...so how was I to know? That the secret to persuading the cat into taking her daily drugs is to hide it in the wet food. I'd been struggling with getting pills in that mouth with all the needle-sharp little pin-sized teeth - a daunting prospect at best. With the likelihood of puncture wounds increasing with each unsuccessful attempt. Plus factor in holding something with dozens of sharp, retractable claws useful for both defense and escape. Not a desirable item to have in your hands when attempting to force a small object down her narrow pink gullet.
All you people with cats should have been more willing to pitch in here with advice and information. You folks with experience in these matters, ought to be more forthcoming with help, allowing me, the inexperienced 'nurse' in this scenario to benefit from your vast experience with playing doctor. I am definitely surprised the vet or techs did not suggest this tactic? Maybe they just assumed I already knew how to bypass the pointy little incisors? Or so accustomed to infected holes in their fingers they wanted to share that experience?
The wee little 1/2 of a heart pill she is to take (be forced to consume - 'take' sounds like all you have to do is say: "hey, you, it's that time again", and she ambles over with her mouth open, which is so far from reality as to be laughable - first you have to catch her) once a day. And now a tiny pink pill that has to be given twice a day. I am delighted to report surprising success with both - and can't say who has been more surprised: me or Lucy. I learned to insert the pills in a wee little dab of wet food, and put it down on a dish on the floor. After she eats it, apparently oblivious to the 'crunch' or just scarfing it up so quickly it slides right on down, then she gets more. I been giving both of these in the form of a cream/gel type substance dispensed from a sort of tube, that is rubbed on the inside of her ear - not particularly easy, but with a much better success rate than saying "open, sezme" with zero response. But now both of these are pills. secreted in that delightful fishy-smelling dab of stuff from the little over-priced can.
Plus: the bit of liquid that is the third med., I've started putting in a wee little puddle (about a tablespoon) of milk, just enough to disguise it, but not so much she will loose interest and not consume it all. I know cats are not designed to consume lactose, but she has trained us to open the fridge, get the jug out and pour - loves it. And this is the most painless way to get her to take the Lasix which is apparently the same Rx that humans are given when they are retaining fluids and need help with preventing strain on their over-worked, ageing hearts. The vet. referred to it by the name I have been hearing for years, that another heart patient here takes (unless it is Sunday morning and he does not want to get up in the middle of church to go pee.) Our vet tells me she will be taking all three of these always. I hope the new trick and admitted subterfuge will continue to work, as I suspect the pills are a whole lot less expensive than that stuff you rub inside the ear of a cat who does not want stuff stuck in her ears.
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