Who's got a trick up a sleeve for how to pill a cat?!

[Doran]

Geez-O-Pete!!!! http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/angry023.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)I thought we had this all figured out. Last time we had to "pill" our cat, we discovered "Pill Pockets", these nifty little soft treats shaped like small urns without lids. These little vessels cost upwards of $7 a bag, so you figure they'd better work. And, lo, they do! You simply insert the pill into the urn, push the soft dough around the pill, and VOILA! Kitty eats the treat pill and all.

Well, guess what? Kitty has a good memory. And, this time around, ain't nothing doing! She's eaten three of her antibiotics, but tonight, we're on full rejection. We tried mixing one, complete with miniscule urn, into her wet dinner. Nope. So, we rescued the pill, set it on a paper towel, determined to try it later. Somehow, that pill ended up in a dish full of bubble solution (I'm pretty sure him what done it was the same villain who put the gun in Andie's bra!) Fine. We toss the pill and bubbles. Unwrap a new pill, and try again. Kitty eats the treat, and leaves the pill.

Now we're calling in the heavy artillery. We get out the pill shooter - a little cross between a bazooka and a syringe, and we proceed to shoot the pill into kitty's mouth. We tried wrapping her in towel. Hubby and I tried together. I now have a puncture wound in my finger, a very soggy pill, and a cat who is dug in so firmly behind the couch that she's going to leave a cat-shaped dent in the carpet. And, still, this pill.

I did not write this lovely piece. (http://dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/webdocs/Humor/Give-Pill-Cat-Dog.html)

But I could have. Every last word.

Doran

[Michelle T]

I feel for you, I really do! I would far rather give a cat an injection (we used to have a diabetic cat, gave her two shots a day) than stick a pill down a feline.

Like you, I tried those pill pockets. Had the same problem, too. You might try a different type of soft treat. I had some success in squishing the pill into a regular, soft treat.

Or else, get a pair of metal gloves, pry cat's mouth open, jam pill all the way back, and hold mouth closed!
Michelle T

[Tia in Wa]

I don't know about metal gloves but if you pry the cats mouth open using the very front teeth and cram the pill down to the back then hold the mouth closed and rub the troat from top to bottom it should go down.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

You need a bigger towel.

I'm so sorry. This isn't pleasant. Especially for the humans.

[Tia in Wa]

Oh I forgot you should try the towel thing again befroe prying open the mouth. Hold the legs together as you wrap the towel around several times. Wrap realy tight. It sounds mean but in reality kitty will not die in the time it takes to force feed the pill. :) - Not realy that tight but you get the pic.

We had to do this once with evil barn kitty.

[Cadam]

my vet preys their mouth open, shoves it down and then holds their mouth closed until they swallow. Of course, then they hate you for a couple of days.

[Laurie]

The "pill expert" at our vet's office taught me this: Once you get the pill into the cat's mouth you blow on its nose, which will cause it to swallow. Then watch for the kitty to lick its nose...this should be a sign that the pill has been swallowed.

[Liz CA]

The "pill expert" at our vet's office taught me this: Once you get the pill into the cat's mouth you blow on its nose, which will cause it to swallow. Then watch for the kitty to lick its nose...this should be a sign that the pill has been swallowed.

stroke the neck, that makes them swallow...but first you have to get the darn pill in there and for that I have to refer to the other posters suggestions.

:D

[Audrey]

I'm actually pretty good at this. I'll try to describe the technique as best as I can. I don't use a towel. Put kitty on the kitchen counter. Stand next to kitty with my left side toward the cupboard. Kitty and I should be facing the same way. In the same motion, grasp the top of kitty's jaw, tuck kitty under my left 'wing' and pull kitty's top jaw up, which pries her head backward. Quickly, with the right hand, pop the pill right at the back of kitty's throat. There is also kind of a trick to doing that. You have to do it before kitty has a chance to flip her head or tongue up. As soon as the pill's in, clamp kitty's mouth together and keep the head tilted up. Stroke kitty's throat until she swallows. If she doesn't want to swallow, dribble a little water on her mouth. She'll have to swallow and lick it off.

This really is not as brutal as it sounds. The cat hates it, of course, but it always works for me.

[Gwen in TX]

Over 35 years of being owned by cats, I have tried all these -- don't let these people kid you. They don't work. Some cats know all the tricks and they share with each other how to undo the work.

Actually I haven't tried the pill shooter. I could have invented it though! Can you imagine how much frustration someone had to have to even think of that?

[Soph the vet]

Put butter on the pill before you try to put it in the cat's mouth. Between gravity and the added slipperiness it should go down. i would definitely use a towel to wrap the cat.
If all else fails, ask your vet to dispense injectable antibiotics or send the kitty home with an IV if very sick. I will occassionally do this with fractious patients.

[kalanamak]

to put the pill in the back of throat by force, quickly hold up a glass of water tipped so that she will eventually gulp by reflex. I had one nose breathe for about a minute before swallowing. One huge cat I even had to cover the nostrils with fingers, but the other two would breathe for a little and then GULP. Only use a little water as the pill will start to break up and you want them to swallow the whole sheeeebang.

[RhondaM.]

Same here, only I gently but firmly take the scruff of the neck and pull her head back, which forces her mouth open. I pop in the pill and hold her mouth shut until she swallows.

I've tried the towel thing..it only scares my cats worse.

[Melissa in NC]

When my poor, geriatric kitty had to have pills and she had a sensitive mouth, I could not bring myself to force a pill down her. I crushed the pill into a small amount of soft food that she loved.

[Doran]

...Some cats know all the tricks and they share with each other how to undo the work.

Actually I haven't tried the pill shooter. I could have invented it though! Can you imagine how much frustration someone had to have to even think of that?


ROFL! I think you're right, Gwen. What many other posters have forgotten is that you have to get the pill IN the cat's mouth before you can make them swallow it! That seems to be the most difficult part for me, little squirmy, pointy creatures that they are!

However, I do have a successful end of story to report...for at least as long as this lasts.

This particular cat LOVES treats. She has a habit for them like I have for...well...treats. That's why the Pockets were such a hit. So, in a moment of sheer brilliance (in this case we'll define brilliance as desperation), I crushed up the Clavomox between two spoons and mashed the sucker into the soft treat dough. Kitty consumed it late last night after my OP, and again this morning. http://www.pic4ever.com/images/47b20s0.gif

Never mind that I now need a new set of curtains and hand surgery.

Doran

[periwinkle]

I actually have a morning job medicating cats, and I have to give approximately 30-40 pills each day. Once you've seen how it's done, it's a piece of cake! You should be able to get one at your vet's office.