Pilling success! My new trick!

So Cuddles was given the Milbemax dewormer the other day. I tried to get them to get me the chewable kind, but they insisted that they only had the pill in stock. So when I was trying to give her the pill, I first tried a pill pocket. She played with the pill pocket and refused to eat it. so then I decided to actually try pilling her.....which wasn't a good idea, because it's near impossible to pill a feisty kitten! So I got smart....I covered the pill with butter and....SHE SWALLOWED THE PILL! :lol3: I know butter isn't good for her, but it was a last resort...and only have to give her the pill two times, a couple days ago and July 18th. Just thought I'd share. :lol3:

Butter?! Good for you to think of that! I am trying this *right now*

I had success pilling Mike for 2 days by just popping it in his mouth and pointing his nose at the ceiling, but then he learned to just hold the pill in there and breathe through his nose, no matter how long I hold his mouth shut.

It was a no go. He ate the butter and spit the pill back out. Anyone have any other ideas for this? He hated the pill pockets too. He has a severe URI (or something - he can't breathe) so I think his smelling is off and it makes him not as prone to eat a lot of things.

Awwww. so sorry that it didn't work out! Have you tried a pill gun? Those seem to work when nothing else will!

A pill *what*?! Lol no, I never tried it - never even heard of such a thing!

RIccaDawn said:

Butter?! Good for you to think of that! I am trying this *right now*

I had success pilling Mike for 2 days by just popping it in his mouth and pointing his nose at the ceiling, but then he learned to just hold the pill in there and breathe through his nose, no matter how long I hold his mouth shut.

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RIccaDawn said:

It was a no go. He ate the butter and spit the pill back out. Anyone have any other ideas for this? He hated the pill pockets too. He has a severe URI (or something - he can't breathe) so I think his smelling is off and it makes him not as prone to eat a lot of things.

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i would still coat with butter. but after you place the pill in the mouth, hold the mouth closed and lower the head level to allow him to swallow. you can try to rub the throat or blow in his face.

RIccaDawn said:

A pill *what*?! Lol no, I never tried it - never even heard of such a thing!

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i've used the bullseye piller. it allows you to get the pill to the back of the mouth

Yeah! My vet told me about these when I was giving my Candy oral steroids. There is also a guide on giving cats meds here: http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/ClientED/cat_meds.aspx. Also, detmut's method seems like it may work!

You might find something that works in this thread: Ideas for "hiding" pills Good luck!

My vet successfully gave Swanie a pill by standing across the room from him and flinging it in his mouth with a pill gun when he hissed at her.  Doesn't work for me.

The Pill Pockets are just so big. Angel didn't like them either, but I cut a pill that was large in half, but was still to big, so cut in quarters.

Then, I pinch off a piece of pill pocket, & only used as much as I needed to cover the pill, & any sharper edges from cutting it. 

What really helped was, I rolled them in the nutritional yeast that I sprinkle in his food, & he eats them now! (Nutritional yeast has a cheesy taste, & has "B" vitamins!).

I also bought the duck & pea ones for dogs, because they didn't have a "limited ing." or allergy one for cats.

The capsule ones are bigger, so you get more for your money! (sense I just tear off how much I need anyway). 

kittylover23 said:

So Cuddles was given the Milbemax dewormer the other day. I tried to get them to get me the chewable kind, but they insisted that they only had the pill in stock. So when I was trying to give her the pill, I first tried a pill pocket. She played with the pill pocket and refused to eat it.

so then I decided to actually try pilling her.....which wasn't a good idea, because it's near impossible to pill a feisty kitten! So I got smart....I covered the pill with butter and....SHE SWALLOWED THE PILL!

I know butter isn't good for her, but it was a last resort...and only have to give her the pill two times, a couple days ago and July 18th. Just thought I'd share.

Click to expand...

Hmmm... butter.  Not my first choice but whatever works  I'll keep this in the back of my mind next time.  3 of my cats LOVE the pill pockets so I've had not problem with pills.  The 4th cat is another story.  She'll eat the pill pocket coating away from the pill and leave the pill.   Cream cheese didn't work either.  Finally I just used the pill shooter.  I don't like using it but getting her to take the meds is next to impossible otherwise.  I'll be trying the butter idea next time

NutroMike said:

Hmmm... butter.  Not my first choice but whatever works 

I'll keep this in the back of my mind next time.  3 of my cats LOVE the pill pockets so I've had not problem with pills.  The 4th cat is another story.  She'll eat the pill pocket coating away from the pill and leave the pill.

  Cream cheese didn't work either.  Finally I just used the pill shooter.  I don't like using it but getting her to take the meds is next to impossible otherwise.  I'll be trying the butter idea next time

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LOL! That's what Angel did the firsr couple of times, ate the pill pocket, left the pill!  Really, you should try & find some nutritional yeast, & try rolling

them in it. It has a cheesy taste, & that finally worked for me.    "Good luck!"

Take a look around here.  Carolina recommended a piller that she says works well.  I bought two of them, but I haven't had to use them yet.  It's by Kruuse.  It has two sections.  In the top part, it holds water.  In the tip, it has a rubber holder for the pill.  You put the fill the top with water, put the pill in the bottom, get it in the cat's mouth, and push down the plunger.  The water pushes the pill farther than you can with your finger.

Here's a link to it in the UK.  I can't find the source I bought it from; maybe Carolina will see this and point it out.

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/manufacturers/kruuse-35
 

I use cheese sticks. Pinch off a piece big enough to stick the pill in but small enough that they swallow it and don't try to chew it.  My gang loves cheese so this works out great.

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=pillingcats Just thought I'd add in this great resource for pilling cats.

RIccaDawn said:

It was a no go. He ate the butter and spit the pill back out. Anyone have any other ideas for this? He hated the pill pockets too. He has a severe URI (or something - he can't breathe) so I think his smelling is off and it makes him not as prone to eat a lot of things.

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Sounds like Kat-Kat

I've crushed pills to powder and put them in 'wet' food.

He also likes vanilla yoghurt so I've used a teaspoon full with crushed pills and for worming medicine (at different times)

When he isn't well, he allows me to use a 5ml syringe for his medicine, I know when he feels better

How I wish this worked for my boy! We've tried coating the pills in butter and mixing them with food, ham, turkey, milk, beef broth, chicken broth, chicken, pill capsules, ice cream, treats - everything you can think of! I even bought a piller and that was the worst one yet - I couldn't get anywhere near his mouth! Wrapping him in a towel does no good, either - his head swishes around so fast!

Still searching for a way to get pills in him.

My cat doesnt get wet food normally. I crushed up the pill and mixed it with wet food. He ate some of it. He likes chewing grass. I used pieces of grass and skewered pieces of the cat food and fed it to him. He gets confused trying to get the grass out of his mouth.
 

My vet is a cat owner and knows how hard it is to pill a cat.  All of the meds she has given me are liquid.  Squirt it on the wet food, and no problems.