Giving your cat a drug can become a daily battle, but it is critical to keeping your cat healthy. If you have to constantly struggle with the animal to give it medicine, in this article you will be able to read some techniques you can try to make the process easier, for example you can ask the vet to take care of it, hide the pills in some delicacy or use a cloth to hold the cat still. Read on to learn more.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Choose the Best Method
Step 1. Discuss with your vet
Before giving any medication to your cat, you should discuss it with your vet. The doctor will examine the animal and determine which therapy is best for its health condition. If medication is needed, then your vet will prescribe them and tell you how to give them to your pet. Don't hesitate to ask questions when in doubt.
- Ask your doctor for a demonstration. If you need to administer the drug without concealing it in food, then it is a good idea to ask your vet to show you how to proceed. Before you leave the clinic, ask me to practically teach you how to give the cat medicine. This way you can observe the procedure and ask all the relevant questions.
- If your cat is sick, don't try to make a diagnosis yourself. Take him to the vet as soon as possible.
- Never give your cat a drug for human use or a medicine prescribed to another cat or other pet.
Step 2. Read the medicine leaflet with great care
Before giving the product to the pet, you must carefully read the instructions and be sure you understand them. If you have any doubts or concerns about this, call your vet. Here are some questions you should ask your doctor:
- What time should I give him the drug?
- Should it be taken with or without food?
- How should it be administered? Orally or by injection?
- Is it possible to crush it?
- What are the potential side effects of the medicine?
- How can I protect myself while giving my cat the drug? Should i wear gloves?
Step 3. Consider how to give the drug to the pet
Before administering it, you need to be sure you know the best procedure. If it is possible to give it to him with food, then this technique will surely be the easiest and most enjoyable for both of you.
- With food: if it is a drug that must be taken orally during a meal, then it is advisable to use a food that is particularly appreciated by your furry friend. You can also experiment with various types of food before finding her favorite.
- Without food: If the drug is to be taken on an empty stomach, then you must use a plunger dispenser for administering pills or put the tablet in the cat's mouth while holding it still. If the medicine is in liquid form, then you can use a dropper to drop it into the pet's mouth while physically holding it.
Method 2 of 3: Giving Drug with Food
Step 1. Purchase a few treats designed specifically for drug administration
If the cat can take the medicine with her meals, then the best thing to do is to use commercial products designed specifically for this purpose. They are not very common in Italy, but in practice they are hollow tidbits in which the pill can be inserted. You can inquire at the pet shop or do an online search if you are interested. If you can't get hold of this food or your cat doesn't like it, then you can use the canned food of your choice by molding it into "meatballs" in which you have hidden the drug.
Try looking for pill-hiding treats flavored with different flavors
Step 2. Find out if it is possible to crush the drug
Giving a pill is much easier if you can pulverize it to mix it with strong-tasting food (to hide the taste of the pill); however, not all pills are suitable for this type of method. If it is a slow-release drug, crushing the pill cancels this property, thus making it possible to overdose. Or, crushing it could give it a terrible taste; once tasted, the cat will refuse the food.
Step 3. Prepare the morsels
Place the drug in a hollow kibble designed for this purpose. Make sure the food sticks to the pill so the cat won't be able to separate it and spit it out. Keep other treats handy to offer to the cat after eating the "stuffed" one.
If you have decided to use canned food, then shape four small meatballs with the cat's favorite food and insert the pill into one of them. Try to remember which one it is
Step 4. Offer the cat treats
Put them in a place where your pet likes to eat, where he usually eats or where he rests. If you have decided to use special kibble, then offer them to your cat and make sure he eats them. If he spits them out, you can try again with another bite or use his usual food and meatball technique.
To administer the drug to the cat with his usual food, then give him the two pill-free meatballs. Then offer him the "medicated" one and wait for him to swallow it; finish the procedure with the fourth normal meatball to make the bad taste of the drug dissipate. The function of this last bite is to prevent the cat from associating a bad taste with the food, which would make future administrations difficult
Step 5. Follow up with a drug-free treat
Once your cat has eaten the medication (no matter which method you choose), always offer her favorite food. You should also pet and play with him if he's in the mood. Do whatever you can to make the experience a pleasant one so he can't wait to take the next medicine.
