Giving A Cat Pills Or Capsules
Hold the cats head from the top using your left hand if you are right-handed. The cats cheekbones provide a convenient handle to hold the head firmly without causing discomfort.
Tilt the head back and the cat will often drop its lower jaw open.
Hold the pill or capsule with your right hand between your thumb and index finger. You can use a remaining finger on your right hand on the lower incisors to keep the lower jaw open. Keep your finger over the small incisor teeth and not over the sharp fangs . Drop the pill or capsule as far back over the tongue as possible, then immediately close the mouth and blow on the cats nose to encourage it to swallow.
If the cat does not open its mouth when you tilt back the head, hold the pill as before and place your middle finger of the same hand over the small incisor teeth not over the sharp fangs to open the lower jaw.
Pull open the lower jaw. Keep your middle finger in place to hold the lower jaw open , then either drop the pill or capsule as far back on the tongue as possible or use your index finger and thumb to push the pill over the back of the tongue.
If you use your thumb and index finger to push the pill over the base of the tongue, your fingers will be inside the cats mouth, and you must work rapidly to avoid getting bit.
Close the mouth and stroke the cats neck or blow sharply on its nose to encourage swallowing.
Using A Wet Food To Get Cats To Eat Medication
You can use regular wet food to get cats to eat medication. Again, just make sure to give a very small amount with the medication, so it all goes down in a few licks.
If you have a cat who eats wet food already, and he or she just isnt eating the food if the medications in it, you might want to get something like a salmon based wet food, as maybe the strong smell and taste will help cover up the smell and taste of the medicine.
How To Feed Your Cat Liquid Medication
- Many people prefer liquid medication for their cats, and this may be possible with many medications. You could use the same method by opening the cats mouth and giving the dropper full of medication but be careful not to choke the cat.
- Never approach a cat from front to feed medication, they are sure to resist. Another way to getting the liquid medicine in is, to hold your cat down and lifting its whiskers, use a dropper or syringe without a needle. Use your fingers to open the mouth on the side right behind the fangs under the whiskers you will find a gap between the molars to squirt the liquid in but slowly release the medicine without choking the cat.
- The cat may spit out the medicine, but there are chances it may have ingested most of it so do not try to feed it the medicine again unless you are certain that it did not ingest any at all.
- Many owners wonder if they could mix the liquid medicine with food. However, a cat or kitten may be able to deter the change in taste and may avert the food and in turn, does not get the dose at all. Besides, you do not want the cat to stop eating at all which can become problematic.
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What To Know About Giving Your Cat Medicine
If you have ever attempted to give your cat medication, you know it can be quite a challenge, for both of you. Were here to give you some tips to get the job done right, the first time, and still be buddies with your cat. Somes cats may run and hide, while others may be curious. The following tips may help:
Tips On Giving your Cat Medication – Pills, Liquid or Transdermal Gel
- For administering pills to your cat, you can use Pill Pockets. These are soft tasty treats that you insert the pill into to disguise the cat medication.
- Pill guns are designed to place the pill on the back of the tongue where the cat is least likely to reject the medication.
- Some medications are available in liquid form. Your veterinarian will talk to you about dosing and how to properly administer the liquid medication. Liquids can be compounded to a flavor your cat enjoys.
- Some medications are available as Transdermal Gels, meaning that they are applied topically like a lotion. With transdermal gets, it is important to understand the absorption rate and pay close attention to dosing.
How To Give A Cat Liquid Medicine
How To Give A Cat A Pill
If you have to give your cat a pill, one of the best methods is the “rule of 3”. Take the pill pocket, or other tasty treat, and divide it into three. Step one, give your cat a bite of treat without the pill, Step two, give your cat a bite of treat with the pill in it. Step three, give your cat a bite of treat without the pill in it.
What If My Cat Wont Take Liquid Medication
If you have tried all of these methods and you are still unable to give your cat liquid medication, speak with your veterinarian about other options for administering the drug. In some cases, the medication can be compounded into a different form, such as a tuna flavored liquid, a chewable treat, or a flavorless capsule. Certain medications are also available as transdermal creams that are applied to the skin on the ear flaps.
Some medications are not available in alternate forms. In those cases, you may be able to bring your cat into the veterinarians office when it comes time for medicating, where a trained professional can do it. Or, better yet, ask if a veterinary technician can come to your home and administer the medication.
Using a calming pheromone diffuser or spray, such as Feliway, can also help to calm your cat down during medication time.
Remember that cats are very attuned to our emotions. If you remain calm and collected when it comes time to medicate your cat, that may help calm them down, as well. Work slowly and reach out to your veterinarian for advice if things are not going well.
