Any experience or tricks for getting a pill into a cat who doesn't eat wet food ?
Fay doesn't eat dry food so I had to use a pill popper and a tiny syring of water. As soon as I went for her mouth the way the vet showed me on the office cat Maynard she clamped shut like a clam and squirmed like mad. I guess I got the pill in but fumbled and she squirmed around before I eventually got the water in.
As soon as I let her go she was rubbing all over me and looking for loving. Then she went and had a snack. So I guess I'm forgiven. I checked the floor and couldn't find the pill so I'm 75% certain it went in.
This isn't going to be fun. She's got to get 1 antibiotic and 1 to 2 antihistimines in each day. I guess all I can do is be forcefull and get it over with as fast as I can but she's been through so much trauma I hate to do it and don't want to ruin her trust. I have to though, she's got a really high white cell count.
Oh oh. She got done eating and went to her spot and turned her back on me. I went over to pet her and this was the first time she hasn't burst out purring and mewing and cheek rubbing as soon as I touched her. I'm a BAD person. I've got a lot of days of antibiotics to go.
I found a better demo. The office demo cat was way to easy so I didn't get the tricks listed at this site.
Hopefully I'll get it over faster tomorrow.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/pilling_a_cat.html
This is funny.
"Don’t forget to check the cat’s mouth before releasing him. Many cats know you are waiting to see the licking motions and will try to fool you. If the pill is still present in the mouth when you check, just reach a finger in and tip the pill further back on the tongue or allow the cat to spit the pill out and begin again."
oh my!! i have so much trouble trying to put feed my cat's a pill...
sometimes i have my partner there to hold and restrain the kitty and its alot easier to just work on trying to open the mouth and get that tiny little tablet in there without them biting me.
I have managed to it on my own too - but with alot more difficulty. I have to sort of sit there with the cat on my lap and with my legs somehow restraining them... wriggly little worms!!
i find that if you have the palm of your hand going over the top of their nose and using your thumb on one side of their mouth and fingers on the other and eventually they open up. With the other hand i try and get the tablet as far to the back of the mouth as i can and then hold their mouth closed (as gently as possible) and rub their neck a little.
It sounds awful and i feel awful when i do it!! it's for their own good though.
i have never used a syringe of water before. did you find that difficult?
maybe some of the more experienced cat owners/experts will have a simpler way of doing it - i will sure be listening in
congratulations on your new additional to the household too! i've been following your introduction thread. Fay sure is lucky to have someone like you to care for her.
I hope the cats that your neighbours still have are being treated alot better than what Fay was. I cannot believe someone could just neglect an animal like that. People like that should not have pets.
and welcome to this forum also!! i've only been a member for a couple of months but i've learned so much in such little time.... im sure you will too - it sure is addictive too.
Meg
MGHN Wrote:and rub their neck a little
All you have to do is touch their nose to induce swallowing.
Giving George his dewormer pill is difficult. I usually just wrap him up like a baby (with a towel or thicker blanket), and hold him like a football while I open his mouth and shove the pill to the back of his throat.
I also know the nose-touching trick lol.
The nose touching sounds a lot better than the tiny syringe type thing the vet gave me. She gave me a 'pill pusher' to get it to the back of her throat from the side.
The tough part was the violation of trust. It's been all unrestrained love till now with her crawling all over me purring, meowing for a pet if I walk by her favorite sleeping pad. She's hesitant to come to me and crawl up on my shoulder now and putting her head on the ground when I pet her now. She even got up and moved when I petted her.
The last thing I woory about is being bitten though. She is SO gentle, just squirmey. Never a nip or claw. Just purrs, meow purrs, head butting andf ace rubbing against my cheek and those big blue eyes.
I'm not looking forward to the next pill but the nose touch should help and I'll grab her and get it over fast.
i've never thought to use a blanket - thanks guys!!
i'll definetly try touching the nose next time too. There's still alot for me to learn - so glad i found this forum
Meg
We all have to put our cats through occasional unpleasantness. I like to talk nicely to my cat while handling him, don't get nasty with them and I think they forgive you pretty quick. Ragdolls at least are not likely to damage you too bad! The other day I found a mat under the cats front leg, it must have been pretty sensitive cause he raised a huge fuss as I was clipping it out. With all the growling and crying you would've thought I was trying to kill him or something. I released him and less than 10 seconds later he had found a tiny spider under the bookcase and was completely engrossed. An hour later that night he was asleep on my feet.
I must say I wrestle a little with my ragdoll... Cyrano my birman is so small he offers basically no resistance to whatever I try to put in his mouth, he just swallows 'cause Mom gave it
Diwan is another story. He is stubborn and hates any kind of medication. I tried to do it the right way, but he always manages to get the pills out... So I changed tactics. I lie him on my lap and lean forward to block his escape. I then put a hand under his neck in order to have him in a half-seated position. He strangely opens his mouth without much resistance and I immediately shove the pill in it while I get him straight. The surprise at my actions usually makes him swallow the pill.
With my previous cat I used to touch or softly blow on his nose too... He was the king of spitting up his meds. You were never sure he had had his meds. The only thing working with him was putting the meds in food and with that I mean a little piece of meat (chicken usually).