# Sticky  Advice on giving a cat a pill



## £54etgfb6

Hello  Miri’s vet has asked for me to give her half a tablet of Milpro worming tablets. She’s never had a tablet prior to this, so before I go and waste half the tablet trying to wrangle it down her throat I thought I’d ask if anyone has any tips? 
I could try put it inside some chicken but... she chews her food and I’m worried she bites down on the tablet and spits it out :Arghh

Also- I was told to wrap the remaining half in clingfilm and give it to her in 1-2 months. I don’t own any clingfilm but is tinfoil okay? In a tupperware box? 

Thank you!


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## Venla

I’ve managed to give antibiotics and steroids inside a freeze dried treat. I carve a hole in the treat and place the med in.


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## £54etgfb6

Venla said:


> I've managed to give antibiotics and steroids inside a freeze dried treat. I carve a hole in the treat and place the med in.


this is a good idea actually because those are her favourite kinds of treats! i'm sure if I place the tablet inside it without her seeing she won't suspect anything!


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## Venla

Hopefully it works out for you too! I always make sure to go in an another room to prepare the treat meds so our cats don’t suspect anything :Angelic


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## Maurey

I find that making a ritual out of pilling is helpful, though I do always pill by hand. I have very high value treats that my cats love and only get when they need to take medication, so they come running whenever I say 'Medicine Time' in an excited voice. They barely try to spit the pills out because they're so excited to have their treat, as they've learned the longer they try, the longer it'll take to have their treat (and the worse the pill will taste). Imo, it's really useful to learn how to pill by hand, especially if your cat is still young.

Here's a really helpful diagram from AllFelineHospital, and the article is also worth a read.








If you're worried about your fingers, or your reach, you could always try a pill gun/pill popper/piller, instead.

Here's a detailed video on how to do it using a popper





and another on pilling in general


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## Emlar

We have to use one of those pill gun type things with our cat. Other half wraps her in a blanket and I shove the tablet in her mouth! She refuses to eat any food/treat with a pill crushed or hidden inside. And if I tried with just my fingers I dont think id have any fingers left :Hilarious


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## Guest

*Pill pockets:*

Easypill Cat Putty - 4 X 10 Gram Individually Wrapped Pill Pockets For Cats https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NMKUIKC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_X4VJEPRGCN9G4VP7EYAA

Greenies PILL POCKETS for Cats Natural Soft Cat Treats, Chicken Flavor, 1.6 oz. Pack (45 Treats) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001FSJCPK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_H2VTFFWTRKTKSXRMGF9R

Royal Canin Pill Assist Feline https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B089WHH95Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_9TYJW49HJEMXNQD7KJAJ

*Pastes, cream, yoghurts etc*

And of course hiding it in a paste like Lick-e-Lix.
We also used butter but it tended to melt so maybe cream would work better. Or thick (Greek) yoghurt. Cream cheese, Primula (cheese paste in a tube), even mini-meatballs to hide them in (check YouTube out on how to make these for your pet). Fish paste is also a possibility but to be kept to a minimum as fish is often inflammatory in cats (even if you can't see the effects) and its mineral content is particularly problematic for cats with urinary issues.

Also can be hid in those palatable therapeutic pastes for cats (eg for immune support, urinary support like GimCat - has added bonus of getting some vitamins in them). Also you can try hiding in probiotic pastes (eg Pro Kalin).

You could also sprinkle the pill with nutritional yeast or Fortiflora (probiotics) but I'm not sure that would disguise the smell enough.

*Pill maskers*

There are also bacon flavoured pill maskers though they are American and not always in stock:

Marshall Pill Paste for Cats, 2.1-Ounce, Bacon Flavor https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KXAEQAM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_RBSE4RYSB95ZQR7KYJ63

Tomlyn Pill-Masker (Original) for Dogs and Cats, 4oz https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006HO8URI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_XDJWX47KJFPSBF6NRNNK

This last one is endorsed by the cat therapist, Jackson Galaxy. But it could be he just branded it and actually has nothing to do with it otherwise.

And of course, try hand feeding. Usually more successful.


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## Guest

Maurey said:


> I find that making a ritual out of pilling is helpful, though I do always pill by hand. I have very high value treats that my cats love and only get when they need to take medication, so they come running whenever I say 'Medicine Time' in an excited voice. They barely try to spit the pills out because they're so excited to have their treat, as they've learned the longer they try, the longer it'll take to have their treat (and the worse the pill will taste). Imo, it's really useful to learn how to pill by hand, especially if your cat is still young.
> 
> Here's a really helpful diagram from AllFelineHospital, and the article is also worth a read.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If you're worried about your fingers, or your reach, you could always try a pill gun/pill popper/piller, instead.
> 
> Here's a detailed video on how to do it using a popper
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and another on pilling in general


That video looks hard! Don't you get bitten?


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## Maurey

Douglas' Dad said:


> That video looks hard! Don't you get bitten?


