How do I give a pill?

[catnapper]

Ok, I gave my boo-boo boy his Clavamox, but found it on the carpet downstairs (and gee, I was sooo proud that he took it so well.) Are there any tricks to get him to take it and actually SWALLOW it?

[guster girl]

You can wrap it in cheese or some other food. But, I've always just used one of those pill poppers you can get from the vet. :)

[PayItForward]

Yep, we use a pill gun we bought at the vets, less stress all round. :D

[catnapper]

Why didn't she tell me about that today! ugh! Can I get them at the perstore too? Would it work if I buried it in some wet food?

[guster girl]

I don't know why they didn't give you one! I don't know if you can get one at a store, though. And, you can try putting it in wet food, but, my cats always would just eat around it. With something really irresistable, they're less likely to fuss with it. but, some cats will still spit out the pill. Can you get back to your vet (or any vet) to get a pill plunger?

[Fallon]

maybe you can crush the pill until it's powdery and put it in some wet food.. the kitty wont even notice it's there and will enjoy the food. i've never used the pill gun before, exactly how does it work?

[Craftlady]

The way I give pills is hold the animal between my legs with their back side towardsme and tilt their head, open their mouth, pop the pill way back in throat area. Close mouth and rub under their chin. Blow on their face little bit they swollow.
This works for me, very rare do I have a pill come back up.

Depending on the pill some start to dissolve right away and then you have a real mess. You can wrap pill in food or cheese. My gang eats the cheese and left the pill, thus I just resorted to toss of pill in throat routine. LOL

I've used a baby medicine dropper/dispenser for giving liquid medication. You have a plunger with a tip, and cc marks it works great.

[guster girl]

it's a long, usually plastic, syringe looking instrument. it has a rubber thing at the end that holds the pill. You hold it like you would a syringe and place it in the kit's mouth, far back but, gently, and, plunge the pill down their throat. It's easy. I'm sure there's a photo online somewhere...

[Pam]

Originally posted by Craftlady
They way I give pills is hold the animal between my legs with their back side towardsme and tilt their head, open their mouth, pop the pill way back in throat area. Close mouth and rub under their chin. Blow on their face little bit they swollow.
This works for me, very rare do I have a pill come back up.


These is the method I use too. It helps if you have a second person to assist if kitty decides he/she isn't going to be cooperative. :p I tried the pill gun but the pill kept being spit back out. When you put it far enough back in their throat it has nowhere to go but down. :)

[Fallon]

i think i'd be nervous to use that pill popper.. sounds like it could hurt them.

[catcrazylady]

Pill gun is the way to go!! My vet gave me lessons and once you get the hang of it it's not so bad.
Lesson: load pill, scruff cat, twist head slightly to the side, press against side of mouth, put end of pill gun gently but far back into the throat, plunge, let go of cat and run!!
It sounds like a lot but it can be done in seconds which is what makes it great!

[catnapper]

Sheeesh! There is a lot that goes into pillign a cat! I was apparently holding him wrong, so I'll try to hold him like Craftlady suggested. If that fails, to the vet Monday for a pill shooter. :)

[QueenScoopalot]

It's all in the neck scruff! You may want to crush it up well if all else fails, and mix it into a tiny amount of meat baby food. Never easy with some of them though.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Firstly ~
NO Self-Respektin KAT will "knowlingly" consume Medications -
when "hidden" in treats or food -
no matter HOW *tastey* the treat or food may be! :p

Here's Dad's Oft-Repeated "How to Pill da Kat" article >>

Here's a good article on How to PILL da Kat ~
with minimal loss of blood...

How to PILL the Kat article (http://www.hsus2.org/international/library/eng_ht_pill_cat.html)

And we'll repeat *our* method ~
Get youselves a Pill Shooter!

They are *cheap* - less than $5.00 US;
should be availabe in any Pet Store - US and elsewhere:
cause little *stress* to either Kitty OR the Human;
almost Guarantee a successful *pilling* on the first *shot* :p

Here's a poor picture of ours - all soft plastic and made by
"Four Paws".

Pix - "Four Paws Pill Dispenser" (http://www.petdiscounters.com/dog/health/nutritional/fp_pill_dispenser.html)

Dad *loves* it; Boots tolerates it;
and there hasn't been a lost or spit-out pill in years! :cool:

Y'all really Otta Get One!!

WHERE to get a Pill Shooter?
Almost ALL Pet Shops sell them...
Usually less than $5.00 gets you a reasonably good Plastic one.

Your VET may have a loaner; but you might as well buy your own.
And you do NOT need a fancy Chrome-Plated "Vet model" your Vet
may offer to :eek: SELL you!
The Pet Shop "cheepie" works just as well!

To get meds on-board over the weekend - if the
"Using your Fingers" method in the article above doesn't work ~

Get a STRAW - plain ole Drinking Straw - semi-large diameter
(thick milk-shake size)...

Insert pill in one end...
Take deep breath and secure Kat...
Insert Opposite end in your mouth...

Open Kat's mouth with methods from above articles...
Insert KAT End of straw over Kat tongue at back of throat...

