Giving cat medication?

Avatar for saltwater2000
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Giving cat medication?
12
Mon, 07-05-2004 - 8:28pm
Have to give my cat a pill once a day.Have tried crushing/disolving and mixing with gourmet moist cat food-a treat for my cats because I only fed them dry.She still won't touch it so I have to secure her and try to pry open mouth and give it that way-Neither of us like that.Any suggestions?Thanks

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-23-2002
Mon, 07-05-2004 - 8:40pm
Boy can I relate. LOL I had to give my Misha pills for 17 days. The only way I got them down was to do what the vet suggested: Place one hand (e.g. your left) on top of your cat's head. Reach your thumb down to one corner of his/her mouth and your fingers to the other corner. Tilt the cat's head back until his/her nose is pointing upward towards the ceiling - this will cause him/her to open his/her mouth slightly. Place the pill between the thumb & forefinger of your other (right) hand and while gently lifting his/her head, open his/her mouth with the middle finger of your hand holding the pill. As the mouth opens, move the thumb & forefinger of your left hand a little way into the corners of his/her mouth (so you don't get bitten). Drop or place the pill towards the back center of the tongue and quickly but gently push it as far back as you can. Hold the cat's mouth closed. Rub his/her throat gently or gently blow on his/her nose so the cat will swallow the pill. You can have your vet show you how to do it if you're unsure. It's easier to imagine if you see pictures. Do a search online for pilling a cat and you should find some photos to demonstrate what I've said here.

Hope this helps & good luck!

Suzy


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Mon, 07-05-2004 - 8:40pm

If she is too smart to find it in the food, then prying her mouth open is about the only way. If there are two of you, one can hold and the other do it. Or if there is only one, you can sit on the floor with the cat between your legs and get the mouth open with one hand and get the pill in with the other. If you aren't sure if she swallowed it, rub her neck and when she licks her nose, the pill should be gone.


Good luck!!

Tami Cl-Royalkitties


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Tami Cl-Royalkitties

acat_wa

Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Tue, 07-06-2004 - 12:42am

Hi Saltwater2000.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-01-2003
Tue, 07-06-2004 - 9:45am
I used to put Tigers in a piece of cheese and he would eat it otherwise if not in food you have to open mouth and put way in the back so he will swallow!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-23-2003
Tue, 07-06-2004 - 9:39pm
When I had my cat Lily, she had congestive heart failure and had to get 2-3 pills a day. For a while giving it to her in her food worked, but after a while she caught on. Then I tried prying her mouth open, but it kinda freaked both of us out. I called my vet and they had me use a plastic piller - kind of like a little syringe, but you put the pill on the tip, work it into the cat's mouth at the corner then slide it around so it's pointing right down the throat then press the syringe. It's very quick once you get used to it, and you can put it far enough down the throat so that they can't spit out the pill. Lily did really well with it, she didn't like it, but it was fast and much easier on both of us. Good luck!

Jamie
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 1:22pm
Does anybody have a copy or a link for that funny essay, How to Pill a Cat? This furmom will appreciate it about now. LOL.
Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 7:31pm

Here ya go...





How To Pill a Cat



  1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on each side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

  2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat gently in left arm and repeat process.

  3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, pick up and throw soggy pill away.

  4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for count of ten.

  5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse in from garden.

  6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into cat's mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

  7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill out of foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep up shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set on one side for gluing later.

  8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with a pencil and blow into drinking straw.

  9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

  10. Retrieve cat from neighbor’s shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door just enough so that head is showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with plastic band.

  11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Throw t-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

  12. Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

  13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by a large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

  14. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room. Sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearms and removes pill from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home and order new dining table.

  15. Arrange for ASPCA to collect cat and contact local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.


Cat =^..^=
Avatar for cl_lcni
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 9:30pm

Here's another version I have...


HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL

1)


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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2006
Thu, 06-22-2006 - 6:54pm
My little kitten was just diagnosed with coccidia in the stool. I have been struggling to give her liquid medication with a dropper. Most of it ends up on both of us. Is there something especially enticing I could mix the med with? I have to get the medication into her one way or another; but, so far, it has been frustrating. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 06-22-2006 - 8:40pm

Try to not make a big deal out of it, if you just tilt her head to the side a little bit and use a syringe instead of a dropper (syringes give you better control and you can get them without a needle from your vet ) and dribble, don't squirt the med into her mouth between the spaces in her teeth.

Cat =^..^=

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