Never had that issue! My cats, Jum especially, are extremely used to having their mouth handled due to dental routines -- Jum is so lovely that I can brush the inside surface of her teeth (i.e. the part where her tongue is). Chips doesn't adore having his mouth handled quite yet, but we're working on it. They're both extremely well-behaved, and wouldn't bite on purpose. They both groom and give me little nips as they groom, like they're trying to detangle my non-existent fur, but that's the worst 'bite' I've ever had. Aside from when Jum was really drugged up after her dental, and I had to hand feed her, but that's hard to hold against her.

Honestly, it's surprisingly easy to do. Might need a bit of practice and the cat would need exposure. Mine are both very friendly, and have never hurt me on purpose -- they're basically indecently well-behaved for cats, most of the time.

Pilling by hand means I don't have to worry if I have to give my cats meds before the vet on a totally empty stomach. I also teach them that 'medicine time' is pretty much any medication or treatment they need, regardless of whether it's pills/liquid meds or not. Makes giving nose drops way easier, let me tell you that much, haha.


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## Guest

Maurey said:


> Never had that issue! My cats, Jum especially, are extremely used to having their mouth handled due to dental routines -- Jum is so lovely that I can brush the inside surface of her teeth (i.e. the part where her tongue is). Chips doesn't adore having his mouth handled quite yet, but we're working on it. They're both extremely well-behaved, and wouldn't bite on purpose. They both groom and give me little nips as they groom, like they're trying to detangle my non-existent fur, but that's the worst 'bite' I've ever had. Aside from when Jum was really drugged up after her dental, and I had to hand feed her, but that's hard to hold against her.
> 
> Honestly, it's surprisingly easy to do. Might need a bit of practice and the cat would need exposure. Mine are both very friendly, and have never hurt me on purpose -- they're basically indecently well-behaved for cats, most of the time.
> 
> Pilling by hand means I don't have to worry if I have to give my cats meds before the vet on a totally empty stomach. I also teach them that 'medicine time' is pretty much any medication or treatment they need, regardless of whether it's pills/liquid meds or not. Makes giving nose drops way easier, let me tell you that much, haha.


OK! You've given me the confidence to try. It can't be that hard.


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## Maurey

Douglas' Dad said:


> OK! You've given me the confidence to try. It can't be that hard.


Be careful, and take your time! :> It's definitely doable, though, as Dr Yuri mentioned in the second video, it's not going to be easy from the first try. Trying the trick with the wet food, or a bit of yogurt can definitely smooth things along the first few times, as well.


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## lillytheunicorn

Douglas' Dad said:


> That video looks hard! Don't you get bitten?


That's how I do it every time even with our nervous cat. Getting the tablet behind the hump in their tongue is key alongside confidence.

I cannot give liquid meds, I once had a cat choke on liquid doxy and I lost my confidence and now more ends up spat out or it goes down the wrong way. So I can see why people are fearful of pilling their cats.

Getting them used to letting you open their mouth is key, practice that with a treat afterwards will make it much easier. Our kittens are used to having their mouths opened to have their teeth checked from 6 weeks old. They need to let vets and judges open their mouths being show cats.


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## urbantigers

I use easy pill cat putty. My cats will swallow anything wrapped in that!


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## £54etgfb6

I just wanted to update this because I was preparing to attempt to pill by hand but she leant down and ATE the tablet half while it was still in my hand. No treats, didn’t even hold it out to her she just hoovered it up. Talk about greed 

Thank you all for the wonderful advice though and I will bear it in mind for the future!


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## Maurey

bmr10 said:


> I just wanted to update this because I was preparing to attempt to pill by hand but she leant down and ATE the tablet half while it was still in my hand. No treats, didn't even hold it out to her she just hoovered it up. Talk about greed
> 
> Thank you all for the wonderful advice though and I will bear it in mind for the future!


Oh my goodness I'm laughing so hard  congrats on having a piggy kitty lmao


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## £54etgfb6

Maurey said:


> Oh my goodness I'm laughing so hard  congrats on having a piggy kitty lmao


I froze in shock and then watched her chew it, waiting for her to spit it out but she never did. Hopefully I will be this lucky next time


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## Babyshoes

Putting the pill amongst a few treats or pieces of dry food, either in my hand or a bowl is frequently successful, but not always. Depends how yucky the pill tastes. 

If I need to pill a cat by hand on my own (such as a foster who I don't have a relationship with yet), I do it by kneeling on the floor and placing the cat between my knees. It might look like I'm sitting on them but I actually have pretty good control. I can then use my left hand under the chin to tilt the head back and open the mouth, and my right to aim and drop the pill. Works most of the time, with most cats unless they're particularly spicy!


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## Guest

Further advice. There are special vet pharmacies which flavour the pill to make it more palatable (they are called "specials"). The following can be tried (you need a prescription from your vet and of course it will be more expensive as it is customised). The flavours sound delicious though:

Summit Veterinary Pharmaceuticals
Bova Veterinary Specials


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## £54etgfb6

Douglas' Dad said:


> Further advice. There are special vet pharmacies which flavour the pill to make it more palatable (they are called "specials"). The following can be tried (you need a prescription from your vet and of course it will be more expensive as it is customised). The flavours sound delicious though:
> 
> Summit Veterinary Pharmaceuticals
> Bova Veterinary Specials


I've never heard of this being done before but I am fascinated so thank you for coming back to add this!! I watched the video of the manufacturing process on the Bova website and I was shocked that they manufacture batches in house with a 24 hour turn around from order request to product completion. Just wondering, do you have any idea how the navigate patented formulations? Or are those not common in veterinary healthcare? If they are manufacturing drugs in house, from scratch, I presumed there would be many pharmaceutical companies who would have their formulations patented.


