Final Tips When Giving Your Cat Pills Or Liquid Medicines
- Stay calm, cool, and collectednever scold your cat for refusing medication. Reassure your cat and stay focused.
- Practice giving the medication quicklyso it is over before your cat even sees the medicine coming!
- Work with your veterinarian if things are not going well, and do not give upyou will get the hang of it.
Administering Oral Medication To Cats
Some pills must be given with food, while others must be administered on an empty stomach. It is important to note that not all medication can be crushed or dividedwhich may limit administration options. When pet parents and a vet have discussed a cats medication, its time to see which of the several methods below will work best on the cat.
Find Out How The Pill Should Be Administered
I like the idea of mixing pills with food even for the kids. It removes the fear of ingesting a bitter substance.
Unfortunately, it is not all pills that can be mixed with food.
Also, some pills can be crushed and administered in a powdered form. Then some can be cut in half and administered twice.
Still, other pills must be given wholly to avoid any damage that can result after the pill has been cut and it loses its protective covering.
Therefore, you should first confirm from your vet if there are any restrictions on how a medication should be administered before giving your cat a pill.
Got it? Good!
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The Treat Method For Giving Pills To Cats
Soft treats are another excellent way that you can hide your petâs pill. Some treats were even created with this treatment in mind, and you can mold their treat around the pill. Sometimes your cat might spit out the pill, so be sure to keep a mindful eye on your cat while theyâre eating the food â and afterward, too.
Are You Worried About Your Cat
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Your domesticated cat enjoys playing. This proves especially true with kittens, as they love to play-fight, and chase toys, too. The play fighting could be a way for kittens to practice their hunting skills.
Now that you know some of the details about pet cats, it’s time to dive into the subject at hand and answer the question: how do I give my cat a pill? Hopefully, by the time youâre done reading, youâll feel better prepared to tackle this task.Â;
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How To Give A Cat A Pill Without Bleeding
Heres the 4 ways I give my cat a pill all by myself without bleeding or crying! Theres a different way for every personality, even difficult cats!
Youre standing at the vet and they tell you that your cats need to go on medicine. ;Ok, no big deal, Ill just mix it in their food. ;Then they tell you the medicine only comes in pill form.; UGH, you start falling to the floor, sobbing and crying Im going to die!. ;;For anyone whos ever had to pill a cat, ;this is probably a situation you can relate to. ; Its very rare that a cat will take a pill willingly with a purr, ;so sometimes you have to figure out Plan B and then Plan C, Plan D, Plan E when everything else fails.
Hide The Pill In A Pill Pocket
This method is labeled as easy.
Many people have had success with Pill Pockets but our cats think they are gross. ;Have you ever smelled a Pill Pocket? It smells pretty bad and nothing like food, so one sniff of it and your cat might be like No thanks. ;
Miss FiFi Bofinkles loves treats, she will ravish you for treats, she will knock other cats out of the way for treats, so going the pill pocket/treat route totally works for her. ;And even after she eats the horrible tasting pill pocket, she still looks at me and says Can I have another treat mom?
What you need: Feline Pill Pockets, delicious treats and your pill.
First step, put it in the pill pocket.; If your cat eats the treat just like this GREAT! But if your cat knows youre up to no good, then proceed to the second step.
Second step, because the pill pocket is soft and sticky, push treats into the top of it. ; Bofinkles usually picks one treat up which results in the entire pocket being lifted up, so she just eats one giant treat and loves every minute of it.
If your cat loves treats, this might be the best way for you. ;FiFi Bofinkles approves after eating her big treat!
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How To Give Your Cat A Pill: Step
Anyone who has ever owned a cat for more than a few days understands that it can be difficult to get your furry little friend to do anything he or she doesnt want to do. Cat medication and other types of antibiotics are often required to help your pet recover after surgery or sickness, to say nothing of how important medications are for certain chronic conditions. Dishing out cat pills is definitely a lot easier said than done, but giving a cat a pill can certainly be accomplished with a little practice and determination. When it comes to pilling a cat, you just have to keep a few key things in mind to help things go as smoothly as possible.
Ask Your Vet For Help
It might feel like cheating, but if tips 1-8 dont work, you need to ask your vet for help! They might have a liquid formulation, a long-acting formulation, or be able to pill Felix for you! There are even drug reformulation companies out there that exist to turn pills into pastes or to create the right size pill for your cat to make them easier to give. A lot of people are embarrassed to admit they struggle to medicate their cat, but your vet cant help if they dont know that youre having trouble.
Whatever the reason that your pet needs to take medications, were hoping that our guide to giving your cat a pill will help you to get them the treatment they need. And dont forget, youre not alone- in one study, a quarter of cat owners werent able to give the prescribed course of treatment!
Featured image credit: photosforyou, Pixabay
Contents Overview
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How To Give A Cat A Pill
Heres a step-by-step guide to administering medication to your cat by hand.
