How to Pill Your Cat
Feeding pills to your cat may be one of the more challenging tasks as a cat owner. Cats have a strong sense of taste and smell, which means hiding medications in their food may not be enough to fool them into taking it voluntarily. Some cats can also develop food aversion after tasting medications in their regular food. In such cases, feeding the pills directly to them would be inevitable.
Before trying to pill your cat, you should ensure that the environment is calm and comfortable for them. Place them on your lap or in a towel swaddle and give them positive affirmations and treats. It is essential that cats do not develop a negative association with the process of pill administration.
Step 1: When you and your cat are ready, hold the pill in your dominant hand and gently but firmly grasp the top of your cat’s head with the other hand. Your fingers should be on either side of their upper jaw.
Step 2: Next, tilt your cat’s head back so that their nose points towards the ceiling. Their mouth may open naturally when you do this.
Step 3: Using your dominant hand, slowly pry the lower jaw open further by putting gentle pressure on the lower incisors.
Step 4: When you can visualize the back of their tongue, quickly place the pill in as far back into the mouth as you can. Immediately close their mouth and return their head to its normal position, still holding the mouth shut. If you have difficulties putting your finger into their mouths, purchasing a “pet piller” device can help with this step.
Some medications require syringing water in after pill administration, do read the medication label carefully for this.
Step 5: Blow onto their nose or stroke their throat downwards to stimulate their swallowing reflex. Once they lick their lips, you will know that they have successfully swallowed the pill. If they start foaming up or manage to spit the pill out, give them a break before trying again from step 1.
If you continue to have difficulties despite following the steps above, you should speak to your veterinarian for alternative forms of medication. Some pharmacies can compound medications into flavoured liquids that might be more palatable to cats.