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## Guest

bmr10 said:


> I've never heard of this being done before but I am fascinated so thank you for coming back to add this!! I watched the video of the manufacturing process on the Bova website and I was shocked that they manufacture batches in house with a 24 hour turn around from order request to product completion. Just wondering, do you have any idea how the navigate patented formulations? Or are those not common in veterinary healthcare? If they are manufacturing drugs in house, from scratch, I presumed there would be many pharmaceutical companies who would have their formulations patented.


That I'm not sure of. I would imagine either vet medications are generic, or they have a licence to produce patented medications which they pay the patent holder a royalty for? I would check with them directly. There's also a pharmacy in London which offers this service but the ones I've cited are the most reputable among feline specialists.


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## Guest

@LinznMilly

I think this would be a great sticky in the Cat Health sections. It's such a commonly encountered issue. Maybe we can change the title of the thread to:

"Advice on giving a cat a pill and medicating a cat" just so it can be found more easily in the search function.


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## LinznMilly

Douglas' Dad said:


> @LinznMilly
> 
> I think this would be a great sticky in the Cat Health sections. It's such a commonly encountered issue. Maybe we can change the title of the thread to:
> 
> "Advice on giving a cat a pill and medicating a cat" just so it can be found more easily in the search function.


Stickied, but I think the title is fine as it is... Unless OP wants it changed?


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## Guest

I think if the title was expanded people could add advice on how to give liquid medication too as well as pills.


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## £54etgfb6

LinznMilly said:


> Stickied, but I think the title is fine as it is... Unless OP wants it changed?


it's fine with me!!! as long as the information helps others


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## Guest

Some extra tips from Washington State University:

https://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/outreach...ures/cats/giving-oral-medications-to-your-cat


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## Guest

This is one of the best resources and advice I’ve seen.


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## Guest

And this:


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## SparkleBear

I'll put my two cents in. This is kind of long, because I actually wrote myself a little guide for later after first learning to do this; this is an adapted version of that. Also, this is my first post, so sorry for any formatting or content mishaps!

Background(feel free to skip if TL;DR)

Sometimes described as 'pilling a cat' or having to 'pill a cat', this can be an incredibly upsetting experience for owners.

When I first had to give my cat a series of oral medications - a bunch of antibiotics, two kinds as pills and one as a liquid, three times a day for a week or so - (and none of which she would never take willingly), I found the whole experience just awful.

That's the first thing I want to address - giving your cats medications can SUCK. It can be absolutely horrible for owners. Cats don't enjoy the experience, but it can be just as hard - or harder - for owners.

That's not to say, if you've not attempted it yet, that it's necessarily going to be terrible. Cats differ greatly in their willingness to swallow a pill or to let you give them an oral medication, and owners vary just as widely in how stressful they find the experience. But for some human/cat pairings, there's just no denying that it can be rough going.

Sometimes veterinarians don't seem to relate this to owners, or indeed to relate to owners who are struggling. After years on the job, giving thousands of doses of medication to hundreds of animals, they can forget the struggle of those early experiences. Furthermore, they deal every day with patients and their owners who have had to learn to give medications, and to adapt to sometimes giving multiple doses a day, and they know that you'll likely learn and adapt too.

You'll lgain skill over time. You'll learn what works for your pet.

One thing I learned quickly was that I had to be tougher than I wanted, rougher than felt natural, and firmer than I was used to. Not that you should be causing your pet pain, but if you're not used to doing things to them against their will, you may find that you have to have a firm grip to stop them from getting away, and to prevent them from struggling and making the whole thing take longer than it needs to.

Equally, letting them get away before you're really, properly sure the deed is done and the pill is gone can cause more harm than good - if, as wriggle away you see them spit the pill away or hear it 'pting!' off the floor, you're only going to have to catch them again and start from scratch. Better to take the extra moments to assess that it's really done and gone than have to subject your kitty to the additional stress of an immediate repeat encounter.

Note on meds:
* if your cat spits out pills and they become impossible to deliver, you should contact your vet. If the course of medication needs to be given for a specific length of time e.g. antibiotics, you may need to pick up some extra doses 
* some pills must not be given with food, or must be given on an empty stomach 
* some pills can be crushed or split into parts, but some can't. Check with your vet before splitting any medications or breaking the pill in any way. Some medications will only work if they survive through the stomach and make it into the intestine whole, and these have a special coating. Others may contain ingredients which can burn or otherwise injure your cat's mouth or throat if their coating is disturbed
*Some pills must not be exposed to air for extended lengths of time, and should not be taken out of the packaging until right before you use them 
* If your cat is difficult, they might (understandably) try to get away from the human who is forcing them to swallow a bad-tasting pill. If you're holding them, they will try to wriggle backwards, so make sure you have their tail-end secured (I do it with the cat between my legs sat cross-legged on the floor).

