Advice on giving a cat a pill

[Samantha Puppy]

The doctor gave us two medications to give Maya on Friday - some sort of liquid (don't remember the name) and a deworming pill for good measure. Luckily, while she's not THRILLED with being held for the liquid medicine she does take it rather easily. I have, however, never given a cat a pill before. With Samantha, I hide it in lunch meat and she gobbles it down but my cats aren't like that.

Anyone got any other method they use rather than shoving it down a kitty throat? :(

[furrykidsmother]

I try to get them on the floor then get behind them so they are between my legs so I can kind of keep them in control. Then I use thumb and finger to open mouth, head up a bit and squirt liquid in. Usually it works, sometimes they spit a bit out, but most has gone in by then. I use the same method with pilling except once mouth is shut, I rub their throat a bit to make them swallow and quick blow on the nose doesn't hurt.

Good luck!

[Samantha Puppy]

Oh, she's gonna LOVE that (rubbing the throat and blowing on/in the nose). Can't I just hit her over the head with a pan, knock her out and do it that way??

;)

[catnapper]

LOL... pilling is actually easier in my mind than liquid. I hate when they give me liquid -- its sticky and gets EVERYWHERE when they fuss.

All you need to do is hold the cat gently and hold her head with your left hand, while you either scruff her or pry her mouth open with you left thumb. then TOSS the pill in. You'll miss the first few times, then after that, you'll be a pill tossing champ and hit center back of throat every time. Close mouth shut, stroke under chin and down throat to encourage swallowing.

By the way, what did the vet determine is wrong with her?

[slick]

My tried and true method is.......grab, open, shove, and shut.

I cram the kitty between me and the arm of a chair. With my left hand I use middle finger and thumb over the top of the mouth. With the pill between my thumb and second finger of my right hand, I use my right hand third finger to push down on the lower jaw. I then literally shove the pill as far back as I can and quickly close.

Good luck.

[RedHedd]

I use the straddle-from-the-rear approach - cat between legs, hold him/her at the chest, cradling the head. Gently open the cat's mouth, pop the pill down the throat, hold the mouth shut and then kiss the nose/mouth area while stroking the throat. Works almost every time, although Mishi has gotten good at quickly flicking it out with his tongue; I've gotten equally good at catching him doing this. We just finished THREE MONTHS of Baytril once a day so I've gotten the method down pat.

[lvpets2002]

hit her over the head & knock her out I am still laughing my ?? off ..
Oh my everyone is working so hard at this.. :D ok here is what I do = if the pill is not to big {which a worm is not} then make a mush ball using vienna sausage with pill in middle & wa la.. Or if pill is big then powder the pill & roll into your mush ball of vienna sausage..

[jenluckenbach]

Originally posted by Samantha Puppy
Can't I just hit her over the head with a pan, knock her out and do it that way??

;)
Yes, this way works, but the vet bills afterwards are tremendous ;)
(LOL)

Take it from me, I have been pilling cats DAILY for litterally YEARS! I am a pill popping pro....so to speak.

I prefer to lay the cat on its back on my lap, but if your cat HATES being on their back better to not cause that struggle.

The trick is that when you open the mouth (top of head towards the floor if up-side down or top of head towards the ceiling if standing up-right) after so many inches, it will open the rest of the way without struggle.....just get past the point of resistance.

Then aim for the center back of the throat and toss or place or shove if necessary.

DONE!

[Kfamr]

Do you think Pill Pockets (http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444181 1205&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023690&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302025600&bmUID=1126552310605) would be accepted by Maya? :)

[catland]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
...Then aim for the center back of the throat and toss or place or shove if necessary.

DONE!

Then pick up spat out pill, put neosporin on your wound, and repeat.:rolleyes:

btw - Kfamr, those pill pockets look great if they work.:)

[Kfamr]

I've never used them but I think they'd be worth a try. My dogs are so sneaky they'd probably eat the pockets and spit out the pill.

I've got to shove my fingers down their throats to get a pill in them. :o Treats and the command to drink some water is followed afterwards. ;)

[Samantha Puppy]

Thanks for the advice and for the Pill Pocket idea, Kay! Josh and I have decided that when I get back from my dress fitting (in a wedding in October... bought the bridesmaids dress in February, a month before I got pregnant - anyone see the issue here?) this evening, we will attempt to pill Maya. Depending on how it goes, I will either stop by PetSmart tomorrow or we'll be done with it!

