Giving my cat anti-spasmodic pills: a total nightmare!!

Have a read, they might have a solution.

Hi there, I’ve just seen your post from five years ago... you might want to look into Laboratoire Déméter. They have a vet who specialises in herbal medicine and is very effective – they could be a great solution for you. They have a broad-spectrum wormer called Kitaverm that even treats giardia; it might be worth trying for your cat! They also have a website you can check out for more info.

Hi, I’m supposed to be giving my cat some phloroglucinol (the vet version of an anti-spasmodic) and it’s been an absolute nightmare! The pill is tiny, but clearly tastes very bitter. I’ve tried everything: crushing it into her food, using pill putty, hiding it in butter, cheese or fish (now, as soon as she sees any of those, she starts gagging), and even popping it straight into her mouth—but she spent an hour foaming at the mouth and drooling after that. I’m at my wits' end! I know it’s for her own good and I want to persevere, but I don't want her to lose trust in me or stop eating altogether because she's scared there's a pill hidden in her food... Does anyone have any suggestions? Hi, I’ve just seen your post, though I realise it’s 5 years old now... You could try contacting a holistic vet who specialises in herbal medicine; they might have a solution for you. There is a broad-spectrum wormer available that even treats Giardia; that might be effective for your girl! These types of specialist labs usually have websites you can check for more information.

Hi, I have to give my cat some anti-spasmodic tablets (the vet version) and it’s a total nightmare! The pill is tiny, but it’s obviously very bitter. I’ve tried everything: crushing it in her food, using pill putty, hiding it in butter, cheese, or fish—now she actually starts retching as soon as she sees those foods. I’ve even tried popping it straight into her mouth, but she spent a whole hour spitting and drooling afterwards. I’m at my wits' end! I know it’s for her own good and I want to keep trying, but I don’t want her to lose trust in me or end up refusing to eat because she's scared there's a pill hidden in there... Does anyone have any suggestions? Hi, I’ve just seen your post, although I realise the original problem was 5 years ago... you could try getting in touch with Laboratory Demeter (you can reach them on +33 6 14 14 21 94); they have a vet who specialises in very effective herbal medicine. They might have a solution for you... they also have a broad-spectrum dewormer called KITAVERM that even treats Giardia. It might be worth a try for your girl! They have a website you can check out too.

My cat had parasites too, though not the same ones as yours. He was on two different courses of antibiotics. One was a liquid given by syringe into his mouth, which didn't cause any issues and was effective against one of the parasites. The other antibiotic is actually one used in human medicine and was supposed to work against the second parasite, but it was impossible to get him to take it. It was a tablet, but even hidden in his food he refused to eat it. Trying to give it directly into his mouth or dissolving it in water via a syringe just made him drool and foam at the mouth – basically, it was impossible to give to him. In the end, he only had the first antibiotic, which was technically only meant to be effective against one of the two parasites. We were going to wait and see what to do next, but after a few weeks, he was completely parasite-free. Anyway, I’m just telling you this so you don't lose heart; medicine isn't always an exact science, especially when it comes to the vet! :) You could either see about trying an antibiotic after all (it was Metronidazole and Panacur that cleared both parasites for my cat) or just keep hoping that he’ll get rid of it naturally.

Evening, try wrapping that little tablet in a small bit of liver pâté. Have a good evening.

I’m sure your vet will be able to prescribe something else, as there are other medications available for tummy and gut pain. The problem is that your girl might refuse other meds—after all, medicine never tastes particularly good—and once they dig their heels in, it gets really tricky. A healthy cat won't starve themselves; even if she turns her nose up at her wet food for a few days, she’ll be back to eating soon enough. However, she absolutely needs her medicine to keep the pain away. Cats aren't exactly known for being the easiest patients!

Yeah, I have to say I’d be pretty worried myself if I saw one of my cats having that kind of episode; it’s clearly not normal. Mind you, even if it’s distressing for them, it might not actually be anything serious. It’s hard to tell. I’ve been having a right nightmare for months now with ringworm and ear infections. They’re supposed to be minor things, but they just aren’t clearing up... I really hope we’ll see the back of it eventually!

She wakes up hissing and meowing (she never meows, she only ever trills, and this is a raspy, abnormal meow) and last time she couldn't manage to get off the sofa; she was trying to get comfortable and ended up just sliding onto the floor with a lot of difficulty. Mind you, it could be down to all sorts of things (like sleeping in an awkward position). She’s already treated with Milbemax, so she’s now on a different one that's more targeted for these types of parasites!