Drugging' my cat... So my hubby & I took our 1 yr old cat to the vet. There hyphosis was he has allergies.

Question

Q: How can I dose him with a pill.... Without: shoving it down his throat... putting it in bread...no milk (vomits)...in wet cat food (tried)...in bread & in wet cat food (tried).

Hes driving me crazy!

Answer 1

You just reminded me of a time when I had to force my cat to swallow a pill.. *shudders*

I tried it all.. even just shoving it down her throat (I usually got scratched/bit)

I used pill pockets for a few times.. until she caught on. Then she'd eat the pill pocket and spit out the pill.

I finally had to get a pill gun and use that to get it in her. It worked like a charm! I wouldn't give her a pill again without it. Worked EVERY SINGLE TIME! : )

Oh I also want to mention that I had another cat that needed meds and my vet was able to give it to me to give her in a liquid form. I just mixed it with some canned cat food and she scarfed it down. That was even easier.

Answer 2

Try a product called pill pockets. They are soft treats with a pouch to put a pill in and it can molded around the pill. The cat should just eat the treat and therefore swallow the pill. If your cat is like mine (he never chews his treats just swallows them whole) it makes it easier to pill him.  

Answer 3

Cats CAN be difficult to pill, but once the medication is down, it's down.  With a liquid, it's harder to know how much really goes in versus how much is on you, the cat, the sofa, etc.  Have your veterinarian or vet tech demonstrate the proper pilling technique.  Likely it will involve the "shove it down his throat" method.  You will not choke him.  Pill holders also are available to help save your fingers.  If you really can't manage that, can the medication be crushed for easier hiding in something flavorful like tuna, if your cat is not allergic to fish?  Good luck.

Answer 4

I have tried every method involving hiding it in food and none of them work.  The cat can smell it even if he can't see it and he will not eat it willingly.

I know you don't like the thought of "shoving it down his throat" as you put it, but it is really the quickest and easiest way of doing it, and it is also the way your vet would do it.

Just hold the mouth open, put the pill right at the back then hold the mouth shut and rub his throat, this will make him swallow.  If the pill is large break into half and do it twice.

I do this with my cats and have never had any problems, although with one of the females it does take two of us as one need to hold her while the other puts the tablet in.  But the other two cats just sit there and swallow it.

Answer 5

You can buy a piller at most pet stores.  Other than that, you'll just have to put in the back of his mouth and make him swallow.  Rarely do cats just eat pills on their own.  My cat also has allergies.  Try running an air purifier. It's help Willie alot.