How do I administer oral medication to my %*7#& cat?

Administering oral medication to a cat MIGHT be one of the most challenging aspects of being a cat owner.  Most cats are extremely resistant to voluntarily taking medication, either because they are too smart to eat the medicine in a treat of some form or because they are agile and reluctant to cooperate in forceful pilling of the medication.


Most cats will not eat medicated food or medication mixed into liquids. One product that overcomes this is Pill Pockets or any of the copy cat products. These are attractive cat food treats that are shaped into a pocket and are the consistency of Play-doh. You place the capsule or tablet in the pocket, squeeze the end shut and let the cat eat it's medication. For some cats this truely works like a charm. To keep this working, make sure you occasionally give the cat empty pill pockets. Not so often the cat becomes bored with the treat, but often enough that the cat doesn't suspect every Pill Pocket contains medication. If you need to give your cat pills, ideally you have given the occasional Pill Pocket ahead of time so you know the cat will eat them and the cat is not suspicious of them containing medication.

If this doesn't work, you may have to try to give the medication by hand. This is almost always a 2 person per cat job. One person gently but firmly holds the cat in a sitting or lying down position by the cat's elbows with the cat's fanny tucked near the person's body or armpit. On a tabletop or counter works the best. The person administering the pill has in in their dominant hand between the forefinger and thumb. That person uses their non-dominant hand to cover the cat's eyes with their palm, forefinger at one edge of the mouth and thumb at the opposite side, and pinky/ring finger behind the head/between the ears. With their hand firmly gripping the cat's head, turn the cat's nose directly overhead. The cat will naturally loosen their jaw, allowing the hand with the pill to fully open the mouth and quickly and confidently place the pill over the back of the tongue and poke it down with the forefinger. This can be very difficult to successfully administer if the piller or holder are inexperienced or the cat is uncooperative. Please see our links page for video of this procedure outlined on the Cornell Feline Health Center website. Liquid medication can be given by holding the cat's head with nose turned up and gently squirting the liquid in the lip pouch or between the clenched teeth onto the tongue in a gentle but swift manner.

With experience, this pilling procedure is typically successful for most cats. If you are not having success, please ask the veterinarian for a short review of the process or ask for other medicating options.

We are lucky to have two compounding pharmacies in the Capital District that can modify medication into flavored liquids or even transdermal gels for the most reluctant of patients. Keep in mind, typically the basic pill is the most inexpensive version of the medication, so any compounding may mean the medication costs more per month than the pills or tablets. However, compounded medications are fairly priced and can save you and your pet alot of stress!


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