I took Buster to TED for a checkup today, and I mentioned to the vet
that Buster sometimes coughs. At least, I think I've heard him cough
- when he does it, it sounds much wheezier and cough-ier than hacking
up a hairball. It sounds like Fritz the Brave in that Aerokat video
Julie posted about a few years ago, except not nearly that bad - with
Buster, it's more like he wants to clear his throat, rather than being
in respiratory distress.

The vet said that Buster's lungs sound fine, not like an asthmatic
cat's. They took some x-rays, and said the results might be showing
some slightly thick bronchioles, but that was about it. They sent out
a blood sample to check for heartworm, and gave me some Theophylline
pills, in case it's asthma.

Buster was very meek at the vet's, and they say, very cute and well
behaved. He buried his head in my armpit while I held him, and when
in his carrier, he huddled quietly in the furthest corner.

When I got him home and tried to pill him, we had a wrestling match in
the middle of the living room. Buster emerged victorious. And
unpilled.

So next I tried sneaking bits of the pill in some wet food. This is
hit or miss because Buster is a finicky nibbler, while Dot inhales wet
food at least 3 times as fast as he does. I had to give Dot a huge
plate of food relative to Buster's to keep her from stealing his
doctored food.

The pill must taste pretty bad, because every now and then when he'd
come across a pill piece, he'd retch and spit it out. I kept putting
the bits of pill back though, and I managed to at least get him to eat
half of them.

This certainly seems like it'll be challenging. How do the rest of
you get your cats to take their medication? Buster's the first cat
I've had that's mostly indifferent to treats, so I'm expecting that
this won't go as easily as it's gone in the past with Betty or Dot.