Cats can be very finicky about taking pills – despite hiding it in all sorts of foods, you might still find that your cat can sniff out the pill and will refuse to eat it. In these cases, pilling the cat by hand is probably necessary. Let’s take a look at how to do so safely and quickly to lessen the amount of stress on your cat.
First, sit your cat down so his back is facing you. If you anticipate that your cat will put up a struggle, then wrap him gently in a large towel so that he cannot scratch and wiggle as much. Gently tilt your cat’s head back towards you and up towards the ceiling.
With one hand, gently pull down your cat’s lower jaw. As his head tilts back, his jaw might naturally open slightly. Tilt the jaw open enough for you to insert the pill with your other hand.
When you put the pill into his mouth, try to get it as far back in his mouth as possible. Cats are incredibly talented in pushing pills out of their mouths. A pill gun can help here – it holds the pill and you can push it into the front of the cat’s mouth. Press the button on the gun to release the pill, and hopefully it ends up farther back in your cat’s mouth – without risking your fingers.
Once the pill is in his mouth, close his jaw gently and rub the bottom of his throat to encourage him to swallow. Blowing on his nose sometimes works to make him lick his nose and swallow in the process. Watch him carefully once you let him go to be sure that he’s swallowed the pill and won’t simply spit it out – some cats will hold pills in their mouths for a minute before spitting them out again.
If you truly run into trouble, your vet can demonstrate the process for you. Some cats are difficult to pill; for these it might be best to get a liquid or compounded form of the medication if it’s available.
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