Preparation tips: 
- choose somewhere to administer the pill where it will be easy to see the pill if the cat spits it out, where you can sit comfortably, and where the cat won't be able to hide out of reach if they wriggle out of your grasp 
- check that you can close the doors to the space you've chosen
- Consider where in the space your cat might run and hide if scared, and take steps to block these off
- make sure your nails have smooth edges so that they don't scratch the inside of your kitties mouth. If you have long nails and you're not willing to trim them, you're going to have to be extra careful

Tools 
- you can get pill guns, which are like modified syringes which hold the pill for you so that you can drop it into the cat's mouth. You need to be very careful if using these, so that you don't injure the cat's mouth or throat; your vet can show you how to use them. They're not necessarily easier than doing it by hand, and both techniques will take some practice 
- If your cat is liable to scratch or struggle unmanageably, you can try wrapping them in a blanket. It should be snug around the animal, containing their paws and leaving just their head free

Antibiotics 
- it's very important that your kitty finishes any course of antibiotics completely, and that they take them on time; this can add to the stress for owners 
- If your cat is hard to pill, you may consider asking your vet for a couple of extra doses, in case they repeatedly spit a dose out and it dissolves. If you ask for extra doses it is important to keep track of what your cat has taken, so that you don't give them more than is prescribed

Method tips: 
- Run through the procedure in your head before you get the cat and pick up the pill 
- It is very difficult to swallow a dry pill, and if you give a pill to your cat dry, it may wind up dissolving in their throat (or being regurgitated), and may not work as intended. You may wish to lubricate the pill, such as with butter, or you can give it with a squirt of water (or tuna or chicken broth) from a measuring syringe or plastic bulb dropper (never use glass). You must put your cats head back to level before giving them liquids; if their head is up they can choke 
- Butter is liable to melt when you're trying to form it around the pill; it can be helpful to use a butter knife to press the pill into a small piece of butter so that the heat of your hands does not melt the butter. You could also try dipping the pill in a little of the sauce from a packet of cat food. It can be helpful to have a plate with a little extra of your chosen lubricant within reach whilst giving the pill, in case your cat spits the pill out and it needs re-coating 
-I have heard that cats who are fussy eaters and given a pill in food, if they bite through it and taste the pill, they may refuse that type of food from then on. If your cat has a very limited palate this may be worth bearing in mind.

*Give a Cat a Pill - Step-by-step*

Part One - Prep
1. Check/secure entrances/exits 
2. Clear side or floor; put down towel if necessary (for grip or for wrapping a scratchy kitty) 
3. Prepare water/pill/lubricating ingredients 
4. Run through procedure 
5. Everything in its place
6. Get the cat

Part Two - Procedure 
1. Talk to cat in a soothing tone
2. Position yourself behind the cat (to prevent the cat from backing up) 
3. Hold around the head with your left hand - don't squish whiskers or hold in such a way to obstruct swallowing. Make an upside down 'U' with your fingers and thumb resting on her lips
4. Tilt head upwards, and mouth *should* open slightly. When you have one hand around the nose, holding the pill in the other hand, you can use the palm of the hand holding the pill to support under the chin and help tilt your cat's head upward; this will make a smooth line down the throat and make it easier to position the pill correctly. If kitty doesn't open their mouth, you can press down and into the mouth with your thumb and fingertips, keeping the cat's lip between your fingers and her teeth. She should feel her lip against her teeth and open the mouth further to prevent biting her own lip. If this doesn't work either, you may need to gently open their jaws using your fingers or fingernail as a 'crowbar'
5. Holding pill in your right hand between finger and thumb, use other finger of right hand to open mouth. Rest your finger between her lower canines 
6. Drop pill into mouth. You want it at the centre back of the tongue; you can use your finger to push it back into place. If it's far enough back, trying to spit it out will actually drive it further into the throat. *This is the most important aspect to successfully giving a cat a pill*, in my experience. If it's not right at the back of the mouth, or not right in the centre, she can spit it out. If the placement is right, it's very difficult for her to do anything but swallow it. 
7. Close mouth 
-
If necessary: 
8. Gently rub throat for a few seconds; you can also blow sharply across the nose to encourage swallowing 
9. If you're using water or broth to help them wash the pill down, now is the time to give them that
-
10. Return head to normal position; they should lick their nose or lips once they've swallowed, or you may see, feel or hear them swallow (some cats will fake a swallow, which is why it's important to check they've swallowed)
-When you think the cat has swallowed the pill, release their head but keep holding them for a moment until you are sure it's down and gone; it is much less stressful for cat and owner to try again immediately if the cat spits the pill out than to have to entirely start again 
- When you do let them go, watch and listen for a couple of minutes to check that they don't spit/cough/vomit up the pill

_Water_ 
1. Approach from the sides or back, rather than the front
2. Keep head level; DO NOT tilt back, as this can lead to the kitty inhaling water
3. Rest syringe between cheek pouch and teeth
4. Depress slowly, giving her plenty of time to swallow

Congratulate the cat; reward if she will allow
Congratulate yourself; reward (you've worked hard!)

Again, sorry this is so long. I hope it will be helpful to someone 

(Endnote: I now have to give my cat a pill every day, and it takes only moments. It really does get easier!)


