HELP pilling cat please

My cat figured out that I was hiding a pill in his greenie pill pocket, and he now refuses to eat anything soft that resembles a pill pocket (cheese, treats, etc.). I've tried hiding it in his food but of course he eats around it. I've purchased a piller (looks like a syringe that shoots out a pill), but I'm having a lot of trouble holding his mouth open.

Any tips or advice would be really appreciated. I can get my bf to help too, but both of us have a hard time opening his mouth or getting him to swallow. I'm scared of being bitten, and I'm also worried that I might shoot the pill into his throat and cause him to choke. Is that a possibility?

I'm literally in tears at the end of it because it's so stressful for the both of us.

After pilling many, many cats - I have only been bitten bad enough to bleed once (by a feral) but it wasn't too long before I gave up using a piller and manually pilled them

This video is basically the way I do it and is probably better than a written explanation, if your cat tends to kick, wrap him in a towel
http://cats.about.com/cs/catmanageme...ht/pillcat.htm
explains it fairly well

You could also ask you vet if whatever medicine is safe to grind and mix with a little chicken broth and use a (non needle) syringe to give it to him

I find that sometimes it is easier to give a liquid.

I grind up the pill very fine, mix with a small amount of water or other liquid that is cat friendly. Put in a syringe, (no needle of course).

Have someone hold the cat. Lift their lip toward the rear of the mouth and put it in that way. It is quick and your fingers don't have to enter the mouth as they would trying to put a pill in.

I don't squirt it in real fast cause I don't want my cat to choak. It works fine and then they can enjoy their treats again without suspision.

I have also used butter. I coat the pill with butter and my cat actually liked the butter. He then spends time washing and swallowing the oily residue from the butter. Then the pill goes down even better because of the increased swallowing and slippery pill.

Hope this helped. It is a challenge!

Thank you icklemiss21 and farleyv for your help and replies!

The video and article were really helpful. I also coated the pill with butter, and it went a lot more smoothly this morning. I still need to get over my fear of being bitten, but I think when I'm more firm/confident he struggles less, which is good for the both of us!

I'm still worried that he could choke. If I hold his head towards the sky and throw/syringe the pill in, is it possible that he could choke on the pill?

I use a different technique for restraining my cats:

Have the pill ready to administer. Kneel on the floor with your ankles crossed under your behind. Place the cat between your thighs with his/her head facing away from you. The cat can't scoot backwards with your ankles in the way and can't scoot side to side with your thighs there. Have your thighs close to the cat without squeezing them.

Assuming you are right handed: Place your left hand on the top of their head with your thumb on one side of their upper jaw and your index or middle finger on the other side. Open their mouths and use your right hand to insert the pill. I use a pill gun, and come at them from a slight angle so they don't see it coming. Once the pill is in their mouth, (drop the pill gun if you used that) place your right hand under their chin and angle their head upwards at about a 45 degree angle. Rub their throat if necessary if they have not swallowed. I then give them long scritches and praise them to death. With my Muddy, I kiss the top of his head over and over again as he really likes this (e.g. do something after the pill that is very pleasurable to them).

And before you do this, take a deep breath and remain calm. It's always harder to do if you are stressed yourself as your cat will pick up on that.

Here's another good 'how to' video.
http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/Ca...g/Entire-Video


Cleo and Lola both get capsule medication daily. I always wet the capsule in my mouth before popping it into their mouth, which helps to keep it from sticking on their tongue (probably works as well as butter, is a lot less messy, and more convenient.) Cleo is a breeze to pill in any position. Lola is easier if I lay her on her back in my lap. I use my left hand positioned over her face, with my thumb on one side of her mouth, my index and middle fingers runnng along her nose, and my ring finger on the other side of her mouth. I hold the pill between the thumb and index finger of my right hand, and pry her mouth with my middle finger (or ring finger) of my right hand. I can then gently hold her head, and exert pressure with my left hand on the corners of her mouth to open it fully, pop the pill in, scoot it toward the throat with my right index finger....viola! She swallows the pill, my fingers are whole....and she's only p'd off at me until the treat comes!

What kind of pills are you giving?

Many medications can be converted into more palatable forms at special compounding pharmacies. Liquids, injections, and even transdermal gels are possible, depending on what the medication is.

Originally Posted by karenkaren07

My cat figured out that I was hiding a pill in his greenie pill pocket, and he now refuses to eat anything soft that resembles a pill pocket (cheese, treats, etc.). I've tried hiding it in his food but of course he eats around it. I've purchased a piller (looks like a syringe that shoots out a pill), but I'm having a lot of trouble holding his mouth open.

Any tips or advice would be really appreciated. I can get my bf to help too, but both of us have a hard time opening his mouth or getting him to swallow. I'm scared of being bitten, and I'm also worried that I might shoot the pill into his throat and cause him to choke. Is that a possibility?

I'm literally in tears at the end of it because it's so stressful for the both of us.

Click to expand...

I hope you were able to get him to take his meds. I myself have dealt with many cats working as a vet tech that didn't want to take their meds. When you used the pill pocket did you pinch it shut with the same hand you had the pill in??? It may seem like a silly question but you should always have the pill pocket in one hand and the meds in the other. To prevent transfer of medicine smell or taste, do not touch Pill Pockets with the hand that held the pill. I know there are some smarties out there that still figure it out but I thought I would check.

Good luck to you!

Wow, thanks everyone for all the awesome tips!

I was able to get him to take his pills this morning. I will have to do it again this evening, and hopefully I will get better with time.

