How do you give your grown cats their worm meds?
By applsofgld
@applsofgld (2506)
United States
February 4, 2007 4:27pm CST
I have a cat that can outsmart me whatever I try to do. I have one cat that is slightly ferral, he stays outside, one that is half in half out, he likes to come inside and sleep but likes to go out too. I can't hide the medicines in his food, he knows everytime. I have to get liquid for the indoor cat, I can at least hold him by the neck and use a syringe to squirt the meds down him, but then I have to hope the ferral kitty doesn't spot the pill, b/c he doesn't like the liquid and I for sure can't grab him by the neck. It is so frustrating. I wish they had a one time medicine that would take care of tape worms, and all other kinds of bugs. Any suggestions?
6 responses
@Seattle2007 (344)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Hi there...most cats are clever enough to eat around their medication and mixing it within their foods may also prevent them from receiving their required full dosages as well. You can use a plastic pill syringe that helps makes administering pills/tablets easier to cats who bite.
Here are some instructional videos on how to administer both liquid and tablet medications to cats by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health:
Giving Pill/Tabs (with syringe too): http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/pill_or_capsule/full_movie.shtml
Giving liquid medications: http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/liquid_medications/full_movie.shtml
Additionally, many people are unaware that tuna causes a life-threatening disorder called enteritis in cats because it prohibits the absorption of vitamin B1 and E causing deficiencies. You can read more about this in full detail from the following link: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Au7QhhEucC0zd59vAZD5TVYjzKIX?qid=20070111170528AAiAKat
Source:
27 year friendship with a veterinarian
Feline nutrition studies for exotic and domestic cats
2 people like this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I had no idea. My cat loves tuna and the smell of it. But I don't give it to him all the time. I am going to check the links out you provided. I appreciate it so much. This is going to be so helpful. Thank you so very much for your suggestions and for responding to my post.
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
6 Feb 07
Milk too? Wow, my kitty won't be happy. I don't give him milk anymore, but there was a time when he would beg for it. I would take a can of evaporated milk and dilute it and he loved it,like a treat. I will be sure to pass on the information to friends/family. I am still shocked over the tuna. My husband always said he wondered why everyone says cats like fish, when they hate water, so how to they get the fish from the ponds, lakes, etc. in the wild? Good question, now I can tell him. Thanks again.
@Seattle2007 (344)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I'm truly honoured to help. The referenced link I provided includes an answer that also a veterinarian wrote about the dangers of tuna for cats. Everyone should know about this and I hope you can also pass this information along to your friends, family or anyone else so we can help educate others about this uknown danger that isn't commonly known to the public. Unfortunately, Hollywood is to blame for starting this dangerous idea ... millk and tuna fish for cats.
1 person likes this
@jbrowsin66 (1321)
• United States
6 Feb 07
For the pill, I would mash it up into powder, then mix it with tuna. My cat's cant resist that!
2 people like this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
6 Feb 07
I did try this a few times, and it worked for a short time, but he outsmarted me and will not eat it. He suspects and checks everything out now.
@mbarryton (1872)
• United States
5 Feb 07
my vet told me that only on med day give him/her just enough tuna to put their meds in. if its capsules beak them open and mix them in. it always works for me. maybe you could try that
1 person likes this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
5 Feb 07
You know tuna might work. The smell is so strong, they may not be able to suspect anything. Plus it would be a treat. I know real tuna is flakier and stronger smelling than the cat food type tuna. Which my cat is not fond of. He is into the Friskies salmon and beef chunks canned food. Plus dry food. He is old so I try to feed him something he really wants. Thank you for your suggestion.
@mbarryton (1872)
• United States
5 Feb 07
your welcome let me know if it works :)
1 person likes this
@cheetah311 (343)
• United States
6 Feb 07
The last stray I picked up when I went to the vet to have her dewormed, he gave me one that you put on her back between her shoulder blades in two spots once a month for three months. Since my cats are indoor cats they only have to be dewormed once. Ask your vet if he has something like that. It's very quick and easy to do. It might be easier than pills or liquid.
1 person likes this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
6 Feb 07
Was this medication for tapeworms also? I have to give a separate worm med for worming and for tape worms when we know they have those. I've never heard of anything like what you described except for flea prevention. I will have to call and ask about this. It would be great to do this.
Thanks.
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
11 Feb 07
From what you described, it sounds like roundworms. That's what the vet told me once when my cat passed those kinds. You should get worm meds for that. I think they said the one pill or liquid they use kills all worms except for the tape worm, and it is a flat like worm, it breaks off in pieces like about an inch or so, usually we can see them on the cat's rearend and we know it's time to treat them. About every 6 months or so we have the tape worm problem. Only this next time, I'm going to see about getting the long tube you insert the pill in their mouths with. My cat is usually very sweet, but he has claws and teeth, so I don't want to take any chances. Besides the pills are so exspensive I don't want to waste it.
@cheetah311 (343)
• United States
11 Feb 07
I don't know about tape worms. This is going to sound weird but the worms my cats had looked like little pieces of spaghetti, don't know what type they were.
1 person likes this
@jan1972 (80)
•
4 Feb 07
I used to have this problem with my cats, I got a pillowcase and put a draw string around the open end, I lay the pillowcase on the floor and put some fresh cat nip in the bottom, The cat climbs in for it everytime, I just whip the string closed then allow him to poke his head out and keep the drawstring pulled around his neck. The cat ain't going anywhere until he's taken his pill. I only use this for getting meds into them, so they don't seem to remember from one time to the next.
1 person likes this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
4 Feb 07
I never thought about this, what do you do about the claws? I mean my kitty has some claws on him! Does your cat go spastic and try to escape or is he/she used to this and knows your not hurting him?
@Anakata2007 (1785)
• Canada
6 Feb 07
I give my cat medication (liquid and pill) by dripping it or crushing it into a small bite of wet cat food. Works like a charm. She doesn't know the difference. hehehehe
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
6 Feb 07
Mine fell for that a few times, but has since caught on to what I was doing.