I am hoping she'll surprise me like she did with the liquid medicine and take it well... but I'm not holding my breath. She's a little wh0re. ;)

[grybai]

I've never tried pills for the cats, but for liquid since they wiggle so much, I wrap them in a towel or blanket, hold them under one arm and use the other to terrorize them. :)

I still haven't figured out how to give a dog a pill (aside from sneaking it in some food), let alone a cat.

[QueenScoopalot]

It's easy! Instructions below.........;) :) :D



Pilling Cats:
1. Cradle cat in crook of left arm. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply presure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop in pill and allow cat to swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.
4. Take fresh pill, cradle cat, holding rear paws lightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for count of 10.
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously for 30 to 40 seconds.
7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set aside for gluing later.
8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from underneathe armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow pill down drinking straw.
9. Check label to make sure pills are not harmful to humans, drink one beer to take the taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. Throw away pieces of towel.
10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck, leaving head showing. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
11. Fetch screwdriver and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of Scotch, pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot.
12. Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat.
13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining room table. Put on heavy-duty pruning gloves. Push last pill into cat's mouth followed by large piece of steak. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat. Pray vigorously.
14. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room and 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.
15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat. Call pet store to see if they have any hamsters left
Dogs
1. Wrap pill in bacon and offer to dog.

[catmandu]

VERY CAREFULLY,LIKE DEFUSING,A FURRY TIME BOMB.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/catphotos995.jpg

[CalliesMom]

My kitties are pretty easy to pill once you catch them. They see one being pilled and the other two take off :rolleyes:

I have to wrap them burrito style in a towel or blanket. Hold open the mouth and shove the pill down...close the mouth and breathe on the nose forcing them to swallow. LOL

All the kitties, except one, at my old work were medicated with a piller (8 cats 3 Xs/day for a month UGH!). They were probably easier to do that way. Scruff them and put the piller in their mouth. Shoot pill down throat. I never had any real problems except with one who was terrified of me. I had to crunch the pill up in his food :rolleyes:

[furrykidsmother]

Just wondering how Maya did taking her pill. Hope it went well and the dress fitting too!

[Samantha Puppy]

Ha. The pill. WELL. I tried doing it alone, using the arm of the sofa for leverage. I massaged her throat. She hacked it back out and it hit my cheek. So then I tried getting on my knees on the floor and trapping her between my legs. That didn't work. My husband came out and got nice and scratched up while I shoved the pill as far back as I could and massaged her throat. I thought we had it...

... Until the skank went over to the water dish and hacked it into there! It was rendered ungivable so I will be contacting the vet for another pill today.

[furrykidsmother]

Poor you and poor Maya!! I hope you have better luck with the next one!!

[Cataholic]

If the pill isn't huge, you could crush it up sooooo fine, and put it in a tasty treat. Mom does that with one of her cats.

[RedHedd]

or if it's a cutable pill, cut it into smaller bits that are easier for the cat to swallow. I aim for "cat-throat-size"

[JenWhite]

I would check with the vet before crushing the pill in case it is a time released med. I crushed a TR pill and when our vet found out, she wasn't very happy :(

[Catsnclay]

Originally posted by JenWhite
I would check with the vet before crushing the pill in case it is a time released med. I crushed a TR pill and when our vet found out, she wasn't very happy :(

Good idea, the last thing you need on your hands is a *high* kitty! :rolleyes:

We use the baby food method: Yoshi is on a liquid Rx and Fluffy takes capsules, so I use Gerber's chicken dinner (Important that you do NOT use baby food that contains onions - very bad for kitties!! :eek: ) They each get a dolop of BF mixed with their meds, they just eat it right up!

When Lucky needed his pills, our vet gave us a pill popper, and after a few tries (I truly thought I was gaging him) we got it down right.

Queenscoopalot - just love that !! Have seen other how to's but this one is funny :)

[jenluckenbach]

SUGGESTION.......If you need to go to the vet to pick up another pill, take the cat along and tell them to do it. :D

[Don Juan's mom]

Originally posted by QueenScoopalot
It's easy! Instructions below.........;) :) :D



Pilling Cats:
1. Cradle cat in crook of left arm. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply presure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop in pill and allow cat to swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Repeat process.


Thanks a lot! I've got an audition tonight, and reading this made my mascara run all over my face! :D

Liz