Emergency Auxiliary Backup Cat #2 health scare

[vorlon13]

I finally mastered getting those amoxyl tablets into him.

I pat him under the chin, shove the little in the side of his mouth, whilst still holding his mouth pointing up and scratching his neck.
Eventually he has to swallow.

Alot of it is also trust.

I still haven't mastered getting pills into two of my cats.

I win the battle but very rarely come through unscathed...

When Emergency Auxiliary Backup Cat #2 first came to stay here, the vet had already medicated him mostly, but I had this goopy worm stuff I was supposed to give him.  Well, he wasn't tame (and wouldn't be for months) so only option was to mix it in with his food.  Well, he declined to eat the food.

Crap.

Anyhow, not having any other recourse, I starved the cat till he ate the food.  Day 3 he buckled and ate it.  Felt horrible doing it, as a nearly year old feral rescue project, he was skinny as a rail, and as newly indoors, he was absolutely terrified and also VERY hissy and growly when ever I went in his room (the unused upstairs tile bath, which he cannot destroy).

Anyhow, he is dewormed, if not quite de-mited at this point.  And he's really tame now, which is a relief.  The tameness has been a long slow process too.  I can even see now his comfort level with strangers who come here is still improving.  He used to hide, then he'd do a brief appearance to see who was here.  Then he would 'guard' me when strangers were present.  At some point if someone was here talking to me and not paying him any attention, he'd sneak over and sniff their shoes.  Eventually, for repeat visitors he'd do a little ankle rub. Currently, he's pretty close to allowing new people to pet him, and familiar guests do get to pet him.

His first trip to the vet after being here a year he did his distress beacon meow all the way there and back.  Yesterday, by the time we were only a couple miles from here he calmed down and just rode out the trip in his carrier curled up in a ball.

He's not thrilled with the vet, the ear rinse yesterday was not a highlight, but he's always been WAY better at the vet than I've expected.  We had an extremely gregarious and fun cat years ago that nevertheless REALLY HATED THE VET.  To the point of attack.  I always found it hysterical, he loved all people of all stripes EXCEPT the vet, whom he heaped abuse upon.

#2 is sitting on the chest looking out the window behind me now, a normal activity for him, maybe he'll be OK . . .