Giving Your Cat Medications

Finding a way to give your cat medication in a low-stress manner is crucial to her health.Cat parents know that getting a feline to swallow a pill can be a huge challenge. In fact, it might be one of the biggest challenges when it comes to cat care.

Fortunately, there are some simple strategies for camouflaging medication in food and treats.

It is important to note that certain medications may be compromised if they are cut, crushed or mixed with food. Before incorporating any of these tips, talk to your veterinarian.

Pilling Advance Prep  

(Note: the following method works only for medications or supplements that can be given with food.)

The first steps in giving your kitty a pill or supplement should be taken long before she actually needs that pill or supplement. The goal is to help your cat learn to tolerate the handling that will be necessary to pill her, and also to take liquids and solids from a syringe or pill gun.

First get your cat used to being gently handled around her face and mouth, using treats to reward her for allowing the handling and to associate the activity with something pleasant. Make the initial face-and-mouth handling sessions short, and follow up with a meal, petting, or playtime.

As your kitty gets more comfortable with having her face touched, you can begin using your thumb and middle finger to gently lift up slightly on her mouth, forming a C shape with your fingers. Place a special treat like a small morsel of meat that doesn’t need to be chewed into her mouth or immediately upon letting go.

The objective is to get her accustomed to the pilling motion and associate it with something positive.

Cat Pilling Tips

First, coat pill with butter. Check with your vet, but most pills can safely be coated with butter or hidden in a tiny butter ball, which will help them slide all the way down.
Second, offer pill like a treat, out of your hand. Every once in a while cats will take the pill and eat it with no fuss.  If your cat does this, follow with a chaser, and you’re done.
Third, make a Kitty Burrito: Use a towel to gently but securely wrap your cat up like a burrito in a towel, with just her head showing. It really helps to have an assistant to hold the kitty burrito on a table or floor, so you have both hands free to open cat’s mouth, insert pill, and hold your cat’s mouth closed until they swallow.   Don’t forget to give the chaser after!

Pilling in 5 Steps

Now that you’ve been fake-pilling your kitty for awhile, here’s what to do when she needs the pill:

1. Pick your cat’s favorite treat (you may need to try out a few different kinds to learn which one works best).

2. Treat portion sizes must be small enough and soft enough so that your cat doesn’t chew, only licks and swallows. Chewing the pill can release a nasty taste into the treat, and, in addition, many medications must be swallowed whole to be metabolized properly.

3. Have several treats ready before you begin, so that you can offer them in rapid succession once the fun begins.

4. Hide the pill in one treat, and use your other hand to seal the pill in (so kitty won’t smell medication on the outside of the treat).

5. Give a pill-free treat, followed by the treat with the pill, followed by another pill-free treat.

Since cats are extremely clever, it’s a good idea to vary the number of treats you give at each pilling session, as well as the order in which you give the treat holding the pill, so kitty doesn’t learn to predict which treat holds the pill.

Don’t Overlook the Benefits of Syringe- and Pill Gun-Training

It’s also a great idea to teach your cat early on to take things from a syringe or pill gun.

Start by rubbing a soft treat or some moist food on the outside of the device and letting her lick it clean. This will get her used to the feel of it in or near her mouth.

Next, place some moist food or tiny pieces of treat inside the device and gently push them into her mouth in very small amounts.

Once she’s reasonably comfortable taking solids from the device, switch to a few drops of water in the syringe (which she probably won’t enjoy) followed immediately by a syringe with a treat.

The goal is to get kitty comfortable taking liquid and swallowing the pill so the pill doesn’t get stuck in her esophagus. If she’ll take a small amount of broth, tuna juice, or soft food immediately after her pill, it can also help with proper digestion of the medication. This is what I call The Chaser.

*What If My Cat’s Medication or Supplement Can’t Be Given with Food?

Ideally, your veterinarian can prescribe medication or supplements that can be given with food, because “treating” kitty at pill time as described above is the easiest and best way to keep her stress level down.

However, if the medication has to be given away from food, I recommend you practice the steps below a few times in your mind prior to actually engaging your kitty. The more efficient you are with your cat, the smoother the process will go.

(These instructions are for right-handed people. If you’re left-handed, you’ll need to adjust them accordingly.)

1. Place kitty on a sturdy, flat surface like a tabletop. Your cat will naturally try to back away from the pill, so you want to rest your right arm on the table and tuck him into the crook of your right elbow.

Trying to approach your cat from the front will have him backing away and escaping from you and the pill. That’s why your body should be behind the cat, with both of you facing the same direction.

2. Hold the pill in your left hand.

3. With your right hand, place your right thumb on one side of your cat’s face on the cheek and your index finger on the other cheek and gently lift his nose toward the ceiling. This will make his mouth drop open a bit.

4. Now use a finger of your left hand to open his lower jaw wider. This position prevents him from being able to bite because he can’t control his lower jaw.

