Unsuccessful way to medicate a cat...

[moosmom]

As you know, 15 year old Bart, is on medication for his blood pressure. The pills are so teeny, once their crushed up, they turn into a fine powder (actually a DUST). So far I've tried:

Pill in Pill Pocket
Pill in cat food
Pill in turkey baby food
Crushed pill in Pill Pocket
Crushed pill in cat food
Crushed pill in turkey baby food
Pill crushed, put in Pill Pocket
Pill crushed, put in Pill Pocket, dipped in cat food
Pill crushed, put in Pill Pocket, dipped in turkey baby food
Pill, crushed, put in Pill Pocket, drizzled with juice from Fancy Feast
Pill, crushed, put in Pill Pocket, dipped in turkey baby food, drizzled in juice from Fancy Feast


NOTHING IS WORKING!!!!!! This is getting VERY frustrating. He's old, so his eyesight is a little limited. Sometimes I have to literally pick up the dish and hold it under his nose so he knows there's food there. Yup, even warmed the stuff in the microwave.

He's very frail at this point, so I don't want to shove the pill (it's so tiny it's hard to manage) down his throat.

This old man catches on VERY quickly!! He's got a memory like an elephant!! I have never had a cat wear me down when it comes to pilling.

He'll hide under the bed till the coast is clear then come out looking for food. This medicine is critical! His B/P is 280 palp. He goes to the vet for bloodwork on April 6, to monitor his liver and kidney functions, along with his B/P.

I might try diluting the medicine in water and syringing it down his throat. I am totally at my wits end!!!

[Karen]

Sounds like the syringe might be your best bet, I am sorry you are going through this.

[columbine]

Is Bart's medicine on this list? Or this one?

Hope this helps!

Love, Columbine

[Catty1]

I've seen other PTrs mention a bit of mackerel or sardines - they are stinky fish so hide the pill smell (and taste, hopefully). Is it possible to get this med made into a gel?

[moosmom]

He's already on Methamizole transdermal, so the transdermal stuff is out. Kinda makes you wish a cat had 4 ears!!! The B/P stuff is Altenolol, 26 mg. 1/4 tab 2x/day. Someone suggested putting the teeny 1/4 in a little butter (the size of your pinky nail) and stick it in the freezer to harden. Then put it in his mouth and it'll slide down his throat as he swallows. I'm not sure about that one.

[pomtzu]

Dissolve it and squirt it! Neither of my pups fall for pill pockets, they've gotten wise to wrapping it in cheese or lunchmeat, they will find it if put in their food and spit it out. So it's dissolve and squirt it, or dissolve and pour in their food.

[Taz_Zoee]

When I had to pill Taz the vet gave me a pill popper. BUT his pills were BIG. So that probably wouldn't work for Barts teeny pills. If you dilute it in water and syringe it in him, would that break down the potency of the pill? Because I know some pills you can't smash or even break.

Good luck!! I haven't had to pill a cat since Taz. I just hope they are as easy as Zoee. I can give her a pill plain and she thinks its a treat.

[catmandu]

I try to have the medications in liquid form so I can wipe it on their paws or nose.
Sometimes like John Hancock, they just flick it off, but some tiomes it works.

[dehlers43]

Someone suggested putting the teeny 1/4 in a little butter (the size of your pinky nail) and stick it in the freezer to harden. Then put it in his mouth and it'll slide down his throat as he swallows. I'm not sure about that one.

Well, I don't know if will work with a cat but that technique certainly works for me! I have a terrible time swallowing any pill that isn't coated so I learned years ago to do the butter trick.
At this point, it sounds like it would be worth a try. You also might try a hard shortening like Crisco. Shortening melts slower than butter and it is basically tasteless.

[catnapper]

Is he not interested in he food because the powder of the pill is so bitter?

I'm currently pilling Pouncer, who is whipping my butt. Smart little brat knows when I hide it in anything, so I keep to the traditional scruff and toss method. I pray I hit the center or else he can work it back out, and I get to toss in a slimy pill

good luck girl!

[katladyd]

Ming has to be pilled every other day and has been for about two years now. Here is how I do it and it is quick and painless. I wrap the pill (Ming's are very small, also) in soft bread and gently place it at the back of his throat with my finger. He automatically swallows it and there is no bad taste. Takes about ten seconds. Ming used to fight me hard on this, scratch, claw, spit it out, until I tried this. You don't have to force it down their throat, either, which is why I like this method. Good luck, Donna!

[emily_the_spoiled]

Maybe try some KLAM JUIZE

[moosmom]

Maybe try some KLAM JUIZE

That's definitely a Phred moment!

[GILL]

Donna, welcome to my world. I ended up getting pill shooters. I have 2, one is a harder plastic and really holds the pills well. The other has a soft rubber tip. If you are not carful the pill falls out. I like the rubber tip just because I think it is safer for the throat.
They have saved my fingers and sanity. Other then that I all ways try and get the med in liquid form. Yes I have dissolved pills in water and used a syringe. With out the needle.