Most cat parents know the struggle: giving a cat a pill can feel like preparing for battle. Hissing, hiding, and Houdini-level escapes are par for the course. But what if pill time didn’t have to be a fight?
Meet Digit, a resilient and spirited cat who almost didn’t survive his first year. Diagnosed with a rare blood condition, he now needs daily medication to stay alive. What started as a stressful routine has transformed into something surprisingly sweet, with Digit even looking forward to his pills.
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This is Digit—a cat who nearly didn’t make it past kittenhood
At 9 months old, he had lost all his energy—and only had 4% red blood cells
He was diagnosed with pure red cell aplasia, a rare condition that makes it hard to produce red blood cells
“He was minutes from no longer being here,” said his human, Kait
Now, he needs daily pills and regular vet visits for the rest of his life
Like most cats, Digit hated taking pills at first—every dose was a fight
Kait didn’t give up. She sought help from vet techs, cat behaviorists, and an online community
“It was a rough start… but we’ve come a very long way,” she shared
Pill time slowly turned into bonding time—with patience, positive reinforcement, and Churu
Kait started offering Digit a choice: small pill or big pill first
Every time, Digit lifts his paw to pick the smaller one—his way of taking control
That tiny gesture made a huge difference—it gave him agency
And after the pills? Digit gets love, praise, and his favorite treat
Today, Digit not only cooperates—he gets excited for pill time
Kait credits cooperative care training and learning to read cat body language
“Don’t be discouraged,” she says. “It took time, but you can get there too”
Digit’s story is a reminder that with love, patience, and the right approach—even pill time can be pawsitive
Digit’s experience opened up a conversation among pet owners about the ups and downs of pill time