5. Place the pill as far back as possible into his mouth, then let go of his face, but keep him tucked into your elbow. If he licks his lips, it’s an indication the pill has gone down.

Please note: It’s futile, not to mention dangerous, to try to give your cat a pill with his head in a natural position. You will likely be bitten, which is why you must position his head vertically.

6. Many cats actually pretend they’ve swallowed the pill when they haven’t. As soon as they get free, out pops the pill and the joke’s on you.  So don’t let kitty go before checking his mouth for the pill. Cats figure out pretty quickly we’re waiting for licking motions and many clever felines have been known to make the licking motion with the pill still in their mouth.

7. If you can still see the pill in there, re-open your cat’s mouth as described above, reach a finger in and move the pill further back on the tongue if possible. If that doesn’t work, let kitty spit the pill out and start over.

8.  Do not dry pill a cat without a chaser. Always follow a pill by immediately giving your cat a chaser: canned food, broth, or water… and making sure they eat or drink at least one full teaspoon. This will help the pill go all the way down. If they are sick or just won’t eat canned food, or even lap up watered-down chicken baby food, you may have to gently syringe 6cc of water into the corner of their mouths. NEVER DRY PILL a cat or kitten. The pill can get stuck and be fatal!

Alternatively, you can use a pill gun or pill popper (a device used to hold the pill or capsule and place it in the mouth), again placing the medication on the tongue at the back of your cat’s mouth.  Continue to hold your cat’s head in a slightly tilted position with the mouth closed until you see your cat swallow. Follow the pilling procedure with a treat for your cat.

If your cat struggles and attempts to scratch,  remember to wrap a thick towel around her to protect yourself from your cat’s claws.

Hide it in Her Food

Crushed & mixed into canned food. Ask your vet if you can crush the pill or cut it into tiny bits, then mix it into very fragrant canned cat food when they are hungry. Only try this if you have an extra pill, as you cat may refuse to eat it.

Use the right treat and the right approach. I have had the best luck hiding pills in treats that have a strong taste and flavor and that can be molded around the edges of the pill to completely cover it. To eliminate any trace of medicine on the outside of the treat, use one hand to fill and the other hand to seal the treat.

Try the three-treat trick. This is a go-to method for many veterinary offices. The first treat is empty of medicine; the second contains the well-concealed medicine. The third treat encourages the cat to finish the medicine treat so she can get one more nibble. All three treats should look alike and should be given in a similar manner to hopefully prevent the cat from guessing which contains the pill. The number of treats can be changed if needed — if the cat needs more than one pill, for example, or just needs a little extra coaxing.

Hide pill in pill pockets. Pill Pockets or other brands of pill wraps are a soft treat you can mold around the pill so your cat will eat it. If it’s a bigger pill, ask your vet if you can cut the pill up – make sure to ask, because some pills have a coating that shouldn’t be cut.

Change the Form

Cut it into pieces. Ideally, your cat’s pills will be small enough that they can be swallowed whole. If the pill is too large to swallow, talk with your veterinarian about using a pill cutter to break it into smaller pieces; divide those pieces into as many swallowable treats as needed.

Crush it. Some pills can be crushed, but talk with your veterinarian before you go this route. Be sure that the medication won’t be compromised and keep in mind that crushing a pill may release a bitter taste. If your cat’s medication can be crushed, you can conceal it in a soft binding food, such as canned cat food, or in a small amount of fish or lean meat. Another option is to dilute the crushed medication in a liquid, like low-sodium chicken broth or the water drained from a can of tuna or clams. Talk with your veterinarian about which option is best for your cat.

Liquid medication instead of a pill. Many medications are readily available in a liquid form, you just have to ask. If not already made, some can be compounded into a chicken or tuna-flavored liquid. This allows cats that are either unwilling or unable to take medication other ways to still get their medication. There are special compounding pharmacies that can do this if your veterinarian is unable to formulate the flavored medication in the hospital.

To give a liquid medication, place your cat on a flat surface, facing away from you with her hindquarters against your body. You should already have the medication drawn up into a dosing syringe. Use your free hand to tilt your cat’s head up slightly. Place the tip of syringe in the back corner of your cat’s mouth, squirting the medication in the space between the cheek and gums. Be sure to reward your cat with a favorite treat afterward.

Some medications are also available as a transdermal gel, or can be compounded into one. This special medicated gel can be absorbed through the skin rather than requiring oral administration. Typically, these medications are applied to the inside of the tip of the ear.

Transdermal patches are another alternative that may be an option with some medications. These are patches with medication embedded in them that are affixed directly to the skin. The medication is then released from the patch through the skin in a time-released manner. Fentanyl, a potent pain reliever, is often dosed as a patch. Unfortunately, not all medications lend themselves well to transdermal applications.

Your veterinarian will be able to help you choose a medication delivery system that is manageable for you and comfortable for your cat, so ask him what’s possible!