They make it look soooooo easy....

[trinity]

A few weeks ago one of our 4 deposited a worm on the living room rug. Yuck...immediatley called the vet. In fact both my husband and I took the day off hoping to be able to get an emergency appt to take them in to be checked and wormed if necessary. Well I guess in the great scheme of things, worms aren't life threatening...just icky so they gave us the appointment for last night. We took 2 of the 4 and they sent us home with medicine for the other two. While at the office, the tech just kind of snagged Zingo and Kunan, stuffed the pill in, held the mouth shut, and that was that. Same idea with the liquid med too...We got home and had the great joy of dosing the other two. I felt like I had been run over by a truck! There is evidently a special "med giving" gift that all vets and vet techs have that Mike and I just missed out on...I'm hoping for a long strecth of healthy cats so we don't have to do this again soon.

[Logan]

How well I know that feeling!!! Dr. Robinson and I have come to an agreement that Butter will not be given any medication at home if at all possible. He turns into jello at the vet's office and allows them to do whatever they want to with him! At home, it is NOT that way!!! LOL!!!

[trinity]

Exactly! Kunan was a marshmallow for them. It must be something genetic.....all vets and techs have it. Those of us who are "owners" and I use that term loosely, just didn't inherit it...

[Barbara]

Hehehe. That's so true

[marysmerrycats]

LOL I have ALOT of experience with that... they DO make it look so easy, then at home it's like, oh now how am I suposed to do this, the cat is not cooperating at all!

[Denyce]

Mine are not usually too bad about taking pills. I find it is a matter of being more determined for them to take them than they are not too. But then I have been giving all sorts of animals medication all my life so it comes pretty naturally. This morning we were running late for work and my hubby didn't quite get Deirdre's Clomicalm pill down the throat. She ended up chewing it and foaming all over the place. I am not sure which I felt worse for...the cat or my hubby. Especially when I glared at the hubby and declared that he wasn't giving Deirdre her pill anymore....and then the look or horror on his face when she started foaming and drooling... Needless to say we were even later...

Originally posted by marysmerrycats
how am I supposed to do this, the cat is not cooperating at all!

how well said ! It is defenitely NOT our fault, it' the cats who don't cooperate, he he!
LOL

[slick]

Originally posted by Denyce
She ended up chewing it and foaming all over the place.

I know what you mean. The first time I had to give Max a pill he did the same thing. I was sooo horrified that I called the vet immediately thinking he had rabies or something. But now, I've got the medications down to a science. Practice makes perfect they say.....whoever "they" are.

[jenluckenbach]

OK you wimps. This is how you do it.....you GRAB, SCRUFF, STUFF, HOLD and RELEASE! simple.

yeah right

[Uabassoon]

I've learned I can do it better on other peoples pets better than my own. When I do pet sits a lot of the pets are on medications and I have to problems at all. But trying to give little sweet Tibby some antibiotics, it's like there is a full on battle going on in my house between us.

[trinity]

My husband had the brilliant idea to crunch up the pill and dump the powder into Bouncer's mouth, figuring she couldn't spit it out as easily. She foamed all over the place.

Our main problem is that I'm too much of a wimp. I'm afraid I'll hurt them. And they know this for a fact....

[slick]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
OK you wimps. This is how you do it.....you GRAB, SCRUFF, STUFF, HOLD and RELEASE! simple.

Jen is right. This is really the only way to do it. You gotta just go for the gusto. I'm no longer the wimp I used to be and I'm proud of it! After a while, you will find you can do it with your eyes closed. Ha Ha.

[boscibo]

Yep - I think that the reason we have so much trouble giving meds to our pets is because they are our babies - we don't want to force them or annoy them. The vets aren't as afraid of being the "bad guy" and they do it many times a day.

I still have problems, but if it can go in food, it does. At the health food store I bought a pill crusher, and liquids can be mixed with canned food.

And my cat Abby is impossible - she does the foaming at the mouth thing no matter what - liquids or pills. So if at all possible, I get the vet to medicate her. Sometimes that means a shot.

[neko1]

I'm a tech and an owner, so it's really easy for me (I guess i'm lucky)

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've been through the pill and liquid meds many times and I've learned that you need to be firm and give it to them as quickly as possible. If they squirm a lot then wrap them in a towel so they can't run away. When I give pills I use a pill syringe. I think this is the name of it but your vet should have them. It a plastic tube with a rubber end that holds the pill. This way the cat won't bite you by accident. Good luck. Just remember that practice makes perfect.