Newton has a problem. He doesn’t think it’s a problem. He thinks it’s a human problem, but either way, he won’t take medicine. He is also too strong to wrap in a towel to make a “kitty burrito.” He escapes, and hurts me in his panic to get free.
Thankfully, he doesn’t need medication for anything ongoing, but the last time he needed to take pills and refused to take them hidden in pill pockets, the attempt to put him into a towel burrito took two people and ultimately failed. He’s stronger than a cat several times his size!
So instead of something like this:
The result was more like this:
I have been looking for another solution to this for years. Sooner or later, he will need medication again, and I worry about not being able to administer it.
When I heard about the Kruuse Buster vet examination bag, I was pretty excited. A strong nylon bag with wide velcro fasteners that holds itself shut, unlike a towel, seemed like an answer to my worries. Since it’s a veterinary product, it even has openings for injections and zippers for accessing any of the four paws while a kitty is safely inside. I couldn’t wait to try it.
Newton wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as I was about the whole idea.
I don’t have any photos of my first, overconfident attempt to get him into the bag because it was just me, and I still didn’t have enough hands to both get him inside the bag and secure the velcro before he slipped out. He is so strong that I couldn’t hold him still.
The second attempt, Newton wasn’t feeling any more cooperative, but I had a second pair of hands to help me keep Newton in the bag until I got him fastened in. Unlike the towel burrito, once he was in the bag, he was well contained. He tried hard to get back out, but the velcro held him safely and securely, must to his disgust.
I now know that if I need to give Newton medication, I have a plan to get it into him. He won’t be able to put his paw between my hand with the pill and his mouth.
Of course I don’t want the cat equivalent of the straitjacket to be necessary to medicate him. I hope it won’t be. But I can sleep a lot better knowing that I have a plan in case medication becomes necessary again.
FTC Disclosure: We received our Buster Exam Bag feeder at no charge from Buster in exchange for our honest review. Receiving free product did not influence anything we say. All opinions expressed on this site are always our own.
Photo credit: depositphotos, Kalcutta
My human is glad none of us (not even Binga) is that difficult to give meds to! This sounds like a good solution for the difficult ones like Newton.
Poor Newton, How long before he spoke to you again!
That’s a really great idea. Mom has to give Ellie meds every night. It’s gotten better but it’s still pretty difficult sometimes.
The Florida Furkids
Newton looks completely disgusted at being captured. 🙂 What a great idea though.
What a great idea! Definitely something to keep in mind for the future!
Luckily, none of my furbabies are terribly difficult to medicate (at least for now, since they rarely ever have to be medicated in their current years of youth). However, I used to work at a cat clinic, and boy did I make my fair share of kitty burritos, and certainly received my fair share of scratches. This bag is a great idea, and it would have really come in handy at the clinic where I worked. I will definitely have to keep it in mind in case I need it in the future. Thanks for sharing!
Have you thought about conditioning? get him into the pose to take a pill but instead give him a treat. do it daily, heck even a couple of times a week might buy you enough good will to get the job done when need be.
That’s a good idea someone thought up there! The Purr-ito method works sometimes for us, sometimes not. Using a chip bag clip on the back of the kitty’s neck works for us more than not but not so much for pilling. We wonder if you leave that exam bag lying out, everyone would get used to it and it might result in an easier time getting your kitties into it.
Ohhh it looks like it might be a cozy place to sleep on these cold days too
Hugs madi your bfff
Oh dood, you’ll NEVER be able to Houdini out of THAT! Quick, where’s the delete key, before Mom sees this?!?!?!? ~ Faraday
dood….uh…..we can honest lee say neither oh ewe lookz….pleezed…….
we iz knot sew sure bout thiz ~~~~~~~~we R all knockin on everee thing that
looks like wood that for de most part…..pillz come eazee~~~~~
heerz two a happee heartz day oh love ~~~~~ kinda week oh end everee one♥♥♥
It is something I worry about too. I found something similar called the cat sack.
This looks like a great item. We don’t have to take medication, but Mommy practically sits on us when she does. (And that’s scary!) Poor Newton… he does not look happy.
Newton looks disgusted! It is a great idea though. Thankfully Flynn is very easy to pill.
Whoa, Newton! You really are trapped in there, aren’t you??
I think that is a reat idea too, not for me, but purrhaps one of my sisters!
Oh boy. This is good to know because if we ever have to medicate Pierrot, I’m sure it will be like Newton. It’s a shame but good to know it’s there when/if needed.
No way Lady!!! TW usually mixes my pred in my soft food when I really need it. Pop can hold me to give me liquid meds but just try going it into my mouth.
Poor Newton ! You’re trapped ! Mum thinks it’s a great idea, but we are far less enthusiastic ! Purrs
Our money is on you, Newton, to figure out a way to bust out of that bag! MOL
Hopefully you never need to medicate Newton on a regular basis, but if you do, hopefully you’ll be able to get him into the bag. My concern would be that it will work two or three times, then he’ll see the bag, know what’s coming, and put up a major fight. Maybe you can help him think the bag is a good thing by practicing with treats?
We dont like making pills easier, but TBT thinks it looks pretty good!
Julie…thank you, thank you, thank you! Fiona is impossible to medicate, and she has been beating the heck out of her dad and me. She is so much stronger than I am. I am going to check this out immediately. Hugs, Janet
This does look like a great answer for kitties that are tough ones.