is there an easy way to force feed your cat into taking liquid and tablet medicines?he wont open his mouth?

Question

well when we give him medicines, im in charge of holding him and holding his legs in a manner that he wont be able to scratch the one whos giving him the medicine..well the only way would be forcing the tube on his lips till he opens it, and we squirt the medicine when he opens his mouth.the same goes with tablets, we use a tweezer.so im just wondering if there's actually a more easy way of doing it coz every session takes an hour coz my cat wont cooperate,he keeps his mouth tightly shut and just wont open it.

Answer 1

Hi Dierdre...here are two instructional videos by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health which may be helpful for you on how to administer liquid and tablet/capsule medication:
Tablet/Capsule: http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/pill_or_capsule/
Liquid: http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/liquid_medications/

Answer 2

- Cats are much different than dogs and most of them will not eat food with medicine mixed into it. If it's a pill they'll eat everything but the pill, with liquid mixed in they just won't eat the food.
- Wrap your cat in a large towel or blanket so that its entire body is wrapped up and only its head is sticking out. You can buy "pill pushers" at pet stores. You stick the pill in the end of the tube and push the other end down so it gets the pill far enough back in their mouth. Don't use a tweezer because you could hurt your cat, buy a pill pusher if your cat bites when you're trying to give the pills.
- I personally prefer just using my hand. With one hand, push gently on the side of it's jaw and hold your finger inside the edge of the mouth to keep it open. Place the pill as far back as you can in the cat's mouth and gently hold it's mouth closed while you rub your finger underneath its chin to its neck to help the natural reaction to swallow.
- Do about the same thing with liquids. Use the syringe or dropper to gently force open it's mouth by pushing it in from the back corner of its mouth and squirt the liquid down then gently hold its mouth closed until it swallows.
- After your cat swallows the meds, give it lots of treats and praise so it doesn't associate getting meds as a horrible experience. If you hold a treat up to its face with your other hand while you're holding the cat's mouth closed, some cats will swallow the meds to get the treat.
- A lot of people like liquids better, but I think pills are much easier b/c if they spit it out you can pick the pill up and try again instead of having a drooling cat covered in medicine. Good luck!

Answer 3

This is a serious answer from a pet owner who has tried EVERYTHING there is to try about givivng cats pills, and I have found a method that works every time, and you will give your cat his pill easily in a few moments. (p.s cats arent stupid putting it in their food wont work, they will just reject the food and not eat).

First of all the person holding the cat and giving the pill should be the same person, as holding the cat gives you the best vantage point to open their mouth. Get a blanket, I used a comforter from my bed, and wrap your cat up in it snugly, with their arms and legs inside so that only their head is sticking out (it will look ridiculous, but it will work) With one hand gently squeeze both corners of your cats mouth, this will get their jaw open easily. With your other hand gently toss the pill onto the BACK of their tounge (not down their throat) and hold their mouth closed gently by their nose and under their jaw with your hands. You can also gently run their neck to facilitate swallowing. I would never use a tweezer because if the cat jerks around this could seriously injure their mouth.

For liquid medication, do the same except instead of tossing in the pill, squirt the medication into his mouth (pills are easier though, so get the medicine in pill form if possible).

I hope this helps, if you have any questions about this feel free to email me, as this has worked for me for every medication I have ever had to give my two cats.

Answer 4

Yes, there's an easier way. You're actually making it harder on yourself and the cat. Here's the deal, if someone tried to shove a vile tasting liquid or pill in your mouth, and you didn't speak their language, you couldn't know it was good for you. So, you'd fight it. What you have to do is stop being so tentative. With a good grasp on the cat, someone pries his mouth open by putting two fingers where his whiskers are and pulling (gently but firmly) up. When the mouth is open, push the dropper back as far in his throat as you can and squeeze the dropper. He won't have any choice but to swallow the medicine. With the pill, same thing, use your finger and (gently) push the pill back far enough down his throat that he will gag a little and swallow. Giving a cat medicine should take about 10 secs. You have to be gentle but be sure the medicine is far enough back in the throat that they have to swallow....and it's done....ta da!

Answer 5

you can wrap the cat in a towel with only its head exposed, then try and find the two presure points on the sides of the mouth where the whiskers are, when you find those press them together and the cat will open its mouth, then take the dropper and squirt a little bit of the medicine in the cats mouth to allow it time to swallow it(you dont have to force anything down the cat's throat, in fact i think it might hurt the cat) then when the cat is finished swallowing squirt the rest in its mouth and allow it to swallow that. for pills, crush the pill between two spoons and mix it in some water to liquify it, then do the same as if the medicine is already a liquid.

Answer 6

For liquids, there is a space behind their "fang-like" top teeth where you can insert the dropper more easily. It is kind of on the side. The trick is holding the cat during this. I agree it is easier if one person does it all.

For pills, I'm not able to give too much advice since for my cat, I would get them in his mouth and found out he was spitting them out behind the sofa when we moved.

They say if you can open the mouth as another person has suggested and get the pill in, you can rub the cat's throat gently and they should swallow it.

Answer 7

Wrap the cat tightly in a bathtowel so only its head sticks out. Then hold it like a baby on your lap (tummy side up). You or your helper if you have one, then sticks a finger in the corner of the cat's mouth on one side, forcing the mouth open. Leave that finger there while putting the medicine as far back in the throat as possible. Hold the cat's mouth shut until it swallows, and you're done!

Answer 8

For tablet medicine you can buy really cool cat treats from the vet which have a hole in the middle, you put the tablet in there and the cat eats it thinking its a treat. My cats are mad for them and I have had no trouble giving them pills they just eat them right up !

Answer 9

Have you tried putting the pill in some cream cheese?
my cats takes them that way loves the cheese luckily he doesn't need meds often
as for liquid put the dropper inside his lips back toward the back and squirt it in it bypasses the tongue and goes down the throat

Answer 10

there is a point in the jaw, if you put your hands there and squeeze, it forces the cat to open its mouth. then you hold it there, and someone gives the medicine. your vet should have shown you this. I don't know how to explain where it is...anyways. good luck. you might try wrapping him in a towel to hold him. but what I usually do is, one person kinda sits on top of him from behind...then holds his head. his body is controlled by you squatting on him and you have more control over his head and mouth. I know, I hate giving medicin to my cat.