I pet Pandora with the medication.  

Hi sorry I'm at work and can't give a full reply - talk later!

i'll keep an eye out for your post later then!