Any way to salvage/reuse/disguise a crushed Drontal?

boombap

Hi,

I'm awful at getting my cats to take tablets and they're equally bad at swallowing them. On the advise of the veterinary nurse I've crushed up a Drontal and hidden it in my cats' favourite food, tuna.

Typically my cats can tell that there's something not quite right with their favourite treat and not eating a scrap of it.

Is there anyway I can add something to the tuna mix to disguise the Drontal taste so they end up eating it? Each Drontal cost about £2 and there's two of them who were having it today so it's £4 and two pills down the drain if I can't get it down them.

Any advice appreciated as ever!

S.

picklepick

wipe the tuna on your cats paws, nose etc they will have no choice but to lick it off.
I usually use pate for this as its easier to smear on but tuna could work, good luck!

Sagz_2

I find sardines in tomato sauce are good for hiding worm pills in.

ERICS_MUM

I gave up trying to get tablets down my Eric's throat in any disguise. I now use Frontline cat flea treatment drops instead, and a similar pipette thingy for cat worming drops (can't remember the name). Just squeeze the little single-dose tube onto the skin on the back of his neck, and it's done.

Here's my boy:






Linda

Griizelda

I also use the pipette wormers (same for the flea treatment too) - much easier and less stressful for me and the cats!

Raksha

I warm a small amount of food in the microwave then add the tablets to it - this seems to make it more appetising, and if the animal is hungry enough, they will eat (you might also want to give them a smaller meal prior to dosing them)

cally6008

Seconded the Pate food suggestion, works every single day for old cat

Frosti

I've got the same problem, but find that if I mix the crushed tablets in sardines or tuna, then leave it in the fridge overnight, the fishyness overpowers the pill-taste and the cat will eat the mix in the morning (but she doesn't get the rest of her breakfast until the pill has been eaten!).

For some reason pate doesn't work - maybe because it's not got such a strong smell.

Froglet

You could always try this

How to give a cat a pill

1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either 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 in left arm and repeat process.
3) Retrieve cat from bedroom, 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 fore-finger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse 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 mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to 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 pencil and blow down 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 onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic 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 jab. Throw Tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12) Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the 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 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 the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
15) Arrange for RSPCA to collect cat and ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.


HOW TO GIVE A DOG A PILL:
1) Wrap it in bacon.

MrsE_2

Froglet wrote: »

1) Pick cat up and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either 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 in left arm and repeat process.
3) Retrieve cat from bedroom, 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 fore-finger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
5) Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse 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 mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.
7) Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to 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 pencil and blow down 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 onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic 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 jab. Throw Tee-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.
12) Ring fire brigade to retrieve cat from tree across the 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 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 the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
15) Arrange for RSPCA to collect cat and ring local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters..

Thats what I do:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I can't disguise mine in food as they eat dry food:(
I think tablets (for worms) are better than the drops, just a feeling I have.
Anyone ever tried those pill gun things?

http://www.pets-megastore.com.au/product_info.php?cPath=2_15_282&products_id=676

Beckyy

If my cats are being stubborn I just wrap them in a towel, tilt their head back and pop it in - takes a couple of tries with the real stubborn one but easier than trying to get them to eat it in food. It's saved me a lot of scratches and a lot of wasted tablets in food which gets left.