*BLOW* through YOUR end of straw -
NOTE! Important! **BLOW** (Do NOT *:eek: *suck*!!)

"Verify" Pill came OUT (in KAT) -
before re-inserting straw in your milk-shake!

/s/ Phred :D

[catnapper]

Thank you for the article. It was very informative and I know I'll have no problem once I get him in the correct postion. my guys are very willing to let me do anything to them. If I can get away with brushing their teeth without blood loss, I can pill them too! :D

[auggie]

I also recommend the pill gun. Got plenty of practice pilling 4 cats for several weeks when RB Tazzy gave everyone ringworm.
Phoenix is so easy to give medication to. Wiggle worm slinky cat Tazzy was the worse and had to be wrapped up in a towel first.

[Cataholic]

I don't use the pill gun, and I have been pilling Tex for years. I just put the pill in between my finger and thumb, and use it like a can opener on the side of his mouth, and put it in there, and close his mouth. Usually he just swallows it...;)

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

I have been giving Connor pills since his ear op. After a couple were spt back up I went back to the vet for a pill-popper - it works great!

I had to give them their annual de-worming recently (and it's a BIG pill).

Connor is such a sweetheart, he just sits and takes it, Ally, even though she is HALF his size, fights like a wildcat. It took two of us and a big bath-towel to get Ally's pill down her!!!!

[jenluckenbach]

Even though the pill popper is suppose to work so great, I heve neverbeen able to get the hang of using it without a lot of stress. :rolleyes: (OK, so I am strange)

So I use my good old fingers.

I also lay the cat on my lap but instead of looking straight at me, he would be across the lap, head in left hand, pill in right hand.

scruff (if necessary), pry mouth open WIDE and put the pill as far back as possible. When you get good at it, the pill will go right in the back of the throat where it can go no where but down.

I also, with many months of pilling consecutively, found that you do not need to actually put your fingers into the mouth. Just aim and drop. (NOTE: this revelation only came with MONTHS of experience, you must do whatever is necessary to insure it is where it needs to be)

And Phred is 100% correct, no self respecting cat will CHOOSE to just eat a pill no matter how good you think it is hid in their favorite treat.

[Barbara]

I have never seen these pill poppers around here. We use tricks:
putting it in a piece of full fat cheese, liver pate, we even put slots in wet food and put the pill in. It all works for a certain time but I hope I never get in the situation in which a cat needs pills constantly.

[Randi]

I certainly didn't look forward to give Fister a pill the first few times! :eek: I tried several tricks. One of them was to crush the pill, cut open 4-5 shrimps and put the powder inside. It worked with the first ones, but then he got suspicious and didn't want the rest. I also tried giveng him a few shrimps with nothing inside, and then the ones with the pill in - same result!

In the end I thought, I may as well try to give him the pill in one piece, and it's amazing how well that works! :) I did it while he was sitting in the windowsill, all relaxed. Stand behind him, open his mouth from the side, pop in the pill, close and stroke his throat - that will make him swallow! The less nervous you are about it, the easier it goes! :D

Good luck!!

[smokey the elder]

My cats have different ways to get pills. Some I can just pop it down the hatch, others will take it in a kitty treat.

[catnapper]

Got better today... just had really bad aim! He let me pry his mouth open about a dozen times after the miss to try and fish it out of the location it fell, and move it to where it should be. He let me do it but I wasn't successful because I didn't want to push my luck.:o ;) So I left him with the pill tucked between his jaw and gums and opened a bag of treats. I scattered a few across the table and he ate them, pill and all!:D

I forgot to mention that my little boy weighed in at just under ten pounds yesterday. And I hear he still has some more growing to do!:eek:

[catmandu]

I have a Terrible Time , pilling the Found Cats , so my Vet gives me , the medication , in Liqiud Form , and I piut it , on thier paws , or the floor , as they are fast , and I am slow. Actually JJJ3 loves the taste , and wants the medicine , whether he is ill , or not!

[RedHedd]

Originally posted by Craftlady
The way I give pills is hold the animal between my legs with their back side towards me and tilt their head, open their mouth, pop the pill way back in throat area. Close mouth and rub under their chin. Blow on their face little bit they swallow.
This works for me, very rare do I have a pill come back up. That's what I do, but instead of blowing on their face, I give them a kiss on their little kitty lips while stroking their neck/chest and holding their jaw shut. Usually they're so shocked by the kiss that they swallow. Tricky, but it works for me.

[leslie flenner]

crush with a pill crusher and spill it into some tuna that is mostly oil. only a couple tablespoons cuz you don't want him to get full before he finishes it. Tuna is so stinky, he won't taste the clavamox. Or sardines or mackeral. Or, like jan said some meat baby food- they love that crap~!

[catnapper]

I did it!!! I held him with his back to my stomach, and tilted his head to the side, and opened his mouth withh my left hand. I sort of TOSSED the pill into his mouth at the moment I opened his mouth and hit the bulleye - square center & back of throat! He swallowed it right away! Such a good boy I have!

[auggie]

:D Catnapper! LOL!
You must have some experience throwing darts.
I never thought of it that way.
Good boy! Pouncer!