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## Jackie C

Three pieces of meat.
First one: Just meat, false sense of security
Second one: Hole poked in side of meat, pill inserted, squidge back again. 
Third one: Good girl

Ensure meat is the cats favourite.


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## Babyshoes

Before trying any other techniques, if your cat is an enthusiastic eater and the vet says the pills don't taste awful, try this:










One of my current fosters is diabetic and always hungry, as we're still trying to get it under control. He has a urinary infection which is stopping the insulin from working properly, so he's getting antibiotics at the moment. I've been giving them like this for nearly a week now with no issues. Once he missed the tablet in his bowl, I showed it to him and he just ate it. The label does say they are palatable...


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## Guest

Babyshoes said:


> Before trying any other techniques, if your cat is an enthusiastic eater and the vet says the pills don't taste awful, try this:
> 
> View attachment 468706
> 
> 
> One of my current fosters is diabetic and always hungry, as we're still trying to get it under control. He has a urinary infection which is stopping the insulin from working properly, so he's getting antibiotics at the moment. I've been giving them like this for nearly a week now with no issues. Once he missed the tablet in his bowl, I showed it to him and he just ate it. The label does say they are palatable...


You are lucky. Many cats eat around the pill. Ours would eat all the food and spit the pill out.


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## buffie

Meeko is on regular meds has been for years and most likely will be for life, I definitely prefer the hand pill method .Done and dusted in seconds that way I know the pill is in the cat apart from the few occasions where he develops hamster cheeks for later expulsion.
He was reared from a kitten to have his mouth checked,ears checked feet claws examined so it has never really been a big deal to him that said there are days when I first have to find him 
If I tried to hide any meds in food he would just flatly refuse it (somehow he knows its there )


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## Guest

One thing I would say is that cats are very sensitive to stress and often will refuse food when unwell/stressed. This often happens when they have been hospitalised and they associate the food they were fed in the clinic with a negative experience. This in turn makes medicating more difficult as you’re hiding pills in food to which the cat has developed an aversion to. We found a change of food to something our cat liked helped him take the pill. In our case we were told to feed him urinary food after a blockage but he hated it. But you can get the same effect by using high quality wet food with Methionine added (to acidity the food) and maybe a capsule or two of calming supplements eg Feliway cystease.


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## Babyshoes

Douglas' Dad said:


> You are lucky. Many cats eat around the pill. Ours would eat all the food and spit the pill out.


Yes, I know! I have a cat who is nearly impossible to pill.

However I have occasionally had success with this technique with other cats, though you have to judge whether it's likely to work before you try it.


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## Guest

Some more resources from a UK feline specialist. She has a done a webinar on the topic of medicating a cat (11 March 2021) but there are lots of others which are useful on cat health in general:

https://www.vetprofessionals.com/site/video-tutorials


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## Guest

This thread is becoming a great resource!
Thanks all for all your input!
The more tips the better - no successful strategy refused here.

It's the holy grail.


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## Guest

*Why cats struggle with water intake*

Ah yes - for those who have to medicate with liquid (eg Metacam). Cats are not particularly enamoured with "water" as such as their tongues are not anatomically designed to drink "thin" liquid. This was proven by fluid mechanics researchers at MIT over 10 years ago (click on attached file). That's why you see your cat lap up gravy as they are more suited to viscosity. So if you're struggling with Metacam for example add it to wet food with a nice viscous gravy.

Same for encouraging hydration in general. If the cat isn't drinking water, try thicker broths, gravy, cat soups etc, particularly if the cat is sick or stressed and can't deal with the extra stress of drinking non-species specific liquid (ie drinking water). Make it easy for the cat.


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## SparkleBear

Douglas' Dad said:


> Ah yes - for those who have to medicate with liquid (eg Metacam). Cats are not particularly enamoured with "water" as such as their tongues are not anatomically designed to drink "thin" liquid. This was proven by fluid mechanics researchers at MIT over 10 years ago (click on attached file). That's why you see your cat lap up gravy as they are more suited to viscosity. So if you're struggling with Metacam for example add it to wet food with a nice viscous gravy.


I had never heard this before! What a useful thing to know. Thank you for sharing


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## Guest

SparkleBear said:


> I had never heard this before! What a useful thing to know. Thank you for sharing


I know. Crazy huh? It took engineers to work out what I thought vets would have discovered! If you read the background of the researchers they just did the experiment for fun. But it really advanced our understanding of why and how cats drink.


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## SparkleBear

Douglas' Dad said:


> I know. Crazy huh? It took engineers to work out what I thought vets would have discovered! If you read the background of the researchers they just did the experiment for fun. But it really advanced our understanding of why and how cats drink.


It feels like it makes a lot of sense of experiences I've had with my cats over the years. I'm sure we've all seen our cats delight in slightly stodgy 'liquish' foodstuffs!

That paper was very interesting. Looking at the mechanism of how cats take in water, it makes a lot of sense that they would struggle when it's squirted into their mouth for the purposes of pilling, and so bypasses their tongue lapping entirely. It's completely unnatural to them. I suppose the quantity too, it's just not an amount they could take in in one go with their tongue. Definitely underlines how important it is to go slowly. On reflection, if the pill can be taken with food, it may be helpful to instead administer the pill, see a swallow, and then immediately offer your cat a bowl of food or gravy for them to lap up themselves, and hopefully that will help ensure the pill is washed down.