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Prepare To Give Your Cats Medication
Read and follow the instructions on the medications label:
- How often must the medication be given?
- Does the medication need to be given with food or on an empty stomach?
- Can this medication be given with other medications or supplements or do they need to be spaced out?
- If a liquid, does the medication need to be shaken?
- If kept refrigerated take it out and warm to room temperature in a warm water bath .
Have the medication, canned food, pill pockets, or treats easily within your reach.
Calmly bring your cat into a quiet room. Place your cat onto your lap or a table with a familiar towel or blanket sprayed with Feliway . Assure your cat with your calm soothing voice and gentle petting . Cats feel more secure and safe when wrapped in a blanket or towel with only their head out. It can help to have someone hold your wrapped cat while you give the medication.
If you notice your cat becoming anxious, stressed, or angry, stop and give them a break, offer tasty treats, or even allow them some time to become calm before trying again.
How To Give Your Cat Liquid Medicine
Giving a cat his medicine is rarely easy, but knowing the proper procedure and what to expect can make the process more pleasantfor you and your cat. Find out more here!
Many people find liquid medicines easier to administer than other types, such as pills, capsules, eye drops or injections. But it still takes patience, precision, and a bit of strength to get your cat to sit still and swallow the right amount. Here, how to make the medicine go down easier.
The Basics
Liquid medications are prescribed to treat a variety of conditions. Some medicines that are usually prescribed as pills or capsules can be changed, or compounded, to a liquid formulation for easier administration. If you have trouble giving your cat pills, ask your veterinarian if compounding is possible.
Follow Recommendations
Its important to use only medicines prescribed by a veterinarian and to treat for the full length of time prescribed. Dont stop treatment early, even if the problem seems to be resolved. You can ask your veterinarian to demonstrate how to give the medicine.
Technique
Liquid medications should come with a dropper or syringe for administration. Fill the dropper or syringe with the prescribed amount of medicine.
Holding your cats head still with one hand, insert the tip of the dropper or syringe into a corner of the mouth, between the cheek and the teeth, aiming toward the back of your cats head.
Reward your cat with a treat approved by your veterinarian.
Restraining Your Cat
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Transcript Of Giving Liquid Medication To Your Cat
00:01 Speaker 1: Hold the cat securely in your lap. Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions. Hold the syringe with your dominant hand. Draw up the prescribed amount of liquid into the syringe. First, try to allow the cat to lick the medication from the end of the syringe as you slowly depress the plunger. If this is ineffective, gently take the cat by the scruff of the neck and lift the front paws off of your lap. The mouth will open slightly. Place the tip of the syringe inside the mouth, just behind one of the canine teeth. Advance the dropper so it is placed in the mouth, just past the tooth line. Slowly squeeze the syringe to dispense the liquid medication. Make sure you do this slowly so the cat has time to swallow the liquid and breathe. Most cats will spit out some of the medication. Do not re-medicate unless you are certain that none of the medication was taken.
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The easiest way to give your cat liquid medication is to mix it in with some canned food. To ensure that the medication is actually taken, it is best to give a small amount of food that the cat is certain to eat rather than a large portion that the cat may not complete. Some cats may be unwilling to eat the food or may have dietary restrictions that prevent you from using this technique. If this is the case, you will need to administer the medication directly into the cats mouth.
Pill Pockets For Getting Cats To Eat Medicine
Ah, pill pockets. Those tasty, kibble-lookalike products you can open up, pop a pill into, seal up, then hand over to your pet and watch as both you and your kitty get a treat at the same time.
If youve got quite a lot of medicine to be delving over, and dont want any fuss or hassle, you just want to see that medication go down, pill pockets are where its at.
I cant imagine a more convenient thing to have on hand for cats who take medication regularly.
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Mix The Liquid Medicine With Food
The easiest way to give medicine to your cat is to mix it with some food. Make sure that your car likes the food so that it can eat the whole stuff in quick time. Before choosing this method, consult your veterinarian and check if it is a good idea to use this method.
Some medications may not mix well with food, and they have to be given separately using a syringe or other method. Avoid using solid food and use liquid food so that you can easily mix the liquid medication with the food.
Keep a small quantity of the food as this will ensure that the entire medicine is consumed when the cat finishes the food. If you take a large amount of food, your cat may leave some food, and this will give you the doubt whether the entire dose of medicine was consumed by the cat.
Choose the food according to the taste of your cat and keep something exciting for your pet. In this way, it will be enthusiastic about eating the food, and you can easily manage to give liquid medicine. If you are visiting your vet, you can carry some food and use it in this way at the clinic.
