Tips for giving pills to a cat (eating, food, antibiotics)

[mchelle]

Some of you may have read my other thread about my cat Kimber. She was not eating for a while and upon a vet visit it was discovered that she had an infection. She was put on antibiotics. The only problem is that my mom called me today in tears because she can't get Kimber to swallow the pills. (I haven't been there lately cause I've been working 15 hour days between both jobs, so save the flames.) I'm going over there tonight to do what I can. My mom said that she tried coating the pill in the juice from Kimber's food, butter, etc but that didn't help it go down. Kimber actually bit her one of the times. (Woop dee doo, she doesn't have big teeth. ) After trying a few times my mom just gave up. As a result, Kimber has been getting progressively worse. My mom said that she is 'wasting away'.

I'm planning on just having my brother hold her down while I put the pill in. I don't care how long it takes. Maybe (probably ) i'm just clueless but I can't see how it can be that hard. Anyway, does anyone have advice for this situation? Any tips?

[Wilson513]

If you get it in the back of their mouth they can't use their tongue to get it into position to spit it out. So, you can open their mouth with one finger and slip it into the back on the other side with another finger. Wet the pill and stick it to the tip of your finger first. If you get the pill in the back or their mouth, hold her mouth shut until she swallows. You will know it when she does it.

My cats never once ate a pill buried in food and you can't grind them up unless the vet tells you its ok to do because it changes the rate of medication on most medicines.

If you can't get it done, take her to the vet and get a shot. Its not worth fooling around with a hot infection.

[mchelle]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

If you get it in the back of their mouth they can't use their tongue to get it into position to spit it out. So, you can open their mouth with one finger and slip it into the back on the other side with another finger. Wet the pill and stick it to the tip of your finger first. If you get the pill in the back or their mouth, hold her mouth shut until she swallows. You will know it when she does it.

My cats never once ate a pill buried in food and you can't grind them up unless the vet tells you its ok to do because it changes the rate of medication on most medicines.

If you can't get it done, take her to the vet and get a shot. Its not worth fooling around with a hot infection.

I had no idea that there was an option to get a shot. I'm going to discuss that with my mom asap. Thanks for the advice.

[mchelle]

Apparently she already had a shot and the pills were supplemental. She could get another one, my mom has to check with the vet.

[ouijeewoman]

Get some pill pockets, you can find them at a pet food store and see if she'll take the pill this way. Some of my kitties love the pill pockets! Good luck to you and Kimber.

[mchelle]

Well now it looks like I'll be going over there tomorrow morning because my mother wants to go to sleep early. Sigh.

So tomorrow I'll let you guys know how it goes. I'll try the pill pocket, thanks for the suggestion.

[Charles22]

Butter. Put some salt on the butter and the pill. It makes the cat salivate and is easier to swallow the pill.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by mchelle

Some of you may have read my other thread about my cat Kimber. She was not eating for a while and upon a vet visit it was discovered that she had an infection. She was put on antibiotics. The only problem is that my mom called me today in tears because she can't get Kimber to swallow the pills. (I haven't been there lately cause I've been working 15 hour days between both jobs, so save the flames.) I'm going over there tonight to do what I can. My mom said that she tried coating the pill in the juice from Kimber's food, butter, etc but that didn't help it go down. Kimber actually bit her one of the times. (Woop dee doo, she doesn't have big teeth. ) After trying a few times my mom just gave up. As a result, Kimber has been getting progressively worse. My mom said that she is 'wasting away'.

I'm planning on just having my brother hold her down while I put the pill in. I don't care how long it takes. Maybe (probably ) i'm just clueless but I can't see how it can be that hard. Anyway, does anyone have advice for this situation? Any tips?

Our cat would kill for cheese. So we wrap the pill up in a bit of cheese and she gobbles it down like it was her last meal. I am told that you can also put it in a cats mouth, hold her jaws together and smear butter on her nose. Apparently, the act of licking the nose also triggers the swallow mechanism. Of course, I never had to use this but I read it works.

Try cheese. My cat will actually CRUNCH up a pill while she is eating the cheese, she loves it so much. YMMV

20yrsinBranson

[greg42]

Amber loves pill pockets, chicken flavor. I think there's also a salmon flavor, but I've never tried it because she loved the chicken right off and still does. They're made by Greenies. Expensive, no doubt, around 7-8 bucks a pack (which has approx 45 in it). But Amber is on meds probably forever now (hyperthyroid), and she has taken twice a day pills for the last 7-8 months. Because of the pill pockets, it is still a treat to her every time, just can't recommend enough. You'll have to go to some kind of pet store (Petsmart or Petco should be fine if you have them, or better a local shop if you have that) to find them, or some vets may stock them. I've not seen them in a grocery or Target type store.

[MiTaylor]

We did the butter thing with Guinness and it worked out fine. One of us would hold him (and pet him and talk soothingly to him) while the other put the pill on the back of his tongue. He swallowed it and we gave him treats and more pets and snuggles.

Good luck!