I also hadn't realised quite how different cat and dog lapping is, although having read that paper, calling images to my mind of my dogs and cats licking and lapping things up, I can see the difference, with dogs making a little cup of their tongue and submerging it to fill that cup up in a way that cats just don't.


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## Guest

Further resource for multiple pills at once. Chicken flavoured capsules to hide the tablets in. Apparently they hide the taste. Who knew.

Capsuline Chicken Flavored Gelatin Empty Capsules Size 3 1000 Count https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PYVJU1A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_RQ4Z3C79EB0G49SM2F4E


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## H.M

Was given Omeprazole again. Tha last time kisu had it was from 30th April for 8 days a quarter tablet a day. She vomited red yesterday so went to vet today and they gave Omeprazole but this time it is half a tablet twice a day for 7 days and it also says to give on an empty stomach 1 hour before food and not allowed to crush it. But I thought you shouldn't be dry pilling a cat and it is quite difficult to pill her as she is very strong for a small cat and moves around a lot. Last time the packet didnt say anything and we crushed it onto her food. Any ideas???


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## Guest

Have you read the thread? 
There’s lot of ideas to get you started.


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## Maurey

H.M said:


> t I thought you shouldn't be dry pilling a cat


You most definitely can dry pill a cat, it just takes a bit of practice. Read through the thread, I've shown specific info on how to dry pill early on. Good luck!


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## SmudgethePC

Sure it's mentioned in the thread but used this yesterday with no issues at all. The putty hides the smell and taste of the pill!

https://www.petdrugsonline.co.uk/easy-pill-cat-putty


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## Guest

Cats will often refuse food if stressed, or if they associate the food with a negative experience (ie a stay with a vet or at the cattery). Here are some suggestions to help:

https://www.thecatvet.co.uk/encouraging-sick-elderly-cats-to-eat.html


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## SparkleBear

H.M said:


> Was given Omeprazole again. Tha last time kisu had it was from 30th April for 8 days a quarter tablet a day. She vomited red yesterday so went to vet today and they gave Omeprazole but this time it is half a tablet twice a day for 7 days and it also says to give on an empty stomach 1 hour before food and not allowed to crush it. But I thought you shouldn't be dry pilling a cat and it is quite difficult to pill her as she is very strong for a small cat and moves around a lot. Last time the packet didnt say anything and we crushed it onto her food. Any ideas???


Hi 

The meds I have to give my cat are also empty stomach and at least an hour before food, but I only have to do them once a day so I can let her do her overnight fast (take all dry food away before you go to bed, if you leave dry food out), and I tend to wake up four hours after last feed, give the pill, go back to bed for an hour, get back up and give food, and then I tend to go back to bed again lol. As you're having to do it twice a day it's going to be more tricky for you, although relatively straightforward for morning pill, just do it when you first get up and then wait an hour before feeding. Depending on how often your kitty normally eats, you might find that having to do a mini-fast again in the evening to get their tummy empty again means you have a slightly fussy kitty, but hopefully not for long.

Check with your vet, but they'll probably tell you you're okay to lubricate the pill with a little bit of butter. It's not quite accurate to compare humans to animals, but when I as a human took omeprazole it was advised to be on an empty tummy just because it's affecting your acid production, so having a tummy full of food can mess with it kicking in, however, looking online some places say that although humans should also take it on an empty tummy, if you have trouble swallowing pills you can mix the contents of the capsule with a tiny bit of apple sauce and immediately swallow that. Again, that's for a human, and I'm absolutely not suggesting that you open or break the pill in any way or that you put it with food, just that it leads me to suspect that you may be okay coating it with a very small amount of butter, and that the main issue is that the tummy is empty, so it's worth asking. Again, give your vet a call and check, they shouldn't charge you for asking a simple quick question like that. At the same time, you could ask if you're okay to give them a little water to wash it down. I'm not sure, and I'm not a vet, but you may find that they tell you it's okay.

In terms of a strong cat who moves a lot, I can empathise! My girl is also a real wiggler! Lol. My best advice would be that you need to be firm. It's difficult because when I was newer to pilling my cat I really thought I was holding her tightly and she just always seemed to somehow wiggle and turn her head or squirm out of position, and I didn't get how I was supposed to stop that. What I found was that actually, giving her any leeway to move was *increasing* the risk of her getting hurt, not the other way around. It's not so much about squeezing, or holding tightly, as it is about being firm and somewhat immovable. Assume that she's going to be bucking and trying to get away, and try to act less like a vice and more like a rock, if you catch my drift, so that if kitty fights against you, you're not fighting back, you're just not moving. I found that the position that works best for me is sat on the floor with my legs crossed (like in a school assembly, though a little more loosely), and the cat in the little gap between my crossed legs, facing towards my dominant hand (in my case, the right). She can't back up and wiggle away, because my legs are holding her in place, and then, holding the pill in my right hand, I use my left hand to hold around her nose and mouth (from the top, behind the whiskers), and gently lift her head so it's straight upwards. The right hand is holding the pill between index finger and thumb, and I use that palm to help support under her chin as I lift her head up, and my middle or ring finger of that hand to help gently but firmly pry her mouth open. Once it's open, because you have you left hand holding over the bridge of the nose/mouth, you can slip that ring finger into the side of the mouth, between the teeth, to keep the mouth open whilst you drop the pill in, if you need that extra second. Whilst you're doing all this, your left arm is going to naturally be positioned kind of across the cat's body, so that you can hold the head, and that gives you an extra point of support. Again, the key if you have a wiggly cat really is to have a nice firm lock on the cat, however you choose to hold them, so that they can't push you around. If they're pushing against you and you're pushing back, and you're both fighting for control, that's when injuries happen.