Other Tips For Giving Your Cat Liquid Medication
- Always check with your veterinarian to see if its safe to give your cats medicine with food.
- Have the proper amount of medication drawn up and ready. Most liquid medication comes with a syringe to help administer the correct amount.
- Ask your veterinarian if this approach is appropriate for the particular medicine prescribed.
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Giving Liquid Medication In Dogs
Once your dog is released from the veterinary hospital, administering home medications can be scary, confusing and, sometimes, difficult to do. Several medications are available in both liquid and pill forms. If you feel that the liquid form would be easier to give to your dog, make sure you ask your veterinarian if this option is available.
Try the following method for administering liquid medication to your dog:
Most liquid medications come with an eyedropper attached to the lid. If the medication does not come with an eyedropper, using an individually purchased eyedropper or oral syringe will also work.
As a reminder:
5 cc = 1 teaspoon15 cc = 1 tablespoon
What To Do If The Cat Spits Out The Medicine
It is normal for your cat to spit out some medicine. If this happens, do not worry as you can provide the medication in the next session. Some people make the mistake of providing the medicine immediately after they notice that the cat has spit out the medicine.
This can lead to an overdose in many cases as the cat may not spit out everything and some medications may have entered the body. There is no way to know for sure that the cat has to spit out the entire medicine.
When this happens, stay calm and wait for the next session so that there is no risk of overdose. If it happens repeatedly, you can choose a different method and provide liquid medicine effectively to your cats.
It is just a matter of time before you will figure out a suitable method to provide liquid medication in an effective way. Till then, you have to keep experimenting with different techniques to find the best method suited for you and your pet.
These are some of the ways in which you can provide liquid medicine to your cat. If you still have problems, consult a veterinarian and get proper suggestions in this regard. When you are doing this on your own at home, make sure to provide the liquid medicine in the right dosage.
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How To Give A Cat Liquid Medicine
How to Give a Cat Liquid Medicine
Most animals dislike taking medications. With my cat it was even more difficult since the veterinarian supplied liquid antibiotics, although labeled for veterinarian use, were obviously diverted from mainstream human consumption because it was pink in color and smelled of bubble gum. Regular medicine would be one thing, but bubble gum flavored antibiotics are anything but enticing to a cat.
There are two things that a person can do to help make the medicating of a cat much more pleasant for you and the cat:
1. Make the medicine more enticing, make it Taste Better!
2. Use the proper technique to administer the medicine.
Follow these two suggestions and you will dramatically increase your odds of success and you and your cat will remain friends.
I’ve used the ‘other’ method of wrapping the terrified cat up in a towel to subdue it and have it gag medicine down. I recommend the method outlined in the next two steps.
B. Can of Tuna packed in water
C. Oral Syringe
D. Two small ‘cups’
1. Measure the prescribed amount of medicine into the oral syringe and then dispense it into one of your cups.
2. Drain the liquid off a can of tuna fish into a second empty cup.
4. Add the ‘tuna juice’ to the medicine and mix them together and refill the oral syringe with the total mixture.
What Is The Best Way To Feed Liquid Medicine To Your Cat
Adopting and raising a pet is equal to raising a child. They need your attention, affection, and proper medication for a healthy and happy life. Compared to dogs, cats can be more difficult when it comes to feeding them medicines. It can be really tasking to get a difficult cat to take its medicine, and if you own a cat, you already know why.
Contents
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How To Give Medicine To A Cat : 6 Easy Tricks
August 23, 2020 –
I received an email today from a concerned pet parent, Lizzie, whos got two 5-month-old kittens in need of taking oral medication for deworming for the next week.
The issue? Pretty obvious as Im sure you all could guess even if you hadnt read the title of this post: these cats really dont want to take the medication. All this led to a battle of wits, where the human folded and looked for a better option.
The rejection of the medication may be due to the fact that the medicine tastes terrible, or it could be due to the fact that the medicines going down with a syringe, and that the whole syringe experience is probably not the most comfortable experience for the two kittens.
Either way, let me show you Lizzies email before we get into some tricks for making the pill go down easier for her two kittens :
Im a new cat owner to two very sweet 5-month-old kittens, sister and brother. Although they are both incredibly loving, they HATE getting their oral meds via syringe .
Either they despise the taste of it, or Im just awful at administering it. After a battle of sorts, Ill give up but both kitties stay mad at me for the next couple of hours. Its so sad!
Any tips for doing this effectively? Can I put the oral med in their food? Water?
Now, Lizzie, youre definitely on the right track when it comes to thinking up alternate ways to get your kittens to take that medication without having to use a syringe.