need advice on pilling a cat

[ceile]

Hubby and I are experts in pilling and we are at our wits end. Never had to give this cat meds before. Tried sneaking up on her, towel wrapping- nothing. She's a biter- drew blood last night. Doesn't like wet food so can't hide it in there. Any thoughts?
The Beast in question:

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Have you tried either peanut butter or those Pill Pockets?

http://www.greenies.com/cats.aspx#/products/cat-pill-pockets

[arcane1]

2. I had to hold my kitty's mouth open and shove it down her throat

It was actually surprisingly easy, much more than I expected from such a temperamental creature.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. That works if you can restrain them but OP has tried the towel/burrito hold.

[PoliticAverse]

4. Does she have an irristable food ? Tuna with egg or something similar you can

mix the pill with ?

[BainsBane]

21. cats have the unique ability

to pick around food and leave the tiniest pieces of pill behind. I literally ground a pill into cat food and he still managed to leave the tiny pieces there. The only way I could get him to take a pill was to hold him in my arms and force his mouth open by pinching on his jaw muscles. It's been a while and I was never great at it, so I can't describe exactly how to do it.

When my dog first needed medicine, I was amazed at how easy it was to get her to take a pill. Put it in any food and the pill is gone! If only cats were so easy.

[GoCubsGo]

5. Get one of these...

You can find them at most pet suppliers. If not, your vet may carry them.



You may still have to use a towel, but at least your fingers will be out of the line of fire.

[GoCubsGo]

6. Also...

I also find that sitting on a sofa, and wedging them between myself and the arm of the sofa helps, too. Butt to the back of the couch, placing them on the opposite side to which hand you will be using to get the pill down them. Use sofa-side arm to further immobilize them, and to open the mouth. I rarely have to pill my current cat. If I had to do it long-term, I would probably eventually have to resort to a pill gun. She hates people going into her mouth.

[arcane1]

8. True, I had to sit on the floor on my knees, with her backed between them

to prevent the inevitable backwards scoot

[GoCubsGo]

9. Even better...

Sit on you butt, with your legs around her, kind of in a yoga "half lotus". Nowhere to go.

[uppityperson]

28. My vet showed me that and it works well. No one gets hurt but kitty get pilled.

[demgrrrll]

7. The pill guns are great, I used to have a cat who was a total lunatic about pilling

and this gun worked.

[PoliticAverse]

10. Seems extreme...

[Voice for Peace]

11. take the pill, OR ELSE

LOLOL

[BainsBane]

22. the NRA has no limits

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Chain mail gloves and gauntlets!

[Curmudgeoness]

13. My cat is equally impossible to pill.

The first thing I ask the vet is "can any liquid medicine work?" I have figured out how to do that easier, especially since my cat is very very food motivated and we have made a truce on liquids. He is on a twice weekly steroid for life, so we had to find a way.

When he did have to take pills, I always came out bloody. I sat on him and squeezed him tight with my legs (always wearing jeans and I would have put chaps on if I had them), then fought to get the pill in his mouth. I did find one thing about my cat---he is panicked when his front paws are restrained. For some reason, that was what put him over the edge. If I sat on him and left his front paws free, he did not fight so hard. So I would see if there was anything that make the cat go wilder, or calm down.

And when I had this to face, I also asked how to do it, and I got one suggestion that worked but was not easy to do and it was so pathetic that I could not do it a second time. But you could try it. You take a stocking, and cut the toe out. Pull together like you are putting it on until it is like a collar. Pull it over the cat's head, then quickly pull to encase the cat. It worked. The cat was immobilized. But watching him try to thrash around on the floor like a cat-headed snake was so sad....and a little funny.

[mockmonkey]

14. We've tried this for cats

The pills we have to give our cats daily is bitter so that doesn't help.

The first thing we tried was Petromalt and having them lick the pill up. It worked for awhile but they changed the formula and it's been a pain to find a replacement that they liked.

I found that when using this type of product it worked best if you balance a pill on a finger and then put just the tiniest blob to cover the pill, it's usually sticky enough that the pill will go in easy enough. Sometimes I've had to do this 3 or 4 times when it gets flicked out by their tongue.

The next thing we tried is wrapping it into a small piece of American cheese that has worked also. But there are days when they are difficult about it. Plus I kind of worry about that sticky cheese on their teeth. I don't give them that much.

For both things we scratch our cats on the back near the tail which causes some cats to lick.

If you have other cats have them try the Petromalt or cheese at the same time, cats always seem more interested if other cats are present.

I tried Pill pockets but the cats always found a way to avoid the pill and they didn't seem to care for the flavor of the Pill pocket.

I tried shoving the pill into their mouths but I hate doing that and if I did that everyday twice a day they would never come near me.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

15. This works, if you can get the critter into it.

http://www.klaw-kontrol.com/

[CountAllVotes]

16. hahahaa

Hee hee ... that's quite the outfit there for the kitty!



