Sterling has to get a job!

[jenluckenbach]

You know how Sterling is on amitriptylin for stress reduction (so he doesn't spray in the house). Well, he is sort of difficult to pill. Not impossible, mind you, but difficult enough to want to find a new way to give the medication. SO we bought the $27 ear cream form. Easy as pie........didn't work one bit. :( Now we tried a chewable form. Tuna flavor. $22 for 25 chews and he needs 2 per day. Won't touch them with a 10 foot pole! :mad: I tried breking it in half and placing it on his food. Ate every single crumb................except the 2 chew halves!!!!!

CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek:

[catnapper]

Did you try telling him that the only other alternative is to walk around with a diaper? The indignity of it will make him jump for joy to take that little ol' pill!:D :D :D

[sirrahbed]

Yikes! Expensive medicine and clever cat. Is there an injectable? Otherwise I guess it is back to wrestle and pill eh?

[Cinder & Smoke]

Here's a good article on How to PILL da Kat ~
with minimal loss of blood...

How to PILL the Kat article (http://www.hsus2.org/international/library/eng_ht_pill_cat.html)

And we'll repeat *our* method ~
Get youselves a Pill Shooter!

They are *cheap* - less than $4.00 US;
should be availabe in any Pet Store - US and elsewhere:
cause little *stress* to either Kitty OR the Human;
almost Guarantee a successful *pilling* on the first *shot* :p

Here's a poor picture of ours - all soft plastic and made by
Four Paws".

Pix - "Four Paws Pill Dispenser" (http://www.petdiscounters.com/dog/health/nutritional/fp_pill_dispenser.html)

Dad *loves* it; Boots tolerates it;
and there hasn't been a lost or spit-out pill in years! :cool:

Y'all really Otta Get One!!

[jenluckenbach]

You know, I have purchesed two pill shooters and they were both terrible failures. I just don't know what it is about Sterling and his medicine that keeps my luck running bad. :confused:

He is NOT terrible, it is just that he throws his head from side to side making me sometimes miss leaving the pill at a place he can later spit it out.
He struggles a LOT less than he used to.

[RedHedd]

Is the medication available in a liquid? I'm finding it much easier to just squirt the meds down their throats, at least Mishi is being a pretty good sport about it right now. I'll report in later as to how Mitzi does. I have a feeling she's going to be my problem child - ah kids! :rolleyes:

Have you tried the snuggle/kiss method? I used it on Goldie when I had to give her so many medications. Start by sitting at the cat's rear with them firmly snuggled between your knees. Gently pet them, giving them chin scritchies. When they get all lovey and purring, quickly and gently grab their little mouth and poke the pill in, close their jaw and then give a smooch to their little kitty lips. Goldie was alway so surprised by the kiss that she'd swallow the pill(s). It worked for quite a while until she got tired of taking all the meds and was feeling so poorly.

Might be worth a shot, er, um I mean a kiss :)

[NoahsMommy]

Jen,

Can you get that medication online at www.petmeds.com or something like that? At work we have a lot of custmers getting meds from them at way better prices.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
I have purchesed two pill shooters
and they were both terrible failures.

Failures!?? - How So??

Meaning - What went wrong using them??

A Pill Shooter is not "the magic bullet"
(sorry - BAD pun :rolleyes: )
... but it sure beats trying to stick your Thumb, Index Finger,
AND the durn Pill into a tiny Kat Mouth!

Some amount of Brute Force *IS* required the first few *shots*...
Da Kat HAS to be taught that the Pill WILL Go IN -
ONE way or another!

Much blood (mine) was spilled; and much Fur was Ruffled (Boots) during
early "attempts" at *pilling* using the
Two-Finger, Open Wide, Please method...

*Pilling* with The GUN had a bit of a learning curve -
a) HIDE the thing while you're *Searching & Retrieving* da Kat.
b) Have it LOADED before you do finally Katch da Kat.
c) WEDGE da Kat into a soft chair for the first few *shots*.
d) SIT on the Front Klaw Weapons if mortal combat seems probable.
e) Have a FIRM GRIP on the head and upper jaw!
f) *POP* the jaw open with Thumb & Index Finger.
g) IGNORE ALL URRK & GAAAAK Sounds!!
h) QUICKLY position The GUN - WAAAAY back on the Flailing Tongue -
.. (Like - half way to the tummy!)
i) *FIRE* and Release in one fluid motion -
.. Object being to avoid Flailing/Slashing KLAWZ!