If your kitty is really strong and it's causing real problems, you could try doing a similar position to what I've just described, but first wrap your cat in a towel or blanket, securing them so that they can't scrabble their paws or legs and only their head is free. This is sometimes referred to as a cat burrito, or, adorably, a purrito  There are lots of videos online about how to do this, although I've never had cause to do it myself and so I wouldn't want to recommend any one in particular (someone else may be able to chime in about what's worked for them though!)

I also just happened across a site called The Cat Vet which has a page on 'Getting you cat to take medication' which has some good further info on giving pills to kitties, but it won't let me post it. You can probably find it on Google though.


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## Guest

This is the link:

https://www.thecatvet.co.uk/getting-your-cat-to-take-medication.html


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## SparkleBear

Douglas' Dad said:


> Here are some suggestions to help: ....


Ooh, Douglas' Dad, that's the same site that has the page I wanted to post! It doesn't seem to have already been posted in this thread. Is it that l I don't have some forum privileges so that's why it won't let me post it? It won't even let me post a full quote of your post because of the link! Lol. It's much like the address you posted, but getting-your-cat-to-take-medication - perhaps you can post the actual link for everyone


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## SparkleBear

Douglas' Dad said:


> This is the link:


LOL, got there before I even asked!  Thank you kindly


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## Guest

SparkleBear said:


> LOL, got there before I even asked!  Thank you kindly


No problem. It's a very useful list of tips by a vet who knows what she's talking about. A real voice of experience.


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## SbanR

SparkleBear said:


> t l I don't have some forum privileges so that's why it won't let me post it? It won't even let me post a full quote of your post because of the link! Lol.


You'll be able to post links once you've done 25 posts


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## H.M

SparkleBear said:


> Hi
> 
> The meds I have to give my cat are also empty stomach and at least an hour before food, but I only have to do them once a day so I can let her do her overnight fast (take all dry food away before you go to bed, if you leave dry food out), and I tend to wake up four hours after last feed, give the pill, go back to bed for an hour, get back up and give food, and then I tend to go back to bed again lol. As you're having to do it twice a day it's going to be more tricky for you, although relatively straightforward for morning pill, just do it when you first get up and then wait an hour before feeding. Depending on how often your kitty normally eats, you might find that having to do a mini-fast again in the evening to get their tummy empty again means you have a slightly fussy kitty, but hopefully not for long.
> 
> Check with your vet, but they'll probably tell you you're okay to lubricate the pill with a little bit of butter. It's not quite accurate to compare humans to animals, but when I as a human took omeprazole it was advised to be on an empty tummy just because it's affecting your acid production, so having a tummy full of food can mess with it kicking in, however, looking online some places say that although humans should also take it on an empty tummy, if you have trouble swallowing pills you can mix the contents of the capsule with a tiny bit of apple sauce and immediately swallow that. Again, that's for a human, and I'm absolutely not suggesting that you open or break the pill in any way or that you put it with food, just that it leads me to suspect that you may be okay coating it with a very small amount of butter, and that the main issue is that the tummy is empty, so it's worth asking. Again, give your vet a call and check, they shouldn't charge you for asking a simple quick question like that. At the same time, you could ask if you're okay to give them a little water to wash it down. I'm not sure, and I'm not a vet, but you may find that they tell you it's okay.
> 
> In terms of a strong cat who moves a lot, I can empathise! My girl is also a real wiggler! Lol. My best advice would be that you need to be firm. It's difficult because when I was newer to pilling my cat I really thought I was holding her tightly and she just always seemed to somehow wiggle and turn her head or squirm out of position, and I didn't get how I was supposed to stop that. What I found was that actually, giving her any leeway to move was *increasing* the risk of her getting hurt, not the other way around. It's not so much about squeezing, or holding tightly, as it is about being firm and somewhat immovable. Assume that she's going to be bucking and trying to get away, and try to act less like a vice and more like a rock, if you catch my drift, so that if kitty fights against you, you're not fighting back, you're just not moving. I found that the position that works best for me is sat on the floor with my legs crossed (like in a school assembly, though a little more loosely), and the cat in the little gap between my crossed legs, facing towards my dominant hand (in my case, the right). She can't back up and wiggle away, because my legs are holding her in place, and then, holding the pill in my right hand, I use my left hand to hold around her nose and mouth (from the top, behind the whiskers), and gently lift her head so it's straight upwards. The right hand is holding the pill between index finger and thumb, and I use that palm to help support under her chin as I lift her head up, and my middle or ring finger of that hand to help gently but firmly pry her mouth open. Once it's open, because you have you left hand holding over the bridge of the nose/mouth, you can slip that ring finger into the side of the mouth, between the teeth, to keep the mouth open whilst you drop the pill in, if you need that extra second. Whilst you're doing all this, your left arm is going to naturally be positioned kind of across the cat's body, so that you can hold the head, and that gives you an extra point of support. Again, the key if you have a wiggly cat really is to have a nice firm lock on the cat, however you choose to hold them, so that they can't push you around. If they're pushing against you and you're pushing back, and you're both fighting for control, that's when injuries happen.
> 
> If your kitty is really strong and it's causing real problems, you could try doing a similar position to what I've just described, but first wrap your cat in a towel or blanket, securing them so that they can't scrabble their paws or legs and only their head is free. This is sometimes referred to as a cat burrito, or, adorably, a purrito  There are lots of videos online about how to do this, although I've never had cause to do it myself and so I wouldn't want to recommend any one in particular (someone else may be able to chime in about what's worked for them though!)
> 
> I also just happened across a site called The Cat Vet which has a page on 'Getting you cat to take medication' which has some good further info on giving pills to kitties, but it won't let me post it. You can probably find it on Google though.