Giving Liquid Medicines To Your Cat
While liquid medications can come in drops for eyes or ears, your veterinarian may also have your cats medications that only come in pill form compounded into a flavored liquid that she will ideally like and eat with her food. This is a fantastic option for the smart, finicky felines we discussed above. In case you havent heard of it, compounding is, by definition, any manipulation of a drug beyond what is described on the drug label, and consists of mixing, diluting, concentrating, or even adding flavoring to an otherwise unpalatable medicationits like making a medicinal cocktail!; If you would like to read about how compounding works, our friends at the American Veterinary Medical Association offer this handy resource guide
Like pills, liquid medications can be tricky to administer, so you may need to repeat the same steps above, such as restraining your cat and getting help. In addition, it is important to carefully measure and store liquid medications. For more information on how to give liquid medications, we recommend this insightful article by Malcolm Weir, DVM, MSc, MPH; Ernest Ward, DVM at VCA, who explain how to use a dosing syringe, as well as how to properly store, shake, and warm up liquid medications. ;
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How To Give Liquid Medicine In A Syringe
If you can’t get your kitty to take medicine mixed with canned food, you’re going to have to give your cat the liquid medicine with a syringe. This can be a little more difficult, so follow these steps to make sure it’s done right.2
1. Gather your medication.;You want everything ready and the syringe filled before you involve your cat.
2. Position your cat so he’s facing away from you.;Hold the syringe with your dominant hand and hold your cat with the other hand. Make sure he’s facing away from you and is tucked into your arm so he can’t wriggle free.
3. Some very difficult cats might need to be wrapped in a towel.;Sometimes an especially difficult cat might need to be wrapped in a towel for this step with just his head exposed. This can cause a little extra stress, so try giving medication without wrapping your cat. For the most difficult cats, you may have to wrap him in a blanket and let a trusted caretaker hold him while you administer the medicine.
4.;Point his head to look up at the ceiling.;Gently hold your cat with your fingers near his top lip and push his whiskers back. Position his head so he’s looking up at the ceiling.
It’s worth noting that some veterinarians suggest trying to give liquid medicine without tilting your cat’s head up.3;Others suggest letting the cat lick the tip of the syringe first if the taste doesn’t scare him off.4;If you’re not sure which technique to use, talk to your veterinarian.
Using Food To Give Liquid Medication
The easiest way to give liquid medication is to mix it in with your cats canned food. Mix a small amount of their normal portion of canned food with their liquid medicine and hand-feed it to them to ensure they get the entire dose. Cats can often be picky and will not eat the food with the medication. This means you will have to give the medication directly into their mouth.
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Other Ways To Get A Cat To Take A Pill
If there are no restrictions on food accompanying the medication, you have a few more options to get your cat to take their pill.
You can use a pill pouch, which is a small, enticing cat treat that wraps around the pill. When the cat eats the treat, they should also consume the pill. Make sure to check that the pill has been consumed, as some clever cats might eat the pill pouch and spit the pill out when youre not looking. Another option is to crush the pill and mix it in with your cats food.
Dont be intimidated if you need to give your cat a pill. By following these simple steps, you can make the experience easier for you and your cat.
How To Give A Cat A Pill Using A Pill Gun:
It is highly suggested that you purchase a Pet Piller to make the process significantly easier than if you were to give a cat a pill by hand.
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Basic Steps For Pilling A Cat:
Prepare To Give Your Cats Medication
Read and follow the instructions on the medications label:
- How often must the medication be given?
- Does the medication need to be given with food or on an empty stomach?
- Can this medication be given with other medications or supplements or do they need to be spaced out?
- If a liquid, does the medication need to be shaken?
- If kept refrigerated take it out and warm to room temperature in a warm water bath .
Have the medication, canned food, pill pockets, or treats easily within your reach.
Calmly bring your cat into a quiet room. Place your cat onto your lap or a table with a familiar towel or blanket sprayed with Feliway . Assure your cat with your calm soothing voice and gentle petting . Cats feel more secure and safe when wrapped in a blanket or towel with only their head out. It can help to have someone hold your wrapped cat while you give the medication.
If you notice your cat becoming anxious, stressed, or angry, stop and give them a break, offer tasty treats, or even allow them some time to become calm before trying again.
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Invest In A Pill Popper
This is a device that enables you to give your cat a pill without having to put your finger into his mouth.
You need to be careful though. Because the pill popper is long, it may injure your cat if you dont use it properly.
So, take your time to understand the safe technique before using the pill popper.
The advantage of using this device is that it sends the pill farther behind the tongue so that your cat swallows immediately.
How to use the pill popper:
- Then push down the plunger to release the pill
Pro tip: first feed your cat treats with the device to help him get used to the new style.
Administer The Pill In Food
If you put medication in food, remember your cats highly developed sense of smell. She will avoid anything with a strong odor of pharmaceuticals. Moreover, if she eats it and it does not taste right, she might avoid that food forever.
Cats often do better with sweeter medications because they cannot taste them. According to;Scientific American, cats are the only mammals who lack the genes allowing them to taste sweet flavors. Unfortunately, not many pills are simply sweet without any bitterness.
Check with your veterinarian before crushing any tablets or opening any capsules. According to;International Cat Care, you can alter certain medications by breaking them.
You have probably seen the labels on some medications that advise you to swallow the pills whole without chewing or breaking them.
Even if you crush a pill to mix in your pets food, if it has strong taste it will likely permeate through every bite. The off-setting taste you tried to mask can become stronger than ever.
We have seen cats that will eat almost anything. With these cats, we could coat a pill with a bit of tuna or toss it on top of their food, and they would devour it.
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