Please help with "pilling" ideas!

Backstory; I have a fully vetted feral who comes in and out, (he was the only survivor in his litter, than mom got killed) as long as I don't touch him, we're friends.

4 days ago he came to me with a broken leg at his elbow joint. My vet gave me Tramadol and metacaim and wished me the best. For a day or two I tricked him by hiding the meds in chicken or tuna. Now he's onto me. Sniffs it out immediately. There's no way he'd eat a pill pocket. I even tried coating it in meat, then rolling it in his probiotic which he loves. (I tried cheese too)

Please tell me someone has some advice. He's my only feral I can't touch.

Believe me, I can sympathize, having had a cat with a heart condition who was very difficult to pill. This thread gives a rundown on what worked for me, along with suggestions by other members: Ideas for "hiding" pills?

Good luck!

Reading now, thank you!

Hhhhhhhhh! He completely mistrusts me now. I tried almost every on your thread except eggs, which I think will fall apart. He was vaguely interested in some refrigerated coconut oil, so I left the room, praying to the cat God's he eats it. Lol

I bought some chicken flavored gelatin capsules to pill a feral.  He needed to be wormed with Dontral and it could not be mixed in anything as the taste is so foul.  I purchased a package of small gelatin capsules and I could cut the pill in half and place the pill in the capsule.  I then was able to hide it in the wet food.  All 3 of my ferals took the capsule.

Here is where I purchased them http://www.capsuledepot.com/chicken-flavored-capsules/

I ordered a size 3.  My vet told me about them and gave me a few to try before I ordered them.

The only thing that has ever worked for me is whisker lickin's soft treats. I put the pill in the middle and fold it with fingers on both hands to become a triangle then I give that with other undoctored treats. If the pill is bitter you need to use the hand that didn't touch the pill to do the folding becuase they will taste the bitter.

And salmon and chicken flavor only ...for some reason no cat has ever been a fan of chicken and cheese

I got those salmon 'pill pockets', tear a tiny piece off to hide the pill in, then 'cement' it to a hard treat. Then I slip it in with the untreated treats and my cat eats it right up. So far he has never refused, and it's been 3 months now. Good luck!

You can try crushing the pill in a small amount of stinky food - or Gerber's chicken baby food.  Whenever I give my cats pills, this is the only thing that works.

Don't put too much food down initially to make sure he eats it all.  You can always give him a little more.

Maybe I will get some pill pockets and some Whiska's soft treats. He's a very intelligent cat and he has my number. The coconut oil is untouched, but he is resting. Who knows how comfortably. He loves chicken, but even wrapping chicken around the pill isn't working anymore.
Thanks ladies!

They can smell the pill inside. Have you tried giving him a pile of little chicken pieces with the doctored up one in the middle of the pile? I think the trick is hiding the smell and taste with normal smelling and tasting pieces. I hope the little fella is on the mend soon he sounds like my Tomcat who was completely feral but I turned into a house cat.
If I can ask how did you convince your vet to give you medicine without seeing him? I am not going to say what I have had to do to get meds for the ferals I feed....nothing that bad but...no really on the up and up.

I'm not sure if this is effective, but did you try grinding the pill into power and mixing with food or milk? Did you check with the vet to see if you could get medications that dissolve in water? Maybe that would make it less noticeable.

Your friend is smart! Good luck.

My cat will do the pill pockets - but only for a couple times, They learn super fast !

If it's more than 3 pills I'm in trouble. Never had to pill my ferals ( crossed fingers.)