Thank you. This is the 3rd day and so far we have pilled her 5 times. She's not fed dry and is fed small meals 4 times a day so I don't have to worry about her not being on an empty stomach. Thought about the burrito but decided against it. I find it much easier if my mum is holding her body from the front and I hold her head up and pill her from the back. I use a tiny blob of lick e lix yoghurt treat to lubricate the pill and then when the pill is in her I smudge the lick e lix on her upper lip to lick and encourage her to swallow. It is definitely getting easier everytime she needs to be pilled. When I first started pilling I was worried that she could choke but the fear has went away.


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## SparkleBear

H.M - sounds like you’ve got a technique that works for you down to a t  I hope your kitty feels better soon!


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## Guest

*Advice from Ricky Bear on giving liquid medicine:*

For anyone who needs to get a cat to take a nasty-tasting LIQUID medication, such as Frusol, then Dr. Uri, a vetinerian from Canada put me onto using food-grade GLYCERINE mixed with the liquid medicine.

My cat is on Frusol liquid for congestive heart-failure and it tastes really bad to cats. I'd tried all sorts of suggestions to ensure she always got her twice-daily dose, as if she's off her food we end up with a medical emergency.

As we know, cats are in extreme danger of poisoning from leaking automotive Antifreeze, and Glycerine has that same sweet flavour that they crave. So I now mix 1 part medication with 2 parts Glycerine and dilute it in 5ml of plain water. My cat loves it! She thinks it's a cat treat and will always take her liquid meds in this form even on days when she's not eating too well. It's so funny watching her polish the bowl with her tongue when all the Glycerine is gone. She just craves that taste.

Just be sure its 100% pure food-grade Glycerine syrup.

Good-luck


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## LouiseM1977

Is the pill crushable or will dissolve? I've been giving my cats pills for 13 years now and they are 14 years old. Capsules I empty into a large oral syringe and mix it with water and get it down them that way. Luckily the pills that are real medicine so far I can crush to mix with water as well. I did try putting them in canned food but the little stinkers always ate the food and spit out the pill.  Even when I cut the pill into tiny tiny tiny pieces. I even tried using the treats they made to put pills in and my cats wouldn't even touch the things. Cats are very hard to give meds to. All I had to do with my dogs was put the pill in peanut butter or chicken ect and down it went. Some days I feel like the Wiley Coyotee trying to out fox them like he does with the Road Runner.


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## Karl43

Hi first post. 

If anyone's cats like webbox sticks, providing the pills are small enough, take a sharp knife and make a slit in the side of the stick. I then insert the pill and either close the slit by hand or plug it up with something soft like a very tiny bit of cheese


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## Little paws

Venla said:


> I’ve managed to give antibiotics and steroids inside a freeze dried treat. I carve a hole in the treat and place the med in.


i have done this with dreamies if it is a small pill. My cat had eaten the treat before he realised the pill was there and I gave him another treat afterwards. Or the pill pockets are good too. Also I have used pastes or yoghurt treats - lik e lix which have worked. Place the tablet on a piece of textured kitchen paper squirt a bit of the yoghurt on top. Then when kitty licks it up quickly squirt another drip of yoghurt onto the kitchen paper for him/her to lick and hopefully it will be done without him/her realising. Can take time and perseverance to work out the best way for your kitty but you get there in the end. 

Good luck


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## Willow Blackwell

Reading your post reminds me of a horrible time when I give the cat medicine. Last week he had a problem with the toilet, I took him to the vet and the doctor told me to go home and give the cat something to drink. I have found a straightforward way that I feel is incredibly simple and doesn't take an excessive amount of time. Its use medicine bag, medicine bag is sweet food with secret pockets within the middle wherever you'll be able to simply place it and conceal medicine, I used this fashion and my stubborn cat took the medication quickly, not even knowing that there was medicine in its food. I hope you use it effectively on your cat.


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