Good damn luck with this get-up.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

19. You laugh, but I had one (gave it away when cat got too big)

and it actually does work - it just looks more complicated than it really is. If the cat is feeling uncooperative it can be a bit of a struggle to get him in the thing, but once he's all zipped up with paws tucked in you're safe from being slashed to ribbons and you can give him his pill.

[CountAllVotes]

24. When the cat got too big

Last edited Fri Jan 25, 2013, 07:42 PM - Edit history (2)

You would have never got one paw of my old Flame into that thing! He would have mauled you good for trying to do something like that to him (note: he weighed a solid 18 lbs. no fat in his prime!).



I doubt he would have liked it.

Glad it worked for you though.

I suggest they make human sized ones of these and distribute them to all of the baggers with their guns hiding out. They'll be safe for sure!

[ginnyinWI]

17. what I do:

Wait until the cat is sleeping.

Put butter on pill.

Walk up casually and pry mouth open. This is easier if cat is not fully awake.

With its head tipped back, drop the pill down the throat. Butter will help it slide down. Hold jaws shut until you see the cat lick its nose.

If cat gets it up anyway, repeat. Remember, gravity is your friend.

Good luck! Pill shooters work, too. But still use the butter.

(Pictured below is the "victim" of a total of ten weeks on antibiotics given this way!)

[eridani]

18. Thread not complete without this humor classic

1.Sit on sofa. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your elbow as though you were going to give a bottle to a baby. Talk softly to it.

2.With right hand, position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. (be patient) As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow. Drop pill into mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs.

3.Pick the pill up off the floor and go get the cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process. Sit on floor in kitchen, wrap arm around cat as before, drop pill in mouth. Let go of cat, noticing the direction it runs.

4.Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away. Scoot across floor to pick up pill, and go find the cat. Bring it back into the kitchen. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten. Drop pill into mouth.

5.Pry claws from back legs out of your arm. Go get the cat, pick up half-dissolved pill from floor and drop it into garbage can.

6.Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of closet. Call spouse from backyard. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7.Retrieve cat from curtain rod, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered Doulton figures from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8.Get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9.Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with rubber band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take another pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed, force cat's mouth open with small spanner. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour one cup of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call at furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Get last pill from bottle. Go into bathroom and get a fluffy towel. Stay in the bathroom with the cat, and close the door.

16. Sit on bathroom floor, wrap towel around kitty, leaving only his head exposed. Cradle kitty in the crook of your arm, and pick up pill off of counter.

17. Retrieve cat from top of shower door (you didn't know that cats can jump 5 feet straight up in the air, did you?), and wrap towel around it a little tighter, making sure its paws can't come out this time. With fingers at either side of its jaw, pry it open and pop pill into mouth. Quickly close mouth (his, not yours).

18. Sit on floor with cat in your lap, stroking it under the chin and talking gently to it for at least a half hour, while the pill dissolves.

19 Unwrap towel, open bathroom door. Wash off scratches in warm soapy water, comb your hair, and go find something to occupy your time for 7-1/2 hours.

20.Arrange for SPCA to get cat and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL
1. Wrap it in bacon.

[hamsterjill]

20. Compounding pharmacy

There are some GREAT ideas in the up-posts here, especially the suggestion of using butter.

I am in cat rescue, and although I myself have no luck with pill shooters, some of my friends do.

We have had one cat in our rescue who was absolutely UN-pillable! She had a stomach thing going on and needed metronizadole, which is one of the worst meds to have to give a cat. The medication needed to get into the digestive track - so no injection would work.

She is a small little thing, but we took her to our cats-only-expert veterinarian and even HE could not deal with her.

He finally got the meds compounded and we were able to get them down her with minimal effort. The meds can be compounded with several different flavors, so pick the one that your cat is fond of. In this particular situation, the kitty liked chicken so we used chicken flavor for the compounding ingredient.

Best of luck to you. Thank you for your diligence with your girl!

[sinkingfeeling]

23. Best thing is a cat piller, like the vets use.

You can buy one on Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Pet-Piller/dp/B0002AL6U6

[tencats]

25. Cat pilling expert here

But before giving my expert advise I need to know what is the medication.

[avebury]

26. I have to rely upon liquid medicine.

I sneak up with the syringe behind my back, scruff her, and shoot the medicine in her mouth. My original Vet could not understand what the big fuss was when I kept telling him that I could not pill her ............... until I had to leave her with them when I was on vacation and he had to pill her.

I used to use vet boarding times when I went on trips to arrange to have planned vet work done (they are going to be at the vets anyway so I might was well get stuff done like teeth cleaning). My vet liked to put a pet on antibiotics for 3 days before dental work. I was going to be out of town for 10 days so I thought why should I try to pill Cookie, let the Vet handle everything. Rather then pill her he just gave her antibiotic shots.

[ceile]

27. Thanks everyone- going to get a piller today.

If that fails, we'll try the butter. Thought I had her twice- tried a pill pocket- she ate around the pill. She actually started to eat some wet food this morning- crumbled 1/2 in it- she ate around it. Never had this much trouble...

[narnian60]

29. Can the pill be smashed into dust THEN mixed with soft food

she is now eating? This works for even the bitter thyroid pills my cat needs twice a day.