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Giving a (very grumpy) cat tablets
michelle666
Posts: 2,302 Forum Member
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Ok so I know all the jokes that inevitably end up with the owner in A&E, but seriously how do you give your cat tablets?
Frodo my rather large and very grumpy cat still has 2 days worth of antibiotics to take and it's getting harder and harder to give them to him. These pills are enormous by cat standards and he's getting 1 and a 1/2 twice a day. The first day I crushed them and put them in his food, but on day 2 he twigged and refused to eat. I tried all the usual hiding places like tuna and bits of chicken, but he won't be fooled any more.
I've now had to resort to breaking them into smaller bits, trapping him and forcing them to the back of his mouth but it's, A. very painful for me (my hands and arms are shredded) and B. upsetting and stressful for him which is the last thing he needs right now.
Any ideas? These tablets are about the size of an old 5p coin by the way. They look more suited to a horse than a cat!
Frodo my rather large and very grumpy cat still has 2 days worth of antibiotics to take and it's getting harder and harder to give them to him. These pills are enormous by cat standards and he's getting 1 and a 1/2 twice a day. The first day I crushed them and put them in his food, but on day 2 he twigged and refused to eat. I tried all the usual hiding places like tuna and bits of chicken, but he won't be fooled any more.
I've now had to resort to breaking them into smaller bits, trapping him and forcing them to the back of his mouth but it's, A. very painful for me (my hands and arms are shredded) and B. upsetting and stressful for him which is the last thing he needs right now.
Any ideas? These tablets are about the size of an old 5p coin by the way. They look more suited to a horse than a cat!
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Be as quick as you can, have some butter ready to offer him on your finger in between tabletsso he wants to stay near you and not run away. Also I don't know if cats are as sensitive to tone as dogs but my dog gets nervous ifi use a comforting voice and is much more relaxed if I behave as though nothing special was going on.
Works on our pair every time.
If you're going to mash the crushed pill (you did check with the vet that it'd still be effective when crushed yes? Some pills have to be taken whole to work properly), you need to mix it into something quite wet to effectively disguise it. In anything less wet, out two would sniff it out as well.
Ha ha ha!
I know where you're coming from!
If we have one cat on a course of pills, the other one has to get some paste as well or she feels left out.
If that doesn't work, try coating the pill in marmite. Very strong taste and smell, and helps the pill slide down his neck. I use that for my two cats that I have now when giving them their worming pills. Saves crushing them up. After the pill has been swallowed, they tend to sit and wash their mouth to continue with the marmite taste!, although "you either love it, or you hate it!
I mixed the pills in with salmon paste tonight, added that to his normal food and he ate the lot... albeit a little suspiciously. Only a day and a half to go now, so hopefully he won't cotton on before then. I might even be able to give the vet a reprieve from giving him his worming tablets now too.
TK
Yup .... I should have mentioned that.
Thats how we crush them down before mixing them into the paste. You can easily get the pill into a really fine power but still keep it in a contained area using a couple of teaspoons.
Glad the paste worked for you OP. It has a 100% success record with our two moggies so far!
I've never had to give any of my snakes any medication (touch wood!) but I could see that being a barrel of laughs if I ever did! :eek:
I used to do that but the little bugger would hide it in his mouth and spit it out up to 5 minutes later.
What I do with Custard my fluffly lovely Tom, is sit him on a blanket on the breakfast bar (I can assure everyone who is going 'ewww' that the b b is thoroughly bleached afterwards and Custards blanky inserted into his basket)
and then with the buttered tab, I hold him firmly by the scruff in one hand and open his mouth with middle and fore fingers then slip in tab with ring finger and thumb, it sounds like a contortionist's job but I've got so used to it, that it seems difficult to explain. I clamp his mouth shut whilst he swallows it down (sometimes he's spat it out and then I've had to start again) then he has a kiss and a treat and job done!!
I dread to think what would happen with Treacle, his sister, he's grumpy enough, but she's just like a viper!:D
All the best anyway
1. Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.
4. 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 count of ten.
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
6. 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 rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from the hearth and set to one side to repair later.
8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible 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 1 beer 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 neighbour's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus jab. Apply whisky compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw T-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12. Ring fire brigade to retrieve the cat from tree across the road. Apologise to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
13. Tie the 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. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.
14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to casualty, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnant from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
15. Arrange for RSPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
LOL:D It used to be a Wacky Race sort of atmosphere with our old cat!:D
The first one, not a problem. She is always great with her tablets.
The second one.....eventually got the tablet down her throat (I think, I followed her around, and she hasn't spit it up to the best of my knowledge). Had to wrap her up in a towel, but as always - I have battle wounds to prove the fight with her!
Repeat process in another 6 weeks time. *sighs*
Right now I am trying to give Lyra a course of antibiotics for her gums. It's umm...not going well let's say
With Daisy I can sprinkle the powder on her treats but Lyra just spits them out.
Luckily (?) these ones are availiable in an injection so I guess I'll have to do that every 2 weeks
I wish she'd let me do it, the vet makes it seem so easy. Is it because they are so scared when they go there that she'll let them do anything? Maybe I should dress up in a white coat and mask?
The vet actually showed me whilst I was there - he made it look easy but alas it wasn't!
Sometimes its a necessary evil though!! I'd recommend gloves to the OP
You put the tablet in and then squirt a bit of water in the side of her mouth so she has to swallow. Worked quite well - it was the catching her first that was the trouble as she got to know when it was coming and ran for cover!
These ones are on the one hand quite annoying as they are capsules, but on the other you can open them and get the powder out. Just difficult as can't break them up into bits!
I always pray my cats will like marmite because it makes it so easy to give tablets disguised in that. Alternatively a lot of cats like hairball remedy pastes and you can crush the tablet (if crushable) into that.
The problem with having to wrestle the cat and give a tablet forcibly is that's fine if it's a wormer, or a short course of antibios. But for longer term meds it is too stressful for both of you, and the cat will harbour a grudge the size of Texas.
Managed to get her to eat the powder by mixing it with paste (stinky crab mmm, not!) then covered a treat in the paste.
Have 4 weeks of it