We all know the genuine character of cats. The fact is that these domestic cats need all our care, since they are susceptible to suffer numerous diseases. Apart from diseases and health issues, the cat may still need medications from time to time to stay fit, eat better etc. For this reason, at some point your cat may need to take oral medications and some of them may not be in liquid form but in the form of capsules or tablets. Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. We know that your pet will not be grateful to take these drugs so in this article;we are giving you some tips to give a pill to a cat.
Why is it a tough job?
Let us understand why giving a pill is a tough job and why your cat will not feel comfortable eating a pill.
Cats get uncomfortable with anything unusual:
Cats are very sensitive animal. They easily get offended and start to feel uncomfortable if something happens against their will. If we try to make the whole medicine giving process very obvious, the cat will definitely retaliate and become stubborn. It is very difficult to give medicine to a cat who straightaway refuses to open her mouth. You may safely assume that this creature trusts no one! Hence, in order to make this process simple, quick and comfortable, follow our tips.
Cats don’t like strangers:
If you are letting your cat be handled by a stranger veterinarian, she will retaliate. Cats don’t like strangers, they will instantly feel uncomfortable. If you try yourself you will be more successful. Though the veterinarian will do it better and quicker but of course, that may be stressful for your cat. If you still want the veterinarian to do the honours, then give your cat some pep talk and make the process as smooth as you can by keeping your calm. Trust me, your cat will get through, it is you we are worried about!
Cats can be really stubborn:
Cats, unlike their canine counterparts, consider themselves the owners. Hence, they are very sensitive about hierarchy and do not appreciate any disobedience from humans. Jokes apart, cats are stubborn because they are highly sensitive and they don’t bring their guard down under unusual circumstances. Therefore, they will probably refuse to open their mouth if they think you are trying to trick them. Yes, they are smarter!
Now we will tell you how you can successfully give your cat a pill. We will mention many tips so you need to figure out what works best for you. This may take many trial and errors so don’t be disappointed, if one method doesn’t work, try the other.
1. Read the pill instructions:
this is the first step because the following tips will work only if you know what kind of medicine you are going to give. Don’t miss this step because some medicines need special care, specific temperatures, mixing instructions etc., which if you miss may cause more harm than any good. Read all the instructions carefully and store the medicine accordingly.
2. Hide the pill in her favorite snack
Cats have a very refined taste for the food, which means we can offer them either homemade or a specific feed of their choice which can be dry or moist. Although those with moist texture are more nutritious and appetizing. One of the simplest ways is to give them the pill inserted in a food bite and offer it directly from our hands, as this will ensure that she has effectively swallowed the drug. But we hope that you have already checked that the medicine can be taken with food. This should be mentioned in the instructions. If the medicine isn’t supposed to be taken with food then keep reading below.
3. Dilute the tablet in water
Diluting the pill or tablet in water is also a very practical way of giving the pill to the cat. Obviously to make sure she gets the medication she needed we will have to administer the liquid through a needle-less plastic syringe. If the medication is in the form of capsules it will also be possible to dilute the powder in water always consulting with the professional beforehand. The only case in which this method would not be possible is that which affects the extended release capsules.
4. Put the pill directly in her mouth:
If the cat refuses to ingest the medicine with food or water, you can put the pill directly in her mouth and make her swallow it right away. This method may be a little stressful for cat but is very effective. There are a few steps that you need to follow in order to put the pill in your cat’s mouth.
- Cover the cat properly: yes! That cat may attack you with her claws while you perform this ritual so make sure that you wrap the cat in her favorite blanket properly so her claws are fully covered.
- Kneel over the cat to restrict her movement: after covering the cat properly, put her on the floor and bend your knees and restrict her movement with your legs. Make sure your hands are free.
- Hold her head with one hand: if your right hand is more active, hold her head with the left one. Make sure her head is now in your palm and she is unable to move.
- Open her mouth by applying small pressure: now, with the other hand, open her mouth by applying little pressure around the jaws or on the front teeth. You may wear a glove, if you think she will bite.
- Keep the mouth open: now the hand that is already holding her head, move the fingers closer to her mouth so she cannot close her mouth anymore.
- Drop the pill in her mouth: yes! Drop the pill immediately so she has less time to take any action.
- Time to shake: now, shake her head little to ensure she has swallowed the pill properly.
- Cuddles and kisses: now that the cat has swallowed the pill, she deserves some petting, so be generous. You may also give her some pep talk, this may not be very useful for the cat but it will surely relieve you of the post-process-guilt.
- Reassure your cat before giving him medication
Both your cat and you will have a very negative experience if you try to give the medication when you are nervous. Cats are very intuitive and can notice your strange behavior and your nervousness. Before giving the tablet to your cat stay with her long enough until you feel completely calm. Remember that you are responsible for your cat to follow drug treatment so treat this issue with the highest priority. Give yourself and her the reassurance so you can perform the task confidently.
If you are looking for pill popper, get a Butler Sales Bullseye Pillgun Pet Pill Popper. This one can easily administer multiple pills in one attempt and is reusable.
It may take some practice to master the medicine giving skills but once you know how to do this, your entire life is sorted!