How to a Pill to a Cat – without hurting your cat or getting “peeled” yourself…
Have you ever found yourself in a EPIC battle of wills with your feline friend, trying desperately to give them a pill without getting scratched or bitten?
You’re not alone.
Stories of theses struggles involved in medicating cats are legendary.
I have one of my own … some day I will write about how you should NEVER try to save your clothes from cat hair by attempting to give your pet a pill while you’re half-naked in your underwear!
Okay, too personal? Fear not – there’s a different way to do it effectively and safely.
Mastering the Art of Giving Pills to Your Cat: A Busy Cat Parent’s Guide
Whether you’ve had a hilarious mishap like mine or you’re just looking for some guidance, this article will provide you with all the tips and techniques you need to master the art of giving pills to your cat without causing stress or harm.
Cats can be notoriously difficult when it comes to taking medication. They’re sensitive creatures who can pick up on your nervousness and worry, which only adds to the challenge.
However, there are practical strategies you can use to make the pilling process easier on both YOU and your furry friend:
Keeping CALM is the key. Cats are sensitive to nervousness, and they may become agitated. Never try to medicate an excited or nervous cat.”
Narrow the field of battle. Confine your cat to one room. The bathroom is ideal but any small space with do.
Sweet talk’em. Spend time petting, talking softly to your pet in order to calm them – and yourself. don’t try to give a pill when you are in a rush for time.”
Give your kitty something to grip (other than you). Placing your pet on a piece of carpeting, towel or rug is good – cats will want to grip or rip a surface once they figure out what’s going on – better the shag then your skin.
Wrap’em if necessary. Some cats are stoic and will suffer the indignity of pills with a minimal amount of fuss. And other cats, like people HATE taking their meds. So if you need tom you can do a “burrito” wrap using a towel with your cat’s head protruding. This protects you and secures the kitty for easier handling.
Video: How to Give a Cat a Pill – Using a Pill Popper
As you can see in the video above, a basic cat pill “popper” like the Bullseye Pillgun/Popper makes giving solid medications like tablets or pills to your sick cat both painless and stress-free. Which is good for you both!
A pill popper is usually a device with a long plastic barrel with a split or rubber tip on one end to grip and hold the med and a plunger on the other.
These devices can administer tablets and capsules to cats more quickly, safely, and easily than you can with bare fingers. Some pill poppers can also be used to give liquid meds to your pet.
Here are the steps to pill a cat again…
1.) Place the pill or capsule into pill popper’s rubber or grip tip (before you pick up your pet!)
2.) Open your pet’s mouth and tilt the head slightly upward. A 45 degree angle is ideal.
3.) Insert the popper and place the rubber tip on back part of tongue.
4.) Quickly push the plunger to eject the medication.
5.) Withdraw the pill popper immediately and close your pet’s mouth. Watch for swallowing, usually indicated by your cat licking it’s nose or lips.
You can aid the cat’s swallowing process by giving them a sip of cool water from an eyedropper.
In an emergency, if a pill seems to get stuck in the cat’s month, you can also use your own saliva to help get a pill down.
Yes I know UGH, but if you have to you can quickly tilt their head back and release some of your saliva into their mouth! Better this than have your pet choke on an undissolved pill.
Now an alternative to a pill popper is a pill pocket or wrap. These pockets or maskers eliminates the need to force a pill down a pet’s throat or wrap it in some kind of fatty table food like cheese or hot dogs.
The pockets are hollow so almost size pill can be hidden inside. Plus they are made from easy to digest foods that taste good to even the most picky eater.