Be aware that some cats develop an aversion to food containing the pill. Try to avoid putting the drug in the food he usually eats, lest he may refuse to eat it in the future because it is associated with the pill
Method 3 of 3: Giving Drug Without Food
Step 1. Prepare the medication
Before grabbing and locking your cat, you need to make sure everything you need is ready. If you haven't already, read the leaflet carefully before preparing the medicine. Call your vet if you are unsure.
- Your vet may give you a pill dosing syringe so you can administer the pills without food. It is an instrument, similar to a normal syringe, which must be inserted into the mouth of the cat, so as not to have to use the fingers. If it is a liquid drug, then you will need a dropper.
- Always check the dosage carefully and make sure you have prepared the right amount.
- If the medicine is in pills, also prepare a dropper with 5 ml of water that you can give immediately after the drug, to make sure that the animal swallows it and does not get stuck in the esophagus.
- Place the medicine somewhere close enough to where you are going to get the cat, so you can grab it immediately as soon as the cat's mouth opens. For example, you can put it on a paper towel, on a nearby surface, or ask someone to keep it for you.
Step 2. Wrap the animal in a towel so that only the head comes out
Cover it as if it were a roll by placing it in the center of the cloth and quickly closing the flaps over it. If you have to give him a pill without food, you will have to block him and put the drug in his mouth. If the cat is not used to taking the pills, then the chances are high that he will struggle to free himself. By wrapping it in the cloth with only its head exposed, you will have better control of the animal and will prevent it from finding a grip on your body to free itself from the grip and escape. The towel will also protect you from scratches.
- You can also attempt to hold the cat in your arms while you give the medication if this technique is more comfortable for you. You should, however, always wrap it in the towel, as there is a high chance it will escape.
- It is also a good idea to ask a friend or family member for help if this is the first time you have given the drug to your cat. In this way, one person can grab the cat while the other gives him the medicine with both hands free.
Step 3. Place the pet on an elevated surface, such as a tall kitchen counter, dresser, or washing machine
Any surface that reaches at least the height of your waist will make operations easier. Hold the cat still (wrapped in the cloth) while leaving it resting on the surface. If you are working alone, then place one hip on the edge of the surface and block the animal with one arm.
Step 4. Open his mouth
Use your thumb and ring finger to press the corners of his mouth; the animal's instinctive reaction will be to open it as soon as you apply pressure. If he doesn't open his jaws far enough to put the pill in, then gently lower his jaw with the other hand.
Do your best to avoid sticking your fingers in his mouth while holding it open. Place them only at the edges of the mouth, so they stay away from the cat's teeth
Step 5. Put the medication in his mouth
If you are using a pill syringe then drop the medicine into the back of the cat's tongue. If you are using a dropper, then insert the tip between the pet's cheek and teeth. Do not spray the liquid medicine on the tongue or throat, as there is a high chance that it will go down the windpipe causing the animal to choke.
Follow the medicine with 5 ml of water (always with the dropper), if you could not hide the pill in food. Again, give him the water by inserting the dropper between the cheek and the teeth
Step 6. Close his mouth and massage his throat
Once the pill has been inserted into the pet's mouth, close his jaw and gently stroke his throat to encourage him to swallow the medication.
Step 7. Reward the cat for his cooperation
While you can't give him a treat after the medicine to reward him, you can do something that makes him happy like petting him, playing with him, or praising him right after the procedure.
Step 8. Provide your cat with water
Use a syringe to make him drink some water; place it on the side of his mouth (remember not to spray it directly down his throat or tongue - the water will probably go into his windpipe). This will ensure that the pill does not get stuck halfway into the esogagus. Some medications can burn if they get stuck, with possible serious consequences.
Advice
- The speed and decision will help you get the pill or put the dropper in the cat's mouth before he can resist or get stressed. For this reason it is best to prepare the drug even before grabbing the cat.
- If the cat shakes its head every time you open its mouth, then try to grab it by the scruff (the soft skin on the nape of the neck), you will have a better grip.
- If the cat is running away from you all the time before you can even give him the medicine, then take him to a small room with no places for him to hide (like a walk-in closet or bathroom) and close the door. In this way the whole procedure will take place more quickly and you will not have to search for the cat all over the house chasing him every time he manages to escape.
- Ask the vet if it is possible to mix the cat's medication into a powder or liquid. For example, you could dissolve it in a little tuna oil to offer it to the cat, without perceiving its flavor.
