Suggestions On Getting Meds Into Kitten And Feeding Amounts

[Tillybug]

So Dave has been here for almost a week. He is eating 3/4 Science Diet dry mixed with 1/4 Orijen free feed. The SD is from the breeder and I eventually want to switch him to Orijen.

I plan to feed him Fancy Feast classics along with the dry (same deal as my other Bengal). I give him 1/2 a 3oz can 3x a day. The breeder said he did have a bit of SD wet as well.

He will eat whatever I put in front of him and then has the poops. I took him to the vet within 24hrs for his check up/ my contract etc.. we decided his poops were from stress of traveling 2 days, new house and new food. I took some fortiflora home and he’s had several days of that. The poops were still happening so my vet gave me 14 days worth of metronidazole in case it’s bacterial.

I cannot get the pills in him. Any suggestions to hide them? I don’t want to burrito him and shove them down his throat when everything is still so new and we are bonding.

He is drinking, peeing and has more energy then he knows what to do with. His little bum looks fine, I don’t hear any tummy action either. I’m wondering if he is just eating too much, too fast? His poops are way stinkier then my other cats.... he is so good with the litter box too, he will be running around playing and then will stop whatever he is doing and high tail it to whichever box is closest (I have 3!). He hasn’t had an accident. I thought he was firming up a bit but today seems back to liquid. Poor dude...

Should I start tracking proteins? The SD has chicken meal and corn and soy etc. It seems chicken based with only fish oil. I thought maybe the fish was too rich so I have been giving him the FF pates without fish but doesn’t seem to be making a difference. I can also get him the SD wet.

 

[abyeb]

Here’s a very helpful article about pilling cats: How Can I Give A Pill To My Cat

What worked best for my Charlie is to put the pill in a pill pocket. Not all cats fall for this, but it’s worth a try, especially if Dave is at all food motivated.

 

[Daisy6]

You are right about getting him off Science Diet. The ingredients in it you named are just a few of many Hill's Pet should not put in cat food but does anyway.

The only proteins you should track are those coming from animals. Instead of plant proteins, count the plant names. How many proteins are usable?

 

[LTS3]

Try Pill Pockets or othet similar pill dough. I use a bacon flavored pill dough / paste that I buy from Amazon. It's not worth getting the medicine compounded since it's only for 14 days but ask the vet if there is a similar medicine that is readily available in liquid gprm

 

[maggiedemi]

Is Orijen a grain-free dry food? My cats get diarrhea from grain-free dry food.

 

[Azazel]

He may just be intolerant to some of the ingredients in the dry foods you're feeding. Orijen is one of those that is full of tons and tons of random ingredients that it could be anything in there upsetting his tummy. I would try eliminating the Orijen and see if it helps, if not, eliminate all the dry and see if that helps. Dry food is usually packed with a bunch of unnecessary fillers that may cause tummy upset.

It's much more likely that it's one of the carb fillers in the dry food upsetting his tummy than one of the proteins.

Also, I'm not sure I would start pilling a cat based on a hunch that it could be bacterial. Why not run some tests first?

 

[Tillybug]

Yes- Orijen is grain free.

Reading the labels between the SD and the Orijen I feel there is much more unknown and fillers in the SD vs the Orijen. He is still eating more SD then Orijen as I’m trying to transition him.

I put the pill in some tuna (low sodium in water) and he gobbled it up. I did try the pill pocket yesterday and he wasn’t interested.

He is going back the the vet in 2 weeks for a weigh in and final vaccine and we are going to test his poop at that time. The medication she gave me will not effect those tests (I did confirm that) right now we need the diarrhea to stop.

I’m still wondering if he is just eating the wet food to much and too fast. I think I’m going to try giving him less and see if it helps. After he eats the wet is when he blows (about 30-45 minutes later). I suppose it can be the FF too?

 

[maggiedemi]

You could do a process of elimination. Do one day without the grain-free Orijen. I wouldn't eliminate all wet food, cats need the moisture. I've only ever had problems with dry food causing poop problems.

 

[Tillybug]

I also got a few cans of Friskies to try as well, thinking the rice in it may help firm things up.

My other cat will only eat FF. I can occasionally get away with Friskies (certain flavours only of course). I have tried literally every single can of wet food brands available to me in Canada and she won’t eat them.

I also plan to feed Dave 80% wet and with the two of them (the other is pretty much 100% wet) I have to keep in mind budget etc... up here most of the foods everyone on here raves about are $3-4.50 a can (If they are even available) and that just isn’t possible unfortunately. And no- we don’t have Chewy or anything like it in Canada.

 

[Azazel]

Yes- Orijen is grain free.

Reading the labels between the SD and the Orijen I feel there is much more unknown and fillers in the SD vs the Orijen. He is still eating more SD then Orijen as I’m trying to transition him.

I put the pill in some tuna (low sodium in water) and he gobbled it up. I did try the pill pocket yesterday and he wasn’t interested.

He is going back the the vet in 2 weeks for a weigh in and final vaccine and we are going to test his poop at that time. The medication she gave me will not effect those tests (I did confirm that) right now we need the diarrhea to stop.

I’m still wondering if he is just eating the wet food to much and too fast. I think I’m going to try giving him less and see if it helps. After he eats the wet is when he blows (about 30-45 minutes later). I suppose it can be the FF too?

Testing should probably be done before giving meds and vaccines. If there is an underlying infection it’s not the best idea to be administering vaccines.

Dry food is far more likely to cause diarrhea than wet because it is loaded with carbs that cats can’t process well in large amounts. I would eliminate dry before wet.

 

[maggiedemi]

Don't be embarrassed to feed Friskies or Fancy Feast canned food. That's all my cats will eat too, and plenty of other people on this site feed it as well. Getting moisture into our cats is the most important thing.

 

[Azazel]

I also got a few cans of Friskies to try as well, thinking the rice in it may help firm things up.

My other cat will only eat FF. I can occasionally get away with Friskies (certain flavours only of course). I have tried literally every single can of wet food brands available to me in Canada and she won’t eat them.

I also plan to feed Dave 80% wet and with the two of them (the other is pretty much 100% wet) I have to keep in mind budget etc... up here most of the foods everyone on here raves about are $3-4.50 a can (If they are even available) and that just isn’t possible unfortunately. And no- we don’t have Chewy or anything like it in Canada.

Rice and carbs don’t firm up cat poo. Their digestive systems aren’t like ours. They are obligate carnivores that should have very little carb in their diets. Carbs will make cat poo bulky and smelly and may also cause diarrhea. Again, I would eliminate the dry instead of the wet.

Also be careful introducing new foods. Transitions need to be done very very slowly, otherwise can lead to diarrhea.

 

[Tillybug]

Ok. I will stick with the FF then as that’s what he’s been eating all week. Should I stick to one flavour only? I only feed the classics (pate up here!) as they don’t have any wheat etc...

 

[maggiedemi]

You can rotate flavors, unless you think he has a sensitivity to a certain meat.

 

[Tillybug]

To be clear- the meds are to stop the diarrhea.

He has already had 2 vaccines and deworming from the breeder before I got him. He was at the vet because I wanted him checked within the 72hr timeframe as stated on my contract with the breeder.

He is not due for another 2 weeks for his final vaccine. I’m sure if my vet feels it should be postponed she will do so. If she wants to run tests, I will run tests. He is only 12 weeks old. My vet is amazing and 100% trust her. She is a certified feline specialist, works and owns a cat only clinic, and I have been going to her for years.

As you can see- Dave wasn’t stressed meeting the doc! He needs to gain a bit more weight before he looses his manhood!