A Step-By-Step Guide: How To Give a Cat a Pill

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For most cats, taking oral medications is a challenge. An uncooperative cat might spit pills, hide under the couch, or eat everything in their bowl but their medicine. Luckily, there are many safe ways to give a cat a pill, including hiding it in food, giving it to them by hand, or using a pet piller.

Whichever strategy you choose, you’ll want to have everything you need laid out and ready before approaching your cat, says Dr. Jessica Taylor, chief medical officer at Petfolk.

Being prepared and remaining calm while administering medication will also make things go more smoothly, as cats can sense our stress, adds Dr. Carling Matejka, a mixed-animal veterinarian and spokesperson for Solid Gold. Here’s what to do.

Hide the Pill in Food

A popular method of administering medicine to cats is to hide it in their food or in a high-value treat, such as cheese, chicken, or fish. If you’ve got a food-motivated feline, you can try one of these methods:

• Hide the pill in a treat, pill pocket, or pill masker. “Give a couple of bites without the pill first, then give them the one with the pill,” Taylor recommends.
• Mix the pill into a serving of your cat’s favorite wet canned food. Make sure it’s well covered so your cat won’t taste it.
• Hide the pill in a maze of food or a cat puzzle. Create a “maze” on a plate using whipped cream or squeeze cheese. Or try drawing lines and dots across the surface of a plate or bowl and hide the pill within the design.
• Crush or dissolve the pill in a liquid. First, check with your vet to make sure it’s okay to do this with your medicine. Next, mix the crushed pill with a small amount of tuna juice or low-sodium chicken broth, then let your cat lap it up.

Other foods such as yogurt, baby food, melted vanilla ice cream, or cream cheese are okay in small amounts to mask pills. Because cats can’t taste sweets, you can add vanilla or cherry flavors to compounded pills to mask the bitter taste.

When to know if you can crush or dissolve a pill

Before crushing, splitting, or dissolving your cat’s pills in food or liquid, talk to your veterinarian.

“Some medications have a protective coating on the exterior so they can be absorbed in a certain part of the gastrointestinal tract,” explains Matejka. While crushing and hiding a pill in food can help mask its bitter taste, breaking the outer layer could render the medication ineffective.

Give the Pill By Hand

If your cat is too clever to be fooled by hiding their pill in food, you’ll want to try giving the pill by hand. This process can feel strange for your cat, so you’ll want to stay calm and gently handle your cat to reassure them. Swaddling your cat in a towel or blanket can help, too.

Once you’re ready, take the following steps.

• Step 1: Position your cat in a towel or on your lap, facing away from you.
• Step 2: Open your cat’s mouth. Taylor recommends doing this by placing your thumb and pointer finger on the bony prominences under each eye, with the “C” part of your hand over the cat’s head, in front of the ears.
• Step 3: Gently tilt your cat’s head back, with their nose pointing towards the ceiling.
• Step 4: Using your other hand or with help from a friend, do one of the following. 1) Use your fingers to place the pill on the back of their tongue. 2) Place the pill into a pill popper. Insert it gently into the back of your cat’s mouth and push the plunger to release the pill. 3.) Insert a syringe containing the pill dissolved in water just inside your cat’s cheek. Slowly press the plunger, making sure they swallow as you press to prevent them from inhaling the liquid.
• Step 5: Gently hold your cat’s mouth closed. Massage their neck lightly until you see them swallow. Then watch to make sure they don’t spit out the pill or liquid.
• Step 6: Reward your cat with lots of love, praise, and a treat. They deserve it for being so brave!

Wrapping a cat in a towel

Both vet experts agree that wrapping your cat in a towel or blanket is a great preventative measure. “Towel wraps help make cats feel comfortable and safe without making them feel confined and scared,” Matejka says. Plus, a towel or blanket can protect you from scratches and bites if your cat tries to pull away.

To safely wrap your cat:

1. Place the towel or blanket on a flat surface.
2. Gently place your cat in the center in a natural crouching position with their paws underneath them.
3. Fold over each side of the blanket or towel and tuck it under your cat. Leave their head exposed and the towel snug but not too tight around the neck—like swaddling a baby, Taylor says.
4. Once snug, slide your wrapped kitty close to you with their rear end against your torso or legs.

If your cat is struggling excessively, skip the towel wrap and hold them firmly but gently instead, leaving the towel or blanket on your lap.

A note on vaccinations

Be sure your cat is up to date on all their vaccines, especially their rabies vaccine. “If you get injured and seek care, animal bites are reportable, and an unvaccinated pet may have to be quarantined,” Taylor explains. “Even indoor cats need to be vaccinated against rabies, as it continues to be a serious public health concern and is deadly if contracted.”

Use a Pet Piller

If putting your fingers between your cat’s sharp teeth sounds a bit too risky, there’s a tool for that! Often referred to as a pet piller, pill popper, or pill gun, these devices are essentially long plungers that can help place a pill safely into a cat’s mouth.

Matejka says the devices are safe to use, but if used improperly or inserted too far into the mouth, they could cause pain or damage. So ask your vet for a demonstration before trying a pill gun at home.

“Look for a plastic one with a rounded or soft tip,” Taylor adds. “I prefer the Bullseye Pill Gun Applicator because it tends to hold on to the pill better and has a thicker barrel to grasp.”

What If My Cat Won’t Take Pills?

It’s essential your pet takes their medicine as directed and finishes it. If your cat won’t willingly take their pill using the methods above, consider giving it to them in another form or seeking professional help.

Alternative forms

Talk to your veterinarian about other available prescriptions. Your vet may be able to prescribe your cat’s medication in one of these other forms:

• Liquid
• Powder
• Injection
• Flavored chewable
• Transdermal gel, which absorbs through your cat’s skin

Compound medications

If your cat’s prescription isn’t readily available in another form, ask your veterinarian if a compound pharmacy can alter the taste or type. Many communities have compound pharmacies, but if yours doesn’t, online pharmacies usually offer them, too. However, these medications can be more expensive than traditional prescriptions.

Help from a professional

Alternatively, consider hiring a cat caretaker to help. “Some pet-sitting services can come to your home to assist in pet care, including medication,” Taylor says. “Veterinarians are also willing to administer medicine at an appointment for a small fee.”

If your cat doesn’t do well in clinics, in-home veterinarians can come to your home for a stress-free administration.