Problems With Stopping Antibiotics for your Cat

When cats are put on antibiotics such as amoxicillin, it can be very tempting for their owners not to give the cat the full round of medication. Cats are notorious for being hard to administer medication to. Cats are also good at spitting out pills, so always check the floor around the cat to see that an antibiotic pill isn't lying there. The cat still needs that pill to avoid problems from stopping a round of antibiotics.

  1. Return of Infection

    • Many antibiotics, such as those in the penicillin family, need about seven to 10 days before the medicine can kill off the fungus or bacteria causing an infection in your cat, according to "The Pill Book Guide to Medication for Your Dog and Cat." If a cat does not take the entire antibiotic round prescribed, then not all of the fungus or bacteria will be killed. It will then grow again, making the cat sick again and eventually needing yet another round of antibiotics.

      If the cat is spitting out pills, ask the veterinarian whether the antibiotic comes in a liquid form, which can be easier for the cat to swallow.

    Resistance by Bacteria

    • Bacteria that can make a cat sick can learn to adapt to antibiotics such as tetracycline. Stopping antibiotic administration before the pills or liquid medication is gone can act like an inoculation to bacteria. The surviving bacteria then become resistant to that particular antibiotic, and the vet needs to put the cat on yet another kind of antibiotic.

    Prolonged Exposure to Side Effects

    • Antibiotics can cause weakening side effects in a cat, such as drooling, loss of appetite or diarrhea. Antibiotics tend to kill all bacteria in a cat's intestine, including the bacteria needed to digest its food. Stopping a round of antibiotics without a veterinarian's approval will eventually make the cat ill again and require another round of antibiotics, causing the cat to have to endure more side effects.

      Giving the cat a teaspoon of probiotic yogurt per day may help lessen diarrhea. However, according to petplace.com, yogurt cannot be given if the cat is on tetracycline.