Animal Welfare Professionals

My shelter has a cat in foster care that REFUSES to take medication. I'll back-up a little bit. Findlay came to us in December of 2024, her owner had to surrender her (I cannot remember off the top of my head why). When Findlay came in, her ear was tipped... but she was an owner surrender. So I am not sure if the owner had her spayed and ear tipped (possibly indoor/outdoor cat? Intake did not get that information from owner...) or if someone brought an outdoor cat inside their home and then dropped off at shelter. Either way, Findlay is VERY fractious. She is doing semi-well in foster care, her foster caretaker had been visiting her at the shelter so they had a small relationship already underway. In the foster home, she eats dry food (she refuses to eat wet food), plays with toys, sits with her foster caretakers, and uses the litter box appropriately. However, since Findlay came to us in December, our medical staff has been giving her gabapentin to help with stress (and to try and make her easier to handle). We sent this medication home with the foster caretaker but she has been unsuccessful so far on getting Findlay to take the meds on her own. 

We've tried every wet food variety under the sun where we can pour the contents of the capsule and mix it in.  We've also tried deli meat, butter around the pill and freezing it, churu treats, pill pockets, and really anything that could convince Findlay to take it on her own. Still nothing! We even tried putting the medication on her dry food, she wouldn't touch it at all. 

We have tried everything short of forcing it into Findlay. We were really hoping to avoid using force to make her take the medication because we did not want to ruin the relationship they are building (the foster originally took her in to consider adopting). But now her anus is bothering her (possibly from trying all the different foods but it is really inflamed) and even if we prescribe medication, we can't get it in her! I told the foster caretakers that putting her in a burrito may be our only option at this point (unless we return Findlay to the shelter which I really want to avoid as she will end up sitting here for who knows how long, we do not have a lot of adopters/fosters who are willing to work with fractious cats). 

I am making this thread to hopefully connect with people who have experienced something similar with a foster cat. I want the very best for her and our foster caretakers, I just do not know what else to try. Our veterinarian will not order transdermal or liquid gabapentin, we are stuck trying to force a capsule into her. We also are trying forti flora with Findlay but she won't eat that in her food either. 

If I left any crucial information out, just ask in the comments and I'll do my best to respond quickly!

#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization

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Kirsten Jones
Foster Coordinator
SPCA Cincinnati
513-498-7131
kjones@spcacincinnati.org
Cincinnati, OH
www.spcacincinnati.org
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Hi Kristen, it sounds like you have a handful there!  Here are my thoughts.

1) Did the gabapentin help calm her when she was taking it at the shelter?  What if she couldn't take it--contraindicated for medical reasons--what else could you do to manage an anxious/stressed cat?  Give her some high-up places to enjoy?  Interactive play to wear her out? 

I thought of this because we adopted a 13-year old (human) with ADHD, who couldn't take meds for medical reasons.  He came to us from a residential school that had developed an effective plan to help him with focus and self-control, and he did very well through high school and college.  We iniatially worked hard with his school and a private psychologist to recreate and maintain the structure he needed, but he gradually took over that advocacy and structure for himself as he matured.

2) Have a vet visit to discuss any injectable alternatives to the gab. that might be done with an insulin syring.needle, and check out the anus as well.  Maybe something topical could help it?  I just went through radiation tx for cancer, which created serious intestinal problems and anal irritation.  The recommendation for me was a bit of Aquaphor.  It worked like a charm!

Poor kitty!  I hope the foster family hasn't ruled out adopting her...

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April King
Volunteer and Board Member
Kotor Kitties
+1 206 407 5336
http://www.kotorkitties.org
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I would suggest a pill gun - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076J5YQHN.  It makes the process of medicating cats very quick and easy.  I have a cat with Histoplasmosis that requires an anti-fungal twice a day, I administer it with the pill gun and it's about a 15 second job in the morning and the evening. 

