Teeth "chattering"/jaw spasm when pilling

samus

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Wondering if anyone's seen this before. I've been pilling my cat daily for almost two months, and feeling like I'm getting the hang of it finally. But a couple nights ago, when I went to squirt the water to wash the pill down, she did this weird chattering/spasming thing with her jaw. When I was trying to hold her mouth closed today after putting the pill in, she did it again. Could I have hurt her somehow and could that be causing it? Could she be just developing a new method to try to eject the pill? It's really weird.... the best way I can describe it how your jaw moves really fast when you're really shivering and your teeth are chattering.

My pilling method is, open her mouth by putting her head in sort of a pincer grip from above, hand over her head, thumb pressing in on the side of the jaw (on that opening spot). I use the other hand to pry her jaw down and hold her mouth open (pretty wide, but not as wide as she yawns), and stick the pill as far back as I can see with my other hand. Sort of drop it in and push it back with my thumb. Then I hold her mouth closed and squirt some water in from the side (about 1 ml) until she has a nice big swallow or two. (And then she gets dinner.) Does that sound about right?
 
Columbine

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It sounds like you're doing it just fine :) I pill my dog twice daily (chf) and he does that same chattering motion from time to time. I think it's just an indication that he's not thrilled with the process...it usually happens when he's resisting a little.

Try not to worry about it. I'm sure you haven't hurt your girl. :hugs:
 
donutte

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samus said:
Wondering if anyone's seen this before. I've been pilling my cat daily for almost two months, and feeling like I'm getting the hang of it finally. But a couple nights ago, when I went to squirt the water to wash the pill down, she did this weird chattering/spasming thing with her jaw. When I was trying to hold her mouth closed today after putting the pill in, she did it again. Could I have hurt her somehow and could that be causing it? Could she be just developing a new method to try to eject the pill? It's really weird.... the best way I can describe it how your jaw moves really fast when you're really shivering and your teeth are chattering.

My pilling method is, open her mouth by putting her head in sort of a pincer grip from above, hand over her head, thumb pressing in on the side of the jaw (on that opening spot). I use the other hand to pry her jaw down and hold her mouth open (pretty wide, but not as wide as she yawns), and stick the pill as far back as I can see with my other hand. Sort of drop it in and push it back with my thumb. Then I hold her mouth closed and squirt some water in from the side (about 1 ml) until she has a nice big swallow or two. (And then she gets dinner.) Does that sound about right?
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Hmmm has she had her teeth checked lately? The only time I've heard of chattering like that is when the vet presses on a tooth to see if it hurts (that's pretty much the only way they CAN tell unless it's so bad the cat stops eating). Although it doesn't sound like you're pressing on her teeth themselves, but that is what comes to mind.
 
SeventhHeaven

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Cat chatter their teeth when they watch birds outside when excited focused on prey- is it that kind of chattering??

Have you used a pill popper? most vet's carry them very in expensive you place pill in a tong type of tool place back of throat release hold jaw up stroke throat until cat swallows, done!

Or place cat between your legs (in the beginning) cat maybe standing but will sit during session facing same way as you, front. Bend down open mouth drop in pill hold jaw closed massage throat until pill is swallowed offer their favorite moist food immediately after 


Some people will towel wrap their baby if they fight, are hard to pill period sounds like your cat co operates so maybe just making the process less stressful would make her happier offer moist food instead of squirting water in her mouth, less chance of it going into her lungs. Make sure she is hungry before you offer pill and food.
 
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samus

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Thanks, Columbine, that makes me feel a lot better. Maybe it's a reflex.

Last time I took her to the vet (late December), the vet took a look at her teeth and gums because I asked her to (my cat wasn't eating much and I wanted to rule bad teeth out), so I think they're ok. But something could have been overlooked... I have to take her in sometime this month to get a checkup anyway, I'll make sure her mouth's checked again. (And in the mean time I might poke her teeth a little myself to see if it's triggered at a specific spot.)
 
kristenann

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Hmm, I'm not sure about the chattering but I have to second Seventhheaven's suggestion for a pill gun. I bought one for $4 at Pet Supplies Plus, I've found it makes giving pills way easier. I oil the pills with olive oil and I give him a squirt of water afterwards too. You can shoot multiple pills down at once if you have to as well. Good luck!

http://www.petsuppliesplus.com/product/Quick-Easy-Pill-Dispenser/167749.uts?keyword=pill 
 
donutte

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samus samus , out of curiosity, have you tried pill pockets or the like? I know it's pretty hit or miss between pet owners, individual cats, and even the position of the sun in the sky it seems, but it's worth a try, for sure.
 
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samus

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She has allergies to random stuff, so that knocks out the pill pockets. (I haven't seen one made out of horse yet!) My results of trying to hide stuff in the food are pretty unsuccesful.

I worry that a pill gun would make me more likely to get stuff in her lungs. The way I do it now, I only put the tip of the syringe in the side of her mouth pointing sideways when I squirt the water, and squirt it in really slowly. The idea of squirting water using something that's already near the back of her throat makes me really nervous. She's really pretty easy to pill. (I also put everything in a size 4 gelcap so she doesn't taste the gross pills, and so it's all in one little package.)

It's not exactly like the bird chirp chattering, but I am holding her mouth closed at the time, soooo. But now that you mention it, the movement seems similar. Hm.
 
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