Filou is sick

[Barbara]

Filou is definitely better today -but you still can see his throat hurts -he's swallowing empty from time to time.
But he eats well and has given one or two nose kisses.

We have now a good trick for the pilling. Yesterday evening I tried Randi's butter trick but he shook the butter plus pill from his paw so I had a buttered kitchen. Siegmar tried to hold him to open his mouth and plop the pill in -he has now a a torn T-Shirt. I tried to help him and we ruined another pill. Filou after that ran as soon as he saw me (He ran so quickly I thought it was also a sign of him getting better.

But we've got now 4 pills into the boy: 2 hidden in a piece of wet cat food (you have to prepare it carefully: open it with a knife, put the pill in close it and mix it under the normal-make sure Tigris doesn't eat THAT food and wait until Filou eats it).

The best trick is in vitamin paste. The pills are very bitter (while trying the butter trick I had a chance to taste myself) but the paste goes down so quickly he doesn't sem to notice. He gets plenty after the pill is gone -so there is one nice thing for him.

He says thank you for all your good wishes -yes it is like with a child. When an aby is not nawtee there is something wrong. And if a child has taken his medicine, he sometimes gets icecream -same here

This evening he behaves now rather normal -of course we'll watch carefully -and 4 more days with pills.

Thanks again for all your help and your good wishes!

[jenluckenbach]

I hope Filou gets better real quickly!!

[NoahsMommy]

Dear Filou,

We are glad you are getting better, but were sorry to hear you were sick. Poor guy, that throat must hurt...that sure is nice of your meowmie to give you ice cream, that must feel nice and taste good. Mabye you can tell our mama that we need ice cream too?

Anyway, get better soon buddy! Being sick is no fun!

Luv,
Noah, Noel, Basie, Livvy, Micah and Hermie

[ChrisH]

Poor baby, hope you are feeling much better real soon sweetie.

[PayItForward]

I had to laugh at the 'giving the pill' story. It is a real life 'Giving a cat a pill' story and funnier as it is real life.

[Uabassoon]

Filou I'm glad to hear that you are feeling a little better, but I'm sending good thoughts your way for a speedy recovery.

[Kirsten]

We are happy to hear Filou is feeling better today!

And that pill-story sounds VERY familiar to me! LOL Glad you've got at least enough pills into him to make him feel better!


Kirsten

[Randi]

Barbara, I can sense the worst is over and I do hope Filou is feeling better tomorrow.
Filou, we are sending lots of purrs, headbumpies and scritchies to you - be a good boy and take your medicine and get well!

Also best wishes to you and Siegmar - hope you won't get any more injuries! 4 days to go - how many t-shirts does Siegmar have?

Barbara, since the butter advise didn't help, here's another instruction for you.

HOW TO PILL A CAT!

1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby.
Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cat's cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2) Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3) Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.
4) Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right fore-finger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
6) Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat' s head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered antique china cups from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
8) Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
9) Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
10) Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
11) Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12) Phone fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the street. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil-wrap.
13) Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves in shed, force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of raw hamburger. Hold cat's head vertically and pour * pint of water down throat to wash pill down.
14) Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from your right eye.
Call at furniture shop on way home to order new table. And leave the damn cat alone.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I love that Randi! I've seen it a few times and it makes me laugh everytime because it is just so true! Tubby spit out 2 pills this morning before I was able to get the 3rd one down deep enough that he had to swallow it - and almost swallowed my finger in the process too!

Filou, I'm so happy to hear you're feeling a little better. Sounds to me like if you keep taking your pills like a good boy, you'll keep getting ice cream, which is a good thing in our house.

Barbara, it's always a good sign when they fight the pills, but since he fought even when he wasn't feeling good, the running from you is a good sign, even though it's not good for mommy's moral. But keep up the good work and he'll be back to his old naw-tee self in no time.

[Cataholic]

Poor Filou! I am sorry to be so late to this thred, you little cutie. I hope your throat is feeling much better now, and that you have a little bit of extra ice cream to help soothe it....

[gini]

Dear Filou, I am also very late to this thread and I am so sorry to hear you have been sick.

When you stop giving headbumpies, we put you straight to bed and put a thermometer in your............well, in your case we can't do it by mouth

I hope that the reports get better and better. What a good boy to get all of those pills down.

When it is very hot here, I put ice cubes in Rascal's water dish.
He seems to love it. Could you do this for Filou and maybe it might make his throat feel better?

Barbara, please keep us posted on his progress. I just hate it when our kitties are sick!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Thanks for the update Barbara. I'm so glad to hear that Filou is starting to feel better. Hopefully he'll be good and take his pills for the next four days.

[Barbara]

Filou continues to get better. These days he didn't give (and thus get) his daily ration of love and tonight at 3 a.m. he thought it would be time to catch up. He purred all over us giving headbumpies and wet kisses for half an hour before he settled down close to me (which caused me a backache as I didn't dare to move ).

I never have been that glad about being stirred up at 3 a.m. and am convinced he definitely is on a good way. He has his first pill for today already eaten (with vitamin paste). Phew.

Yes Randi -I had to think of that text and found it rather realistic. Not much exageration in there

[Kirsten]

Ahhh, that's great Filou is doing better!

I know, Filou, a sore throat can make you feel so miserable, but now that you love your vitamine paste again, I'm sure you're on your road to recovery!

Noserubs from Luna and Lily,

Kirsten

[smokey the elder]

I'm glad Filou is feeling better and being reasonably good about taking his pill. Kitty treats and ice cream make good pill chasers!