How to get a cat to swallow a pill.

- Clare -

- Clare -

Silver Member
Any advice on getting a cat to swallow a pill? My grandparents cat needs to take daily meds and its proving a nightmare to force the pill down his throat. He hides, scratches, bites etc and its not fun.
Weve tried the wrapping in cheese trick but he seems to be wise to it.
 
Greenies makes Pill Pockets for Cats and dogs, you hide the pill in the pocket.
For my dog I use bread and put a little peanut butter on it... break it into pieces with one holding the pill, she never knows she got meds lol.
 
splat said:
plunger :eek:k:
Click to expand...
:D Not quite.
The easiest way to get a cat to take a pill is to crush it up into powder, mix it with a little water and put into a small doser (you can get them at your local pharmacy; they look like a syringe with no needle). Grab the cat carefully, fit the doser into the side of the cats mouth (between cheek and teeth) and push the plunger down slowly. As it's a liquid, they automatically swallow. Just make sure that the majority of the stuff goes down its throat....:lol:
 
Maybe it sounds a bit cruel but from what I can remember, the vet held Mabel's mouth shut until she swallowed. She did without much effort. Quick. What about just mixing it with wet food?
 
Thank you for the suggestions. Still seems to be big headed cat vs dumb humans right now.

"INSTRUCTIONS FOR GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL"
1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.
4. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
5. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, holding front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
6. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
7. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with its head just visible from below spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
8. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
9. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
10. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
11. Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
12. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 pint of water down throat to wash pill down.
13. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room; sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by furniture shop on way home to order new table.
14. Arrange for RSPCA to collect cat. Ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
 
x.Melancholy.x said:
Thank you for the suggestions. Still seems to be big headed cat vs dumb humans right now.

"INSTRUCTIONS FOR GIVING YOUR CAT A PILL"
1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.
4. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
5. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, holding front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
6. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.
7. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with its head just visible from below spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.
8. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
9. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
10. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
11. Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
12. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 pint of water down throat to wash pill down.
13. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room; sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by furniture shop on way home to order new table.
14. Arrange for RSPCA to collect cat. Ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
Click to expand...


:lmao::lmao: Yep...that's just about right!!
 
you can try crushing it up and mixing it with his dinner. that's what i did and it worked fine. we give our cats meat (cat meat.. it's called 'fancy feast') and i mixed it. went down fine..
 
My dog hated taking her pills.... so I hid them in a teaspoon of Peanut butter, slopped it on my finger and pried her mouth open until she tasted the peanut butter which made her lick then I slid the pill towards the backside of her mouth and poof she had no choice but to swallow

EDIT: crushing any pill could be harmful. It breaks the time release
with a cat I would wrap him/her in a blanket so you're not scratched and the cat wont get hurt
​
 
If the cat wises up to hiding it in whatever then as horrible as it seems, you'd best bet would be holding it, wrapped in a towel tightly to prevent scratches if need be, a second person can open the cat's mouth pop in the tablet as far back as you can get it, hold the mouth shut and rub their throat until you see or feel them swallow. It's what we do for our cat's when tablets are needed
 
I had a go at this myself this morning. The wrapping up, pushing to the back of his throat and rubbing his neck routine worked for me. Just need to get them to do it now.
 
Yeah for a kitty or adult cat, simply daub some leftover tuna, swoosh it around and, if possible grind the meddy up, and spoon feed the family Tabster. He/she will have a tuned-up purr in no time.. Good luck. lol.
 
I've always had trouble getting my dog to take like a dewormer or when she had a case of tummy issues a couple of months back, some meds to help. It's hard to get any animal to take meds. With cats, since they're all stuck up and stuff :lol: try like stuff the pill in a bit of meat, and the kitty will thing he's getting a yummy treat :D
 
a blow dart gun and duck tape

blowgun.jpg
 
when i was younger my family cat got into the neighbors yard. he chose to poison him. the vet gave us both a liquid med and a pill. the cat was declawed on the front paws so we only had to worry abt 2 feet. i remember well my dad holding the cat while sitting on the edge of a kitchen chair while holding the cat vertical facing ******ds from his body between his two legs like right behind his two front legs. and with one hand holding the cats tongue & jaw open with one hand and dropping the pill and liquid into its mouth with the other. then holding its mouth closed for a few seconds. the cat had to take both medications at the same time but the vet gave suggestions that were: never associate feeding time with medication time. or the cat would probably avoid eating and continue to get sick. so avoid medicating the cat before or just after feeding time. the cat will also get used to the same person giving the medication and in turn run hide scratch the person. i remember that more than a few times id have to find the cat to bring to my dad so he could give him the medication. so in other words randomize the times you give the cat medication & with who. the vet also said that once you give the medication release the cat and leave it alone.
 
our cats hate taking pills..my mom has always taken a little bit of cream cheese or peanut butter (so its harder for them to spit out) then shove the pill like in the middle of it and if you hold the cat, open its mouth by the side of the jaw, behind its sharper teeth kinda, stick the pill in on the side rather than the front of the mouth (so it doesn't fucck with their gag reflex as much) and then hold their mouth closed for a few seconds..should do the trick :D
 
purplerose said:
when i was younger my family cat got into the neighbors yard. he chose to poison him. the vet gave us both a liquid med and a pill. the cat was declawed on the front paws so we only had to worry abt 2 feet. i remember well my dad holding the cat while sitting on the edge of a kitchen chair while holding the cat vertical facing ******ds from his body between his two legs like right behind his two front legs. and with one hand holding the cats tongue & jaw open with one hand and dropping the pill and liquid into its mouth with the other. then holding its mouth closed for a few seconds. the cat had to take both medications at the same time but the vet gave suggestions that were: never associate feeding time with medication time. or the cat would probably avoid eating and continue to get sick. so avoid medicating the cat before or just after feeding time. the cat will also get used to the same person giving the medication and in turn run hide scratch the person. i remember that more than a few times id have to find the cat to bring to my dad so he could give him the medication. so in other words randomize the times you give the cat medication & with who. the vet also said that once you give the medication release the cat and leave it alone.
Click to expand...


Thanks some good tips there.
I'm thinking the reason I was successful was more to do with the cat not expecting me to give him a pill rather than any technique. If the family try and grab him he really claws at them.
I'll definitely pass on the suggestion about timings too.
 
Hand over head from behind, fingers at sides of mouth, tilt head back and the mouth opens, drop pill in and rub neck while still holding. Win.
 
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