I'm giving him clavamox and tramadol. He just had surgery (he had entropion, where the lower eyelid rolls in), so they had to cut off a piece of his bottom lid and stitch them back together. He looks pretty sad (eyes are shaved, arms shaved, and one leg shaved). He found me 6 months ago as a stray tomcat, and I just recently had him neutered, so he has a huge head that's hard to hold still! I'm still building up my confidence so I can hold his head steady and his mouth open.

Pookie-poo, I wish I could get him to lay on his back! He's so adorable when he does, but he only allows that when he's playing or super sleepy.

I will try to pill him again tonight and keep everyone's advice in mind.

Also, does anyone know whether he can choke when I throw the pill in his mouth? I think the fear of accidently choking him is holding me back a bit.

Thanks again for all the help!

NutroLori, he figured out that there was medication in his pill pocket because he chewed it and he tasted it (he used to swallow it whole). After that, I used soft treats and at first it worked, but you're right. I used both hands and I think I got the powder from the tramadol onto the treat itself, because he sat there sniffing it and refused to eat it! Definitely a good idea to use one hand to avoid the transfer of smells! Unfortunately he's pretty suspicious now, but hopefully in the future he will forget and I can try it again!

I've been pilling Cleo daily for more than 8 years (she has renal failure) and I've never had her choke on a pill. I think their gag reflex is more effective with solids than it is with liquids. I have had cats choke and gag with liquid medications, and it is fairly easy for them to aspirate a liquid if it is forcefully introduced into their mouth (as it often is when using a syringe.) That is why it is recommended to syringe slowly, from the side of the mouth when giving liquid medications. I've seen Lola make a little coughing/gagging noise before, when she's spit out her pill....cheeky little monkey that she is! But neither of them have ever really choked on the pill or capsule.

Good luck with the pills. Have faith...it will get easier. Always be sure to follow the pills with a little food or a syringe with a couple mls of water. If the pills don't go down all the way, there is a rare chance of esophageal erosion. Even just a treat or two will stimulate swallowing, and continue the pills into the stomach.

Thanks Pookie Poo! I'm probably worrying too much about it, which isn't good for either of us. Will pill him in an hour, and after all the replies, at least I am feeling more confident!

I have had the same experience as pookiepoo, as far as pills vs liquids

I have had a cat cough up a pill a minute or so after taking the pill (he was one of the easy ones who would eat pills out of your hand) but thats about it

I always give mine a treat after a pill, to both help the pill go down and to reinforce in their minds that the pill is a good thing

Originally Posted by karenkaren07

NutroLori, he figured out that there was medication in his pill pocket because he chewed it and he tasted it (he used to swallow it whole). After that, I used soft treats and at first it worked, but you're right. I used both hands and I think I got the powder from the tramadol onto the treat itself, because he sat there sniffing it and refused to eat it! Definitely a good idea to use one hand to avoid the transfer of smells! Unfortunately he's pretty suspicious now, but hopefully in the future he will forget and I can try it again!

Click to expand...

Maybe try to give them as treats for awhile with nothing in them to see if that helps him eat them again. They too smart for their own good sometimes.

Hi everyone! Pill time went a lot better this evening. Last morning took an hour, this morning took 15-20 minutes, and today we finished in 10!

The hardest part now is holding his head still and keeping his mouth open. His head is HUGE and impossible to hold with one hand! After I get a pic, I will post a picture of him.

I'll continue trying to give him his soft treats with nothing in them. I'm pretty sure he'll give in eventually; he is a big eater and loves his treats so I doubt he can say no to them forever! I finish by squirting in a little water, and then I give him crunchy treats and he enjoys them very much. He gets fed soon after.

Thanks again everyone for all the great advice and videos!

Awesome! I hope it continues to get better.

Yay!!! Thanks for the update! Can't wait to see a photo.

Good for you! It DOES get easier. I am MUCH better at pilling than adminstering a liquid, and our cats will NOT eat ANYTHING that has any medication in it. We used a compounding pharmacy to make tuna flavored liquid, and that didn't work either

I use the same method as Momofmany (on the floor on my knees, sitting on my feet....). I'm right-handed, so my right forefinger has gotten chomped several times because I'm a spaz with the pill gun, but I can get the pill over the hump of the tongue in like a couple of seconds now.

For me.... it was just about finding the confidence and just not worrying that I was hurting the kitty. I focused on them needing the meds. That was really the turning point for me.

Keep up the good work!

I've had decent success rolling the pill in some Laughing Cow cheese. The cats like the taste and it's very sticky (worse than butter) so it makes the pill hard to spit out (once you get it off your finger and into the mouth). Wrapping a tiny bit of turkey lunchmeat around the cheese (making a sort of hors d'ouevre!) has also helped with my tough-to-pill cat.

These days. we're pilling a tiny 6-lb. Persian twice a day with several different pills. We give them to her in two doses, each is wrapped in one-half of a Greenie pill pocket, just enough to cover all the pills. The "treats" are still pretty big in her tiny mouth, and yet she's never choked. As soon as she swallows one, in goes the other. I hope that helps you relax a little.

I'm lucky in that we're a two-person operation around here. My husband holds her on her back and I open her mouth and drop in the pill as deep as I can (and catch it if it comes back out). Even on her back, she never chokes, and we've been doing this a long while.

Good luck!

This was sent to me in an email with pictures, which I obviously can't share. I can relate. I own this cat!

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION :

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby.

Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth.

Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa.

Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand.

Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe.

Call spouse in from the garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws.

Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail.

Get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit.

Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw

9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans and drink one beer to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed.

Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door onto neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink.

Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from the top of the tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat.

Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Using heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed, tie the little *&#%^'s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat to wash pill down.


14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Arrange for RSPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.


How To Give A Dog A Pill

1. Wrap it in bacon.

2. Toss it in the air.