How do I get my cat to take a pill?

[ghiblithecat]

Ugh. I am really needing to give ghibli pills that are capsule form with powder on the inside. Today I tried giving him one with a piece of ham wrapped around it which he ate with RELISH.... then spit out the broken pill capsule and powder all over the floor. My next attempt was to shove it in the back of his mouth.... didn't work either

Suggestions?

 

[margd]

You might have more success with a pill gun.  I got mine from my vet but it looks like this:  

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• margd
• Feb 1, 2016

If you look on amazon, there are other models available.  I've had success kneeling on the floor and holding Chula between my knees, then tipping her head back and popping the pill in.  However, she's fairly easy to pill so here is some more info:  
[article="22402"]How Can I Give A Pill To My Cat  [/article]
There are also several videos on youtube that demonstrate different techniques.  Just google "youtube pilling a cat." - I came up with 10 videos right off the bat.

Good luck.  Pilling cats is never fun! 

 

[amber85]

I use spray cheese.

 

[LTS3]

Did you try Pill Pockets or other similar "doughs" to wrap around a pill? Is the pill something that can be compounded into a liquid or or other form?

There are more tips here: http://catinfo.org/?link=pillingcats

 

[luna tuna]

I have the same problem.... My 10 yr old cat won't eat her food with crushed meds on it and while I have one of the pill guns, my hands are too small to hold her head while giving her the pill. It's medication for diarrhea and the only way I can get her to take it is if I put it in yogurt,,, which gives her diarrhea. I couldn't find pill pockets last time I looked and I don't have much time to look for it. But since she eats around the powdered pills, I think a pill pocket wouldn't work well.

 

[margd]

I've read that coating the pill with butter often works.  Many cats love butter - my Wesley used to steal it whenever possible.  

 

[2bcat]

Pill Pockets if they work.  There are a few different flavors to try.  Expensive but easy if your cat will do it.  Some have no trouble, some will always find the pill in these or won't like them.

The pill gun like above is what I've used otherwise.  I still coat it in butter not so much for taste (although some cats like the dairy fat) but in the hopes it helps it slip down the throat easier.  Also when doing this you want to chase it with a squirt of water from a little syringe, and possibly do a squirt of water beforehand as well.  Not that any of this makes it easier.  I still find it very difficult!

 

[donutte]

Pill Pockets if they work.  There are a few different flavors to try.  Expensive but easy if your cat will do it.  Some have no trouble, some will always find the pill in these or won't like them.

The pill gun like above is what I've used otherwise.  I still coat it in butter not so much for taste (although some cats like the dairy fat) but in the hopes it helps it slip down the throat easier.  Also when doing this you want to chase it with a squirt of water from a little syringe, and possibly do a squirt of water beforehand as well.  Not that any of this makes it easier.  I still find it very difficult!

I think they only have the two flavors of pill pockets for cats. Dogs have a few more flavors for some reason. Not sure if they are exactly the same or not (I'll try the dog ones too if so!).

If going just with the cat flavors (one is seafood and one is chicken), I've heard that most cats prefer the seafood ones, but they are also more malleable. The chicken ones seem to crumble a bit more for some reason, which is really annoying because I have to press it back together. As far as the actual flavors though, my cats like both.

Thankfully Sara has no problem taking her pills in these things. Even the Pepcid, and that is pretty nasty tasting. They say some cats can smell the pills even with the pill pocket there, but guessing that cats must lose sense of smell as they get older.

 

[donutte]

I have the same problem.... My 10 yr old cat won't eat her food with crushed meds on it and while I have one of the pill guns, my hands are too small to hold her head while giving her the pill. It's medication for diarrhea and the only way I can get her to take it is if I put it in yogurt,,, which gives her diarrhea. I couldn't find pill pockets last time I looked and I don't have much time to look for it. But since she eats around the powdered pills, I think a pill pocket wouldn't work well.

Can you mix it in tuna juice?

 

[ghiblithecat]

I have the same problem.... My 10 yr old cat won't eat her food with crushed meds on it and while I have one of the pill guns, my hands are too small to hold her head while giving her the pill. It's medication for diarrhea and the only way I can get her to take it is if I put it in yogurt,,, which gives her diarrhea. I couldn't find pill pockets last time I looked and I don't have much time to look for it. But since she eats around the powdered pills, I think a pill pocket wouldn't work well.

 mine is for diarrhea too!!! I don't know what to do. He needs the pills asap and I'm wasting them trying to get him to take one unsuccessfully. Ugh...... I tried a pill syringe but he just coughed it out.... 