Having said that, as someone who has taken gabapentin for nerve pain, I wouldn't give it to one of my cats on an ongoing basis.  It was not a fun medication for me, it made me feel very odd.  Instead, I would confine Findlay to a room with some things to keep her interested like toys and a cat tree and then spend some time with here every day, taking things at  her pace instead of trying to force it.  We've successfully done this with a few feral cats, one that was so feral that we initially couldn't get within 50 yards of him without him running back into the property (we live on acreage).  It took 6 months just to get him to come up to our porch to eat and another 3 months to get him trapped so we could neuter him.  We caged him after his surgery in the house for a couple of days and he decided he wasn't leaving.  He now spends every evening purring in my lap but, it took some time to build his trust and get him to this point and it probably wouldn't have happened like this had we not let him decide the pace.

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Bernie Granier
Head Cat Wrangler
Bandera Cat Rescue / TNR
TX
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If you're giving gabapentin for "stress" and giving meds is causing stress, it sort-of negates the purpose. We use gabapentin (TD/liquid/capsule) for stressed/fearful/anxious/shy cats in our shelter but rarely continue it if the cat goes into a foster home. This sounds like a poorly socialized or under-socialized community cat...if she's doing pretty well in the foster's home (it sounds like she is...) then I would D/C the meds.  The decision of how to handle her for future meds/treatment she may need plays into pathway planning. If she was healthy at the time of intake and she's stressed by being confined indoors and developing new health problems that may be directly related to or exacerbated by that stress (GI upset, excessive grooming, FLUTD, etc.), then you may need to consider adopting her out as a barn cat if RTF is not an option. 

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Rachel Powell DVM
Director of Surgery
Greenhill Humane Society
Eugene, OR
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In general I would check with the vet for other forms of the same medication (f.e. some pills come in liquid or transdermal, sometimes from compounding pharmacies). Some tablets you can crunch up to a powder and add a few drops of water to make a paste. If the foster is able to smear this paste into the cat's fur, the cat most likely will lick it off when grooming. But it needs to be "massaged" into the fur on a location where the cat can reach it. If you just drop it on, she'll shake it off. 

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MW Cats
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This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

Hi! I found your answer while searching for advice on the same issue OP is having. The suggestion to mix it with something and apply it to the fur was GENIUS.  I smashed the pill into a powder and rolled a tiny amount of butter in it until it all stuck. Then I put a teaspoon of oily wet food and mashed it into a paste. Then i brushed it on her front leg with my finger. I chose to do this in the bathroom so I could close the door until she finished instead of running off and hiding. It worked perfectly. This has been a lifesaver so thank you for the idea!

Original Message:
Sent: 03-02-2025 09:23 AM
From: MW Cats
Subject: VERY fractious cat refusing to take medication

In general I would check with the vet for other forms of the same medication (f.e. some pills come in liquid or transdermal, sometimes from compounding pharmacies). Some tablets you can crunch up to a powder and add a few drops of water to make a paste. If the foster is able to smear this paste into the cat's fur, the cat most likely will lick it off when grooming. But it needs to be "massaged" into the fur on a location where the cat can reach it. If you just drop it on, she'll shake it off. 

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MW Cats
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Is there no way to contact the previous owner to ask about why it was eartipped? Is the cat fractious in other scenarios or is it just when attempting to give meds? Because from what you described it sounds like it is just the giving of the meds causing them stress. If the cat hasn't been taking the gaba and is doing fine otherwise in the foster home like you described, I would discontinue the medication altogether as it seems unnecessary 

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Laurel Nelson
Cat Welfare Supervisor
Nebraska Humane Society
NE
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I had a foster - Sr., thyroid, scrawny, hilarious. He had to have the thyroid med every day. He was old and little, but a tough little street guy, and not easy to pill at all. I got some "pill mask" from Chewy's - it is in a little tub, sticky, and smears like axle grease. I'd smear a dollop on the pill, and then roll it in a crushed Temptation - I called it a truffle. He LOVED Temptations, and would snatch that hidden pill away from me with great gusto. I'd give him another couple of regular treats just to make him know what a good time it was. Find a treat this kitty likes a lot, crush it (or maybe soak it in the treat?) and roll that pill-masked med all covered in the tasty crumbles and offer it up.  He'd wait for me in the morning and start demanding his truffle.

