How to give medication to an very hostile cat?

Hi
My oldest cat needs to get regular doses of a ntibiotics. To say he is mean is putting it mildly and he certainly a lot stronger than I am (I have bite marks on my arm to prove it).

He was being a darling and eating the antibiotics if I put it in tapioca pudding for him. But he decided that he does not care for the pudding anymore and is refusing to touch his treats if I put the antibiotics in them.

How can I can get him to take his medication? Holding him down and shoving it down his throat is not going to work

Any advice would be appreciated.

Does he like tuna??? cheese???

Have you asked if the meds can be compounded into a liquid??? Liquid is easier with my older one

There are a couple ways- I regularly have to pill my outside ferals because they catch mice-

You can wait till they are at rest, go up to them, and while they are still on the ground scruff their neck. Press gently downward, then take a pill pusher, and gently insert it into the side of the mouth, work it around and shoot the pill straight down the throat.

Use spray cheese- take a bit of cheese and put it on your finger. While the cat is at rest raise your finger over his nose so he has to lift his head to smell it. Once he takes it, praise him, then take the cheese again and this time tuck the pill inside- repeat the procedure, he should gulp it right down.

Kneel on the floor- cross your ankles behind you, then sit on your legs. Take the cat and place him with his back to you between your knees. Scruff his neck, raise his head and using the pill pusher shoot the pill down his throat. he will try to get away, but he will backpedal and go nowhere.

I would also talk to your pharmacy and see if they can compound it either into a tasty treat or a transdermal gel. The gel will require you to clean the kitty's ears regularly, but for some it is easier than dealing with sharp teeth.

I read with a great deal of interest regarding Pill Popping. I have never been successful with this and we have 6 Cats. We have tried the delicious foods but they soon get wise to this. The suggestion of a Pill Popper firing a pill down the throat sounds wonderful, my one worry is; how can you be sure that it is going the right way? The last thing one would want is to have your little friend choking on a pill, what do you do then? It may be a bit more expensive and definitely not practical in most cases but I like the way the vet is able to do it with no effort. Have you noticed how good your Cat is when the vet does it. Why is that?

As a nurse, I have been known to ask for them to get a shot of antibiotic rather than try giving oral meds. I can give them the f/u injection if needed, and almost anyone could learn to do it. If you don't have better luck getting his meds in him, call the vet and ask if a shot is a possibility.

Have you tried "pill pockets"? It's a soft sticky treat food that you seal the pill in. It hides the smell and taste of the med and the cat just swallows the whole thing. I found them at petco, but they are much less expensive from various web sites.

Thanks for the all the tips! I should have mentioned that I insisted on a liquid formulation.

I have stocked up on spreadable cheese, whipped cream, and more pudding. All of his favorites. Hopefully he will be more cooperative today. Last night I finally just dabbed the pudding with antibiotic on his nose so he ate it as he cleaned up.

I think he is also upset because I have not been very good at cuddling with him. It is painful when you have a domestic tiff with your own cat.

At least when the other kitty (the infamous Gigolokitty) falls ill he is too lazy to protest and I can just shove the stuff down his throat.

Those Pill Pockets really work. Red Cat is about as difficult a cat to pill as is out there. And at 15.35 pounds, he is a lot for an "old lady" to try to handle. I'd tried hiding pills in everything I could think of and he'd take one sniff and reject it, but those Pill Pockets apparently have a strong enough (and pleasant to him) smell that he now comes running when I rattle the package and he'll gobble it right up.

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

As a nurse, I have been known to ask for them to get a shot of antibiotic rather than try giving oral meds. I can give them the f/u injection if needed, and almost anyone could learn to do it. If you don't have better luck getting his meds in him, call the vet and ask if a shot is a possibility.

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My husband is an RN, and I took a "home" nursing course simply to be able to be qualified to give injections (a necessity where I live), since we had a former feral that couldn't be "pilled". We always give shots whenever possible. Half the time, the cats or dogs don't even seem to notice the slight discomfort. It's a lot less stressful than attempting to give a cat a pill, though I have to say that most dogs aren't a problem in that respect.