How to trick a cat to take liquid medicine

No one likes the idea of having to medicate their cat at home, especially if you have an uncooperative kitty. Don’t be discouraged if you’re having a difficult time, though. With the right technique, it can be much easier!

The Basics

•  Familiarize yourself with the directions for the medicine. Don’t be afraid to ask your vet or pharmacist if you have any questions. Note – If you try all of these tips, and you’re still having trouble, ask your vet if there’s another form of the medicine you can give to your cat (i.e. liquid, pill, injection, or transdermal gel).

•  Prepare all of your supplies so they’re ready when you get your cat (i.e. medication, syringe/piller, towel, and reward).

•  Always be calm and gentle.

How to Give Medication with Food

First, ask your vet if it’s possible to give the medication with food. In fact, some medications might have to be given with food! Others, however, cannot be given this way so always make sure to check with your vet.

1. Mix the pill/liquid into a small amount of your cat’s favorite canned food or other similar treat.

2. Keep any other pets away from their bowl.

3. Keep an eye on them to make sure they eat everything. It’s not uncommon for some cats to try to eat around a pill or spit it out.

How to Give Medication by Hand

If you can’t mix the medication into your cat’s food, you will need to give it to them by hand. Sometimes, it can be helpful to ask a second person to assist you.

1. Prepare your supplies.

2. Face your cat away from you with their back end against you (i.e. tucked into the crook of your arm) so they can’t back away.

3. If they like to squirm, try using a towel to restrain them. Place them on the towel and wrap it around the front of them so they can’t get their front legs out or scratch you. Just make sure it’s not too tight around their neck.

4. After you have restrained them, you can now give them their medication.

5. Approaching your cat from the side, place your hand on top of their head with your thumb and forefinger extending down on either side of their cheekbones.

6. Gently, tilt their head up to allow their jaw to drop open. However, if you are giving them a liquid medication, avoid lifting their head up so they don’t accidentally inhale it.

7. Place your syringe/piller in the back corner of their mouth and administer the medication. Try to avoid putting your fingers directly into their mouth so you are less likely to get bit. (Sometimes, cats won’t swallow everything on the first try. To avoid this, keep their head up for a few seconds after you administer the medication and blow on their nose or gently stroke them under their chin to encourage them to swallow.)

8. After you finish, make sure to reward your cat so they can start to think of this as a positive experience.

If you have any questions, we welcome you to contact us at our cat-only animal hospital and boarding facility in Lake Oswego. We’re here to help!

Have you noticed that your pet seems to develop jaws of steel when it’s time for a dose of medicine? As you struggle to pry apart your furry friend’s teeth, you know you only have one chance to drop the pill in his or mouth or squirt the contents of the dropper full of liquid medication. If you miss that chance, the pill ends up on the floor or the liquid drips down your pet’s face. Giving your pet medication doesn’t have to be a stressful experience for either of you if try a few of the following tricks.

Hide the Medication

Concealing a pill or liquid medication in food isn’t a new trick, but it’s one of the easiest ways to get your pet to take medication. If you want to try this sneaky approach, keep these things in mind:

• Size Matters. Hide the pill or mix the liquid medication in a fairly small piece of food. If you serve your pet a large meal, he or she may never eat the part that contains the pill. Before mixing a medication in food, check with your pet’s veterinarian. Some medications are less effective if they aren’t taken in their original form.
• The Stinkier, the Better. Pets can sniff out unusual smells in their food and may reject even favourite treats if they don’t smell right. If your pet has foiled your plans in the past, hide the pill or medication in a smelly food, like salmon or a particularly stinky type of soft cheese. Strong food odours will make it easier to ignore that distinctive medicinal smell.
• Use a Capsule. Consider hiding medications that smell or taste bad in an empty capsule before adding the medicine to food. Once the pill is enclosed in the capsule, your pet won’t be able to smell it.

Change the Flavour

Cherry and bubblegum flavours make medications more palatable to young children, but they don’t tempt your pet’s taste buds. Luckily, compounding pharmacies can add flavours pets enjoy, including beef, fish, chicken, cheese and liver. If the pill or liquid medication tastes good, your pet may accept it willingly.

Make It Easy

A few of these tips may make giving your pet medication less challenging:

• Distract Your Pet. Give your dog a medication-infused treat during a walk or offer a bite of a tuna-encrusted medication while your cat is mesmerized by the birds outside the window.
• Keep Him or Her Guessing. Your pet will soon catch on if you only offer a certain treat when it’s time for the next medication dose. Give your pet a few treats throughout the day to make him or her more receptive when it’s time for the next dose of medicine.
• Take Advantage of Peer Pressure. Other pets don’t like to be left out when you’re distributing food. Take advantage of your group’s competitive nature by offering the entire gang treats. As the patient hurries to keep up with his or her peers, sneak in the treat that contains the medication.
• Try the Paw Method. Mix crushed pills or liquid medication with peanut butter or any other sticky food, place it on your pet’s paws, and watch him or her lick it off.

When All Else Fails, Place the Medication in Your Pet’s Mouth

Despite your best efforts, your pet may refuse to take the pill or liquid. If this happens, you’ll need to place the medication in his or her mouth. Tilt your dog’s head back, grasp the top jaw between your thumb and index finger and pull up. Gently pry the lower jaw open with your middle and ring fingers and place the pill in the dog’s mouth, then stroke his or throat to encourage swallowing. Avoid placing your fingers over the sharp, fang-like canine teeth.

If you’re giving a pill to a cat, place your hand over the upper jaw, then tilt the head backward. Many cats will automatically open their mouths at this point, and you can insert the pill. If this doesn’t happen, use your middle finger to gently open the jaw, then deposit the pill near the back of the mouth.

A pill gun, a device that shoots the pill into your pet’s mouth, is a good option if you’re worried that your pet might bite you.

Don’t tilt the head back if you’re giving a dog or cat liquid medication, as this can cause choking. Aim the dropper to the side of mouth between the teeth and the gums.

Keep your pet healthy with regular visits to the veterinarian. Contact us to schedule your pet’s next visit.

Sources:

VetStreet: How to Give Your Dog Medication, 1/23/13

http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/how-to-give-your-dog-medication

PetMD: How to Give Your Pet a Pill

https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/how-give-your-pet-pill

Washington State University: Giving Oral Medications to Your Dog

https://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/outreach/Pet-Health-Topics/categories/procedures/dogs/giving-oral-medications-to-your-dog

1. Make the Medicine Taste Better

The trick to make the medicine taste better is to mix it with the liquid drained from a can of tuna fish. What cat doesn't like tuna?

You will need:

A. The Medicine

B. Can of Tuna packed in water (and can opener)

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.

3. Use the oral syringe to draw up a generous amount of 'tuna juice', but be aware of the total capacity of your syringe so that the medicine plus the 'tuna juice' does not exceed the capacity of your syringe unless you want to give your cat the medicine in two doses. I try for at least a one-to-one ratio of 'tuna juice' to medicine.

4. Add the 'tuna juice' to the medicine and mix them together and refill the oral syringe with the total mixture.

5. As an added incentive to your cat you can go back to the cup with the 'tuna juice' and 'top off' the syringe with straight 'tuna juice', that way the first thing the cat tastes is straight tuna ..... Yumm!