This cat blog will answer the major question, “How to get a cat to eat a pill?” we will also discuss the best ways to give a pill to your cat, what safety tips you should keep in mind before giving any pill to your cat, and how you can administer the pill by using your hand.
How to get a cat to eat a pill?
Following are the ways by which you can get a cat to eat a pill:
- Hide the pill in the food.
- Grind the pill.
- Give the pill by hand.
- Give the pill by using the pill plunger.
You can follow the above ways but be sure to look for the safety of you and your cat during this tedious process.
What are the best ways to give a pill to your cat?
Following are the best ways to give a pill to your cat:
Hide in the food
The best and safest way is to give the pill in the food. It is better to hide the pill in wet food rather than dry food because your cat will easily see it. Moreover, you should hide it in a chunk that your cat can easily swallow. If the chunk or the bite is big it can expose the pill when your cat will not be able to swallow it.
Grind the pill
If the first trick fails to do the job, you can grind the pill and give it in food. Make sure you have discussed it well with your vet before grinding it. Crushing it completely is not recommended because it will disturb the dose rate of the pill. Moreover, some anticancer drugs can come in contact with you which can affect your health.
Dip in liquid
You can also use one of the flavored liquids that are present in veterinary pharmacies. It is best for stubborn cats who won’t eat the pill by grinding it.
These liquids come in different flavors such as chicken and tuna. It is safe for your cat and you can give it a pill in it.
Your cat will be attracted to it and will consume it along with the pill because the cat loves tuna and chicken.
You should know the exact amount of this liquid because consuming it too much can affect the health of your cat.
How can you give a pill to your cat by using your hand?
It is difficult to give a pill to your cat when your cat is aggressive or does not like anyone touching it. You have to be very careful with the cat. Following are the steps you should follow while giving the pill to your cat:
- First, restrain the head of your cat quietly. If your cat is grooming, eating or playing avoid restraining your cat in such a condition.
- Secondly, you should place your thumb and the other fingers firmly on the upper jaw of the cat’s skull.
- Thirdly lift the head towards the ceiling a little bit which due to gravity gives you the opportunity to open your mouth.
- When you lift the head the lower jaw will slightly move down creating a gap between the upper and the lower jaw.
- After that, you should place the finger of your dominant hand on the lower jaw and try to open it.
- Place the pill in the lower ⅓ part of the tongue because it will initiate a swallowing reflex.
- After that, close the mouth of the cat with your hand and keep it close.
- You can also rub the upper lip and the nose of the cat which can initiate a swallowing reflex.
- When the cat has swallowed the pill, it will lick its nose; this is an indication that the job is done.
What are the tips you should keep in mind before offering a pill to your cat?
Following are the safety tips you should keep in mind before offering pill to your cat:
- If your cat is too aggressive, seeking help from a friend or the vet is good at that time.
- Watch for the bite when you insert your hand into the mouth of the cat while placing the pill.
- If the cat becomes anxious you should leave it and come back after some time when your cat has settled down.
- The pill should be placed in the lower ⅓ of the tongue otherwise your cat will spit it out and there would be no use for it.
Conclusion
In this cat blog, we answered our important question, “How to get a cat to eat a pill?” we also discussed the best ways to give a pill to your cat, what safety tips you should keep in mind before giving any pill to your cat, and how you can administer the pill by using your hand.
References
https://www.purina.co.uk/articles/cats/health/daily-care/give-cat-a-pill
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.hillspet.com/cat-care/healthcare/how-to-get-cats-to-take-pills
