How to Drug a Neurotic Cat

My cat Ingrid thinks everyone is trying to murder her. Especially me. She won't let me brush her or cut her claws. She barely lets me pick her up! So what to do when she needs medicine? She won't let me rub pain cream in her ear. I can't smell it, but she can! And she runs like a bat out of hell when she does, hissing at me all the way. Drops in her food? She'd rather starve. So of course she won't take pills. Can you imagine when the vet told me she had kidney disease and I had to start giving her intravenous fluids? I knew there was no way she'd let me do that. I cried because I believed she was doomed.

The vet suggested I drug her with Gabapentin. I tried all kinds of methods to do that, but with no luck. She's a stubborn brat and a finicky eater. But one thing she LOVES is treats. So when I heard that Gabapentin comes in "treat" form, I rejoiced! But - not so fast, sucka. She wouldn't eat them either!

More tears ensued and then I got back to the drawing board.  First I tried crumbling them into her food. Nope. Then I tried hiding them in a pill pocket. Nope. But doing that I realized how play-doh-like Pill Pockets are... and I had a stroke of genius. I crumbled the Gabapentin treats on to the table, then took a piece of Pill Pocket and ground it into the crumbles, forming a drug infused putty. Then I  attached it to a Temptations treat - EUREKA! She ate it!!! And now every morning I wake up to her sitting at my bed, waiting for her dose! It's extra great because when she is drugged she's so malleable. I can brush her, cut her claws, and most importantly, I can give her the fluids!

Yay Ingrid!

Below are step-by-step photos illustrating the process :