I like Pill Pockets too. They don't stick to your fingers like PB, cream cheese, liverwurst, etc. So they work better if you end up having to do the 'shove the pill down the throat' deal.
Glad he is feeling better! Maybe he needs to be on the Flagyl full time. That was one possibility my vet discussed with me when Fletcher was first diagnosed with IBD. Thankfully, it hasn't been necessary for us, but maybe it is for Soul?
Sounds a lot like one of my cats years ago that ate (or tried to eat) a toad. She recovered completely once it was all out of her system. I hope Ali is feeling better.
I know a lot of people use it, and vet's often recommend it, but I did not like it the one time I used it on Sugar. It stings (I used it on myself, too) and was very hard to get off. I much prefer EMT gel!