How to Give Pills to Your Cat Easily

Most cat owners struggle to give their cats pills. Even vets have a hard time doing it. It may sound like an easy task, but it requires a strategy to avoid getting bitten or injured. You also want to avoid an instance of your feline spitting out the medication. Read on to learn the easy ways to give your cat pills.

Give the Pills With Food

Use your cat’s food to administer medication. You can cover the pill easily on things like peanut butter, deli meats, cream cheese, or butter. You can also use canned or spreadable cheese. Disguise it in small amounts of commercial treats. Ice cream or yogurt also hides the medicine and helps ingest with ease.

Use Hand Restraint

Safely and gently restrain your feline using your hand to give it medication. Having two people can help. Have one hold down the pet as the other dispense the pill. Ensure the cat is on a stable and non-slippery surface like the ground. 

Allow them to sit upright in front of you as they face away from where you are. Grip each of their front limbs gently above their elbows. Doing so will help prevent them from running away, retains their upright position, and controls their claws, paws, and legs.

Hold the pill in one hand. Incline the cat’s head up as you tug its lower jaw to keep its mouth open. Put the tablet on the rear of their tongue and hold their jaw shut for some seconds until they swallow it. If your cat licks its nose or lips, it means they already ingested the pill. 

Sometimes, cats do not swallow the medication. Thus, repeat the process and try to drop the pill far back into their tongue.

Use Towel Restraint 

Your feline will always know you are up to something if you want to give them a pill. Hold it safely as you support it using one arm. Also, ensure you hold its hind legs. Restrain their limbs by holding them using a towel. Doing so ensures they do not scratch you.

Always approach your cat from the back and not at the front. Grip its cheekbone gently and firmly to hold its head stable. Doing so will open their mouths. Use your index finger and thumb to clasp the pill. Hold open their mouth by placing another finger on their tiny incisor. Avoid touching their sharp teeth to avoid getting wounds. 

Open the fingers holding the pill and then put it onto the rear of their tongue and instantly close their jaw. Help your cat relax and swallow by gently massaging its throat.

Grind the Pills

Only grind your cat’s medications if your veterinarian advises you. Sometimes, doing it without instructions can be harmful. It can cause a medicine overdose or destroy protective coatings. As a result, the drug becomes ineffective. You should also never crush the slow-release medication.

You can also expose yourself to harm if you crush pills for cancer and thyroid. You should avoid doing so. Thus, only compound or grind your cat’s prescriptions if you have an explicit vet recommendation.

Utilize a Pill Plunger

Use a pill plunger to get your feline to take medication easily. The device reduces your risk of getting a cat bite when you use your fingers. Load the medicine into the plunger before you hold your pet in place. Release it cautiously so that it lands at the back of their tongue. Wash it down by giving your kitty some wet food or water. 

For more about giving pills to your cat, visit Brekke Veterinary Clinic at our office in Castle Pines or Castle Rock, Colorado. Call (720) 709-2400 or (720) 464-3525 to book an appointment today.