Tips To Get A Cat To Take Pills

huxleysmom

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I was wondering if we could start a thread of tips and ideas to help cat owners like me to give pills to their difficult cats. Here is what I discovered today:

My cat Sophie has had some diarrhea issues over the last few days and I have been given the task to somehow give her that really nasty/bitter antibiotic whose name totally escape me right now, but I’m sure a lot of you know exactly which one I mean.
She is impossible to pill and turns into a crazy wild thing (think possessed spawn of the devil). My vet gave me a dog pill pocket (hickory flavor) and she ate it perfectly, then at home, I made the coating too thin and even though she eventually ate it, she made it clear she had figured it out, and will not even lick the stuff now, even when it is pill free. Then I saw a little packet of fortuflora. I know Sophie goes nuts for it and will eat anything that has that on it, even when she is not feeling well. So I made my little pill treat, dumped it in the packet and coated the pill with a generous amount of fortiflora powder. Offered it to her and VOILÀ! She giggled it up!

Please add your tips! I could sure use other ideas if/when Sophie figures my latest trick!
 

FeebysOwner

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I think the medicine you are talking about is Metronidazole...

Many medications either come in liquid form or can be specially made into liquid via a vet pharmacist. The liquid can be administered by syringe or added to a small amount of canned food.

Some pills can be crushed into tiny pieces and mixed in with either a small amount of dry or canned food.
 

DreamerRose

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Make sure the vet tells you how to administer the medicine. I was having a terrible time shooting a liquid down Mingo's throat until the vet said it was absorbed by the gums, and all I had to do was squeeze it in the side of his mouth.

I've also had success with grinding up a pill in a small mortar and pestle I have and adding it to his food. This won't do if the pill has a bitter flavor. Someone else suggesting crushing it between two spoons, a rather clever idea.
 

CL56

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Covering a pill with a little bit of butter can help too!

How Can I Give A Pill To My Cat

I use butter too.
I also follow up immediately with a syringe dribble of water to force a swallow. (and stroking the throat with head still up)
I think it makes it too slick to work the pill back up to the front of the mouth and spit it out and the water of course helps it to be swallowed.

I sit on the floor, cat in my crossed legs, butt to me.
Grab head and tilt up while opening mouth, insert buttered pill, close mouth and dribble in water from side of mouth. Stroke throat from chin to chest a few times until you know they swallowed.
 

blumarine916

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I was wondering if we could start a thread of tips and ideas to help cat owners like me to give pills to their difficult cats. Here is what I discovered today:

My cat Sophie has had some diarrhea issues over the last few days and I have been given the task to somehow give her that really nasty/bitter antibiotic whose name totally escape me right now, but I’m sure a lot of you know exactly which one I mean.
She is impossible to pill and turns into a crazy wild thing (think possessed spawn of the devil). My vet gave me a dog pill pocket (hickory flavor) and she ate it perfectly, then at home, I made the coating too thin and even though she eventually ate it, she made it clear she had figured it out, and will not even lick the stuff now, even when it is pill free. Then I saw a little packet of fortuflora. I know Sophie goes nuts for it and will eat anything that has that on it, even when she is not feeling well. So I made my little pill treat, dumped it in the packet and coated the pill with a generous amount of fortiflora powder. Offered it to her and VOILÀ! She giggled it up!

Please add your tips! I could sure use other ideas if/when Sophie figures my latest trick!
I feel you there. My cat tosses her head violently like that girl from Exorcist, snapping her teeth and trashing her front paws that I got bitten and scratched a few times just trying to put in the pill. It’s crazy. Really not worth getting injured for.

Last night I managed to trick her by pushing the pill inside a stinky cat treat which she loves. She ate it up. I’m hoping this will work for 6 more days.
 

Boris Diamond

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I need to give five pills a day to Diamond. I had trouble for a few years until I figured out my current method. I have tried five different pill maskers and he likes the Greenies version best. I prepare them on the other side of a glass door while he watches. At the same time, I give supplements that all the cats like. I count the supplements out and feed them to my other kitties while he watches. He gets excited and anxious. When I take the pills and supplements to him, he is so excited that he gobbles them down quickly. He used to be difficult to pill.

It seems mean sometimes, but it is a sure method to get Diamond to take his medicine. He has a heart condition and I'm afraid without the medicine he might not make it.
 
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