 

[donutte]

:lol3:  mine is for diarrhea too!!! I don't know what to do. He needs the pills asap and I'm wasting them trying to get him to take one unsuccessfully. Ugh...... I tried a pill syringe but he just coughed it out.... 

This probably sounds horrible but I had to do it with Lucky with one of his meds. Can you put it in some fluids and syringe it into him? Or maybe try tuna juice and see if he'll lick that up?

 

[LTS3]

It's ok to use the dog Pill Pocket for a cat

Dr. Pierson of Catinfo.org even recommends it. You don't need the entire dog Pill Pocket, just enough to completely cover the pill.

 

[donutte]

It's ok to use the dog Pill Pocket for a cat :nod: Dr. Pierson of Catinfo.org even recommends it. You don't need the entire dog Pill Pocket, just enough to completely cover the pill.

That is great to know - thanks! I think they might even be cheaper too (I think everything for dogs is cheaper).

 

[luna tuna]

Ive managed to get her to eat it by crushing it and combining it with FortiFlora powder, then putting it on her food. Unfortunately since I feed her dry food, a lot of the powder ends up left in her bowl. So, she hasn't gotten quite all the medication. As for coughing up the pill.... Well, if you can keep her mouth closed and like run your fingers down her neck she should swallow it- then give her a treat. I'd do it that way, but I'm too small to keep her still (not even 5'). Even wrapping her in a towel or blanket, I'm not big enough to open her jaw and give her the pill and hold on her. She's quite an escape artist.
I'm still not sure what to do! ghiblithecat

 

[margd]

I've just recently heard of "Grooming Bags" that hold the cat still and confines its claws.  Here's an example I just picked randomly on amazon:  

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• margd
• Feb 2, 2016

I have no idea if these work or not, but it might be worth considering.  Of course, you have to get the cat in the bag for this to work.  Hmmm.  

 

[donutte]

luna tuna , have your tried giving canned food? I had been under the assumption you were sprinkling it on wet food or I would have suggested that earlier. Using dry food definitely doesn't work as well. And maybe since she's is only fed dry she'll think it's a treat to get wet and gobble it up!

 

[luna tuna]

The only wet food I have given her smells up the room a LOT. It's not necessarily bad (smells mostly like chicken) but we're in a fairly confined space(dorm room!) and I have my roommate to consider too. I've been considering trying that-it's my next move- but she's pretty perceptive and seems to eat around the pill powder. She's had wet food once or twice and seems to treat it the same way she does dry food (food is food and she sure loves to eat, except when her food had meds on it and she ate drastically less). Also, what I have comes in a pretty big can and I don't think she should get all of it at once, so I'd also have to stink up the fridge!

 

[luna tuna]

41pFfEsKoeL.jpg

• margd
• Feb 2, 2016

I have no idea if these work or not, but it might be worth considering.  Of course, you have to get the cat in the bag for this to work.  Hmmm.  :scratch:

I'd NEVER get her in there! It's quite a struggle sometimes to get her into her carrier, which is soft-sided and pretty large compared to her. Honestly, even wrapping her in a towel is nearly impossible. I'm not even worried about getting scratched, I just need her to take the meds!

 

[donutte]

The only wet food I have given her smells up the room a LOT. It's not necessarily bad (smells mostly like chicken) but we're in a fairly confined space(dorm room!) and I have my roommate to consider too. I've been considering trying that-it's my next move- but she's pretty perceptive and seems to eat around the pill powder. She's had wet food once or twice and seems to treat it the same way she does dry food (food is food and she sure loves to eat, except when her food had meds on it and she ate drastically less). Also, what I have comes in a pretty big can and I don't think she should get all of it at once, so I'd also have to stink up the fridge!

I think you'll have to break down possibly and deal with the smell for awhile. Maybe try something that doesn't smell as bad? I can't imagine your roommate wouldn't understand why you are doing it, and it's not forever. I would also suggest getting small cans of something and actually mixing it in perhaps rather than just putting it on top. That worked better with my cats.

 

[luna tuna]

My roomie would understand (I'll talk to her about it first) but she's had to deal with a lot of awful smells recently, since Luna decided roomie's carpet was the best place to pee for a while, to the point where I had to completely replace it. Also, during the week I only really have access to a gas station convince store, which does sell canned cat food but is pretty overpriced. Are there any canned foods that aren't very good for kitty? I don't remember what type they had but I'm very careful with what I feed her, I check the ingredients thoroughly and I can't really afford to waste a trip. Anyway, I checked again this morning and she did end up getting almost all of the medication. What I have wet-food-wise crumbles a lot, so mixing in the powder isn't particularly feasible. I think it would probably still work, but I'm not sure.