giving kitty a pill?

Question

I am starting our cat on a medicine that he will be on for the rest of his life. He has never taken a pill before.

Any suggestions on getting a pill into a cat? THANKS

This cat is very picky and doesn't like treats or any table food.

Answer 1

Have the techs at your clinic shown you how to "pill" a cat? I usually use my less dominant hand to hold the cat by his cheekbones - thumb on one side fingers on the other. If you tip the cats head toward the ceiling the lower jaw will drop just slightly. Than using your dominant hand hold the pill between you pointer finger and thumb, use your middle finger to open the lower jaw and be sure to place the pill as far back in the mouth as possible, if you get it up front he may salivate and of course spit it out and than it is much harder to get it in. Unfortunately being quick really can make or break getting a pill in a cat, so practice will make it go better.

There is a company called PetMeds that can make any medication into a treat that is flavored to just about any flavor. I know you said your cat doesn't like treats, but I think they guarantee their product.

Have you tried a pill gun? You can buy them at pet stores or your clinic should have some available also. They are not always the easiest to use- but for some cats they are great.

Another option is contacting a human compounding pharmacy. Depending on the med, they can make transdermal medications - you just smear a certain amount on the inside of the ear and the drug absorbs through the skin.

Good luck.

Answer 2

If the mix it in the food option doesn't work, I sit down on the couch with the cat next to me. I put my arm over his back and then bring my hand up under his chin. Then just put your thumb and index finger at the points where the upper and lower jaws connect and press gently. This will open the cat's mouth and then you put the pill in the back of the throat with your other hand. Then pet the cat and talk nicely afterwards so he is rewarded. It may take a bit of practice but it is quick and there is never any doubt whether the cat swallowed the pill.

Answer 3

Cats are never easy giving medication to. I've had plenty of experience in that area. My cat bit, scratched and hissed at me lol. The trick would be to try and talk nice to the cat, while holding the cat under one arm, manuevering with the other to hold down his jaw and putting the pill deep into his mouth so he can't spit it out. If that lands you up bitten and scratched, next would be the trick of putting it into his food. Crushing the pill and putting into canned food mixed well occasionally works as having the pill whole, cats will eat around it. If that doesn't work, you can get a pill dispenser from your local vet, and it basically opens the cat's mouth and you pop the pill in his mouth so he can't spit out. If he crushes that with his jaws, like mine did...ask your vet for more details..lol

Answer 4

1) ask the vet if there is a liquid form of this med if not ask if it can be crushed up and put into water and you can syringe feed it to them.

2) if you can't do either option of 1, you can buy a pill popper at petco or petsmart and you can use that to give it to him.

3) I've never done this and am scared to is you can try pilling the cat by opening his mouth and putting the pill on the very back of his toungue and close his mouth and massage his throat or blow on his nose.

I know from personal experience it's best to syringe feed the med to your cat either in liquid form or crushed and in water. I have 2 cats that are on medicine for the rest of their lives one of them I have to give 4 meds a day to. make sure right before you are going to give your cat the med, you close all doors in your house, it is easier to capture them (or as I like to say CATcher them)

Answer 5

Use postive re-enforcement to train him to take a pill. I did that with my cat, and it worked really well. Don't use liquid, they'll spit it out, and you don't know how much of his medicine he is getting. this is how I trained him.
1) gently open his mouth, and insert the pill - the first couple of times, he'll resist, and throw a fit. Don't be discouraged.
2) hold his mouth shut, and make sure he swallows it
3) give him lots of praise and affection, maybe some treats

Do this every time you give him a pill, and don't give up. It took my cat 6 times to get used to it, but he swallows pretty easily, because he wants the affection that he knows he will get afterwards.

Answer 6

Wear a screen face-mask, helmet, gloves, and a padded long-sleeve shirt. I tried to give my cat a pill a while back and you'd have thought I was trying to catch her on fire. My sweet little kitty, raised from a wee-little thing, who has never so much as glanced at a mouse, nearly ate me alive, and clawed the holy-hades out of my hands and arms. After that, I tried hiding the pills in her food. Didn't work. So, I just gear up, and from her perspective, I probably get mean. I've learned to hold her head properly from the back (don't cradle him in your arms, lest he finds your face in his flailing). Your vet can also give some pointers. Good luck.

Answer 7

If you can have someone hold the kitten, put your fingers on either side of its jaw just below it's ears. Find the area of the jaw that is where it connects to the skull, apply gentle pressure until the kitten involuntarily opens its mouth. Try to get the pill as far down the throat as possible, and hold the jaw closed until you feel the kitten swallow the pill..

Answer 8

first of all ask your vet if there is a liquid form of that pill. a lot of times there is, and they don't tell you. If not, crush it up and put it in their food. my cats won't take it that way either. i guess they smell it and just won't eat. the last suggestion is a pill shooter. it is a pain in the butt. but you stick the pill in a syringe type thing and you shoot the pill into their throat and then you have to massage their throat to help them get it down.

Answer 9

rap it in chicken or its favourite soft food, or mix in to its food and check it eats it.
if hiding it in food don't work then you'll have to give it by hand.
what you do is:
1.get someone to hold cat or rap in blanket
2.open cats mouth.
3.place pill as close to the back of the mouth as possible.
4. hold its mouth closed to prevent is spitting it out.
5.rub the cats throat to encourage swallowing.
don't worry it wont hurt it and after a while it will get use to it.

Answer 10

Put it in the back of his mouth on top of the tough and hold his mouth shut. My cat is on medication too and it doesn't matter what you do to him he won't take a pill so i switch to injectable form and it was soooo much easier for me and the cat..