No living thing is immune to health problems, and despite their “nine lives,” cats get sick too. Sometimes it seems impossible to get them to take any medicine. I know several cats that won’t even eat vitamin tablets, let alone a bitter pill.
Today, I want to share the methods I use when I need to give a cat a pill or other medicine, for example a dewormer. You may also want to know how to give a cat an injection at home.
6 Tips for Giving Your Cat a Pill
1. Stay calm: that’s at least half the battle.
A sick cat is already stressed, and now you’re trying to push something into its mouth. Many people find it hard to swallow pills even when they know why they need them, so imagine how a cat feels when it has no idea what’s going on. Stay relaxed, move calmly and confidently, and keep the whole process as short as possible.
2. Hide the pill in food.
This is the easiest way to give a cat a pill. You can hide the pill in a pill pocket: soft, tasty treats with a hole for the pill, such as Greenies Pill Pockets for cats. You can also wrap the pill in a small amount of wet cat food, a pea-sized piece of cooked chicken or a dab of meat-based baby food without onion or garlic. Keep the “pill ball” as small as possible, so your cat can swallow it without chewing. A good trick is to give one or two “empty” treats first, then the one with the pill, and then another plain treat.
Watch carefully while your cat eats, to make sure the pill doesn’t fall out and is actually swallowed.
Check with your vet before hiding pills in dairy products like cheese: some antibiotics don’t work as well when taken with dairy.
3. Crush the pill and mix it into food.
Crush the pill into a powder with a pill crusher or the back of a spoon, and mix it into a small portion of wet food (this doesn’t work with dry food). Offer that small portion first, while your cat is hungry, so it eats it all, then give the rest of the meal.
Ask your vet whether the medicine can be crushed. Some pills shouldn’t be crushed or mixed with food, because they lose their effect, taste extremely bitter or have a special coating.
4. Ask about a liquid or a flavored version.
If your vet says it’s OK, crush the pill and mix it with a very small amount of water, no more than about a teaspoon. Draw the liquid into a small needle-free syringe. Hold your cat steady, gently tilt its head up slightly, insert the tip of the syringe into the side of its mouth, behind the canine teeth, and squeeze the liquid in slowly, a little at a time, so your cat can swallow without choking.
Many medicines are also available from compounding pharmacies as flavored liquids, chewable treats or even gels that are rubbed onto the ear. Ask your vet whether that’s an option, especially for long-term medication.
5. Place the pill at the back of the tongue.
I use this method only if none of the others work. Approach your cat when it’s calm, hold its head from above with one hand, and gently tilt it back. Use your other hand to open its mouth by pressing down on the lower front teeth, then quickly drop or push the pill as far back on the tongue as possible. Close your cat’s mouth, hold its head slightly tilted up for a few seconds, and gently stroke its throat or blow lightly on its nose to encourage it to swallow. Watch carefully to make sure the pill is swallowed. A pill popper (pill gun) can make this easier and keep your fingers safer.
If your cat struggles, wrap it snugly in a towel (“kitty burrito”) with only its head showing, or ask someone to help.
6. Always follow up with water or food.
A dry pill can get stuck in a cat’s esophagus and cause inflammation and even scarring that narrows it, especially with some antibiotics, such as doxycycline. After giving a pill by mouth, use a syringe to give your cat about 1 to 1.5 teaspoons (5–6 ml) of water, or give it a small treat or some wet food to help the pill go down.
Whichever method you choose, check with your vet first. Remember to stay calm, talk to your cat gently and softly, and praise it and give it a treat when it has taken its medicine.