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Lisa Reed
volunteer
CARE4PAWS / ASAP cat shelter
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Hi Kirsten,

From a holistic perspective I would back way up. It seems as if too many things are attempting to be changed at the same time.  For cats it is very important that they continue eating. Serious health issues can develop from fasting. I would first go back to what ever food the cat was eating. Regardless of the quality.

I agree, having Findlay in foster care  is good thing. Instead of forcing  gabapentin into the cat, perhaps try using a Bach Flower remedy. Here's a link to a post I wrote at New Years to help people help their dogs cope with a fear of loud noises and fireworks.  Bach Flower Remedies. Flower remedies have been used safely with all types of animals for a very long time. I would start with Rescue Remedy. 

Sorry about the long link, I'm still learning to navigate this site.

This can be put in food, or in a mist bottle and in water.

I would let Findlay calm down.

Once Findlay is calm again, then ask her caretaker to start talking with her as of she were a young child (I am writing my book about "Talking with the Animals as if they Understand-Because they Do." ) . Suffice it to explain that animals have the same brain wave patterns as young pre-verbal children. They also have free will and can choose to do as you ask or refuse.  Then the caretaker can explain things like wanting to improve the quality f the food she is eating, and anything else. Food addiction (and unbalanced nutrition) could also be at work here. These both create a perpetuating cycle that causes the animals (and us) to continue eating unhealthy foods. It's like that potato chip craving, once you start eating them you can't stop.

I use food, balanced nutrition, nutritional supplements and homeopathy for helping to calm our new feral cats with very good results.

Kristen if you have more questions please message me. I will try to help you as much as I can.

I hope this helps.

Good luck.

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Leslie Moran
Executive Director
Emerald Ark
NV
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Hi Kristen: I attended a conference and heard a vet professor at Michigan State University recommend trying a small dab of vanilla ice cream and mixing the gaba powder in that.  Not recommending this as a typical treat. I have a "spicy" or fearful cat (who also is a very picky eater) that requires gabapentin doses for vet visits.  He is easy for me to pill, but if you can't gently but securely hold the cat, touch their head and and prop open the mouth for the pill, that won't help you. I did practice pilling technique in steps--holding him in my lap, touching his head, trying to open his mouth and tilt head at same time. I also am giving him Miralax powder to help with a slow colon, and I found the fish flavored bone broths from Applaws to be a pretty good and reliable thing he will consume to get that in.  You have to be careful to use a small amount to make sure the med gets licked up.

Maddies Fund posted a brand new webinar on "spicy" or fearful cats and how a shelter is using gabapentin to help with their fearfulness. I agree that I wouldn't want to keep my cat on gaba for the long term, and this webinar discusses using it for a 4-7 day period to see if it lowers cat fearfulness enough to change the cat's behavior. https://forum.maddiesfund.org/monthlybehaviorconnection

Good luck! I am always looking for advice on how to make vet visits better for my cat and for feral colony cats that I help with. Sounds like your foster cat with the tipped ear was probably an outdoor colony cat and someone decided to try keeping the cat indoors for a better life.

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Carol Osborne
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I am proud of you guys for getting this cat in foster care and sometimes they just need a little time to decompress to relax. I don't recommend giving gaba in the home environment, as we use it for the shelter environment, but it shouldn't be ongoing in the home. If the cat is very anxious you might want to try fluoxetine for cats to calm them down and that can be given with a piller, which makes it easier. I wish you the best as it sounds like you tried everything, but you definitely don't want the behavior to regress or the foster to be in harm.

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Stefanie Schmidt
Animal Welfare Specialist
Hearts Alive Village
NV
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