LOOK at the drawings in the Quoted Article ...
Very Realistic other than the relative SIZES of the Mouth, Teeth,
and Human Fingers! :rolleyes:

PS: What EVER method you use -
PRACTICE *shooting* pills with BLANKS! ...
Use Kibble Pieces or Tiny Treats - no harm when they go down
without being chewed.

/s/ Phred

[jenluckenbach]

1) they have not found it available in liquid form.
2) pill shooter failure
a) pill is too small, does not stay in the tip
b) one of the pill shooters was too long to handle properly

I know you're trying to help, but I was just laughing at my situation, he will just have to take his pills.

[jenluckenbach]

OH, and the amitrip. comes from a human pharmacy, not the vet. But I will check out petmeds just in case.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
2) pill shooter failure
a) pill is too small, does not stay in the tip
b) one of the pill shooters was too long to handle properly


a) WRAP pill in semi-firm CHEESE - large enough ball to
.. "stay" in the Gun.

b) Grow Longer Arms -or- Shorter Kat. :p

[trayi52]

Sound dangerous no matter which way you try! I was bit on both hand by a cat, very severly too. I had the awfulest time trying to go to the bathroom, bad deal.

Poor Jen.:(

[jenluckenbach]

The cheese in the gun might just work, but the shooter that is too long is too big for my hand to be near the cat's mouth and push on the plunger at the same time. What I need is longer fingers. :p

[BastetsMum]

Sounds like burrito wrap time to me :(

[Christiansmommy]

How about getting one of those morter and pestles (you can get them in a kitchen store, they are used to crush up spices, they are made of marble), basically you just crush the pill to a powder form and then mix it in his food (this is how my Grandma gets my bed ridden Poppop to take his meds...he has trouble swallowing whole). Maybe that would work.

I had to give Gabe that stuff before i re homed him to SAS. and i use to stick it into the center of a hairball treatment pounce cat treat...they are kinda liquidy inside, and then give it to him...but who knows, that may not work...he might just end up spitting out the pill...

[jenluckenbach]

Originally posted by BastetsMum
Sounds like burrito wrap time to me :(
tried it....but his head can still move from side to side, that's the biggest problem.

As for crushing it, I get the feeling it tastes horrible because if even a litlle bit toches his tongue on the way down he drools and gags.

But we are getting the job done. I just want him to start paying for it. ;)

[RedHedd]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
OH, and the amitrip. comes from a human pharmacy, not the vet. But I will check out petmeds just in case.
Hmm, have you asked if the pharmacist can dispense it in a different form? (Liquid or gel?) We have a pharmacist here in S.F. who does up some of the pet meds for my vet and they are SO nice about taking extra special, personalized steps to make the meds easier for the little animal mouths to take.

[sirrahbed]

Sorry Jen - we have a HUGE classified section in our Sunday edition and there was not one single wanted ad for feline employment. Sorry about that. Looks like he will have to be self employed in some way. Does he have a resume you could post? I think the truth is - all felines can do is use human money. I heard a group of breeders talking at the cat show and laughing at how people thought their cats made money!:D Guess even top show cats dig into their servants pockets. :eek:

Seriously, I took Ami for a time to prevent migraines. The Neuro told me it was an older and "inexpensive" med and not used that much with all the new drugs to try. I believe mine was only about $15 for 90 days. (I took 10mg I think- whatever was the smallest) Does that sound about right? Can you check around and find a different supplier?

I totally hate pilling cats. I have never had to do it long term and I can imagine they get so sick of it that no trick will work. Poor ole Sterling has that head swinging thing down to an art it sounds like. You have my sympathy!! (for what THAT is worth)

[Randi]

Jen, I feel your pain. :( All I can add is to try and give Sterling his pill the moment he wakes up - while he's still relaxed!! Sit next to him and cuddle. That worked with Fister. I was as amazed that the pill went down, as he was. :eek:

Later on I "caught" him while sitting in the windowsill - from the BACK. If he's already used to you coming up from behind to stroke him, then he won't (may not) be suspicious. ;)

However, Fister has been known to push the pill in to his cheek, even spit it out, but then I had another go. Once the pill is inside, close his mouth and stroke his throat and he'll hopefully swallow.

The important thing, in my opinion is to give it to him while he's relaxed!

Good luck - and Happy Christmas!! :D

It's Fister turn tomorrow. But only that one pill for the ride to the pension. :)

[PayItForward]

Can Sterling mop floors ?!

If so, we have a full time position following Bam Bam around. :D