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My cat is a 5 year old female

She has always been a scaredy cat and has never let me pick her up unless when she is asleep. Even then she tries to escape.

To add more information: she was given the meds because she was pooping all over the carpet and on my bed for about a year or so. When I moved, it got worse. She also needs ear drops because of an ear infection she has had but again I can't go near her to put them in without her running away.

The vet gave her anxiety meds and she would spit the pill out. I tried putting it in her food and such and that didn't work either.

I got a compounded version that is a flavor to help mask the bitterness. I put it in a bowl without food and she attempted to lick it but as soon as I mixed it with wet food, she walked away.

She loves that wet food and if I put one out without the medicine she scarfs it down!!

It has a syringe but there is no way she will let me go near her with that or let alone swaddle her.

Any ideas on what the heck I can do?! Or what food that she might take it with?

Thanks!!

Elmy: to answer your question, I don't think I was having her take the medication to satisfy myself but I have never thought of it that way.But I think its more because of the ear infections that she constantly has that I want to relieve that for her.

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    Welcome to Pets! Please take the tour and have a look at the help center. The more important question that I feel is not answered by your post is: does she really need those meds? Is her live strongly affected by her anxiety or are those meds meant to make you happy by adjusting her behavior to your expectations? Assuming she'll never voluntarily take the meds, does her anxiety impair her life so much that it warrants stressing her regularily to force her to take them? Please edit your post to provide more information.
    – Elmy ♦
    Dec 6, 2019 at 7:07
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    what have you tried to do to help your cat get over the fear,does your cat have several elevated places where she can feel safe.does your cat conect to other people or pets at all?.having to hunt down your cat to give medications is probably not the way to help your cat,please tell me about what you have tried to do to help her before you got to the point of trying to medicate her.
    – trond hansen
    Dec 6, 2019 at 10:59
  • she does have many elevated spaces. she also loves going outside which has helped a lot but she is still jumpy around other people and me if i go to pet her.
    – Katherine
    Dec 6, 2019 at 12:51
  • Trond: i have also put feline pheromones around her space to see if that might calm her down. That also did not work. She has certainly gotten more relaxed with my parents who she sees everyday but if other people come in the house, she freaks out and hides the entire time.
    – Katherine
    Dec 6, 2019 at 12:59

2 Answers 2

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When it comes to medication, cats can smell it long before we can get it near them.

It's completely expected of them to run away from people or smells (like medication) they are not comfortable with.

I have one who like your cat never allows anyone to get near. I have to wait for her to get really relaxed in her favorite place and then approach really friendly and let her be relaxed so that my scent becomes comfortable for her. This takes time, but once it's done, it's easy to medicate her, as I am a part of her comfort zone.

Avoid loud sounds, no sudden movements and no unfamiliar smell.

If she is comfortable with you but only runs when you take the medication near, let her get used to the smell of the medicine by keeping it with you when you pet her.

Hope this works for you.

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Reading your post reminds me of a horrible time when I gave my cat medicine. Last week he had a problem with the toilet, I took him to the vet and the doctor told me to go home and give the cat something to drink. I use the direct injection method, which has been around for a while because my cat seems very excited when I put the medication in my mouth. After trying everything to no avail, I found a way that seemed very easy and didn't take too long. He uses the medicine bag, the medicine bag is cute food with a secret pocket in the middle where you can just put it and hide the medicine, I used it like that and my stubborn cat quickly drank the medicine without knowing it was medicine in his food. I hope you use it effectively on your cat.

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