How do get rescue cats to take pre visit medication

[Catlady63301]

I have two rescue cats I adopted last January. It's time for their yearly shots and needs check ups.
I have tried 3 times to get them to take their pre visit cocktail.
The first time it was a low dose and didn't knock them out.
The next time it was a full dose but couldn't get them to eat all of their food so only a small amount they ate, again didn't knock them out.
The next time decided to go with the liquid form. I had watched and read articles about how to hide the medication in wet food or mix it with tuna juice which did both. One cat ate most of wet treat but not enough and the other one wouldn't touch his wet food.
So, I thought I would try pill pockets and tried different favors and they will not eat those either even without medication in them.
The issue is that with them being rescue cats I still can not touch them.
I have tried playing around the carriers to try to train them to walk in the carriers but they will not go all the way in. I was keeping treats in the carriers so they would walk into the carriers but that didn't work either. They only hang around with me but afraid of other people.
I am running out of ideas. My house has a open floor plan so not like I can get them into one room to catch them.
I did order some bacon paste to wrap the pill in supposedly it supposed to hide the bitter taste of the pill. Has anyone had any luck using the paste for their cats?
Any suggestions or ideas? Do traps work for indoor cats? Where can I check to rent them if that is option?

 

[Catlady63301]

Not sure it shows kittens. The cats are 1and 4 years old.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. You may just be mixing it with too much food. The key is to only give enough food to ensure the full dose of meds is eaten. If it is a pill that can be crushed, that would likely make it much easter to get them to eat it. When you say pre-visit cocktail, what is it and is it already being compounded for them? If not, the smell or taste could be clueing them in that there is a med involved.

Have you tried lickable treats? They are small enough in volume to ideally mask the taste and yet not so much to eat that it would be hard to determine if they have eaten the entire dose of meds. You might also try to give them just enough food or tuna juice so that you know they get all of the meds, and then feed them more afterward.

You could also check with some pharmacies about compounding options to mask the taste/smell. It will be more expensive but might just do the trick.

I got a bacon flavored paste for Feeby, but it was so difficult to work with, I gave up. It was very, very sticky.

The label of 'kitten' on your title is referring to you, not your cats. Because you just joined, you are considered a 'kitten'. Read more about the labeling and related 'benefits' here: Promotions and Benefits | TheCatSite

 

[Catlady63301]

I have tried to use the tuna juice but still wouldn't eat it. I use the churu treats and tried that with medication and still wouldn't eat it, it's Hickory favorite treat. I have not tried the compounded formula yet. I will ask the pharmacy at the vet about that if possible. Thanks, I am just lost. I need to get them to vet so bad.

 

[Catlady63301]

I did call the vet and they do not offer compounded medications. Just lost!

 

[FeebysOwner]

I did call the vet and they do not offer compounded medications. Just lost!

Look for compounding pharmacies. Wedgewood is one of them, even if they are not located close to you, you can still order from them, and they will tell you how to handle the prescription with your vet. I think they might even contact your vet to get one. It is worth a call to them (or another more local pharmacy) and ask how to go about it.

 

[fionasmom]

Gabapentin Medication & Information for Animals

As FeebysOwner said, Wedgewood is a great resource and they are very helpful...you can call and talk to them without necessarily having a prescription. They do have a transdermal gabapentin, along with a paste and chew treat.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I have used 1800PetMeds for compounding and recently Chewy too. I get Prozac compounded for 2 of my cats. One get it in a tuna chewy treat and the other gets liquid in tuna flavor. Yet it looks like they may not compound Gabapentin if that is what you are using. I see FeebysOwner recommended Wedgewood Here is a link to a chew of gaba Gabapentin Chew Treat

I have had gabapentin compounded in liquid for a cat and he still absolutely hated it. Gabapentin is nasty nasty nasty. If possible get compounded into a treat.

Another trick is to use small tablet and buy chicken flavored #5 size gelatin capsules. This is a very tiny capsule. You place the tablet in the capsule and wrap in pill pocket, chicken, lunch meat or cheese.

I hope you can find a way to get it compounded.