Tricks to get a cat to take her tablets!

catieeb06

Hi,

Blood test results have come in on my cat and she's been diagnosed with having hyperthyroidism and kidney disease so the overall outlook isn't exactly rosy but the vet has given us tablets to manage the conditions. I've put both tablets in her food and she's had the thyroid one but she's not yet eaten the one to help manage her kidney function.

Without putting it in her mouth and making her swallow and the vet has advised against crushing up the tablets, is there anything else we can do to make sure that she takes them?

Thanks,

Catie

[Deleted User]

You might find a device called a pill popper useful - cost a couple of pounds and you use it to pop the pill into your cat's mouth whilst stroking its throat to make it swallow.

catieeb06

Sleazy wrote: »

You might find a device called a pill popper useful - cost a couple of pounds and you use it to pop the pill into your cat's mouth whilst stroking its throat to make it swallow.

Hi Sleazy,

Do you know where they sell them? I can have a look around Jolleys pet supermarket tomorrow when i'm out that way.

HappyMJ

Grab cat. Pull cat's head up and back. Open mouth. Drop tablet in. Stroke throat. Cat swallows. Release cat.

The vet does that in seconds..amazes me every time.

[Deleted User]

Here's one I just found - got mine from eBay.

http://www.rspca-halifax.org.uk/buy_vet_products_online/products/2542

theoldcynic

You may find some treats that you can break open and slip the tablet in the middle of.

If your cat likes fish, popping it into some tuna or mackerel so the strong smell disguises it. You could try the same with pate, butter, chicken or cheese.

You can ask your vet if it is available in liquid form which may be easier to syringe in.

Otherwise there are pill dispensers you can try, or it can be a case of having to arch its head back and popping it in and rubbing it's throat (always get a vet to show you how to do this safely first though).

Some cats do get used to you administering them in that way after a while although it can be distressing to begin with.

sophief333

I always pop the tablet on a spoon with some tuna. Seemed to work until the cat realised that if he kept leaving the tablet and eating the tuna he would get another spoonful. And so it went on...

Hillbilly1

What tablets is she on?

The vet is right not to crush the tablets for the thyroid, but you could crush the fortekor (I am assuming she is on this).

I used to put Felimazole (again assumption this is the thyroid med) in some dairylea cheese. It really sticks to the tablet and so harder for the cat to flick out!

The pill poppers are good, get the ones that look like scissors at the end and fill the hollow bit with water. It makes the cat swallow when the pill goes in and it goes down easier.

NB feline advice is to always syringe 1-2 mls of water in with a tablet to ensure it is swallowed and doesn't sit in the oesophagus dissolving and doing not much! I know some people have also put a dot of butter/nice food on their nose to get them to lick that after and swallow.

Snuggles

My cat has to have a tablet every other day. She is a rescue cat who (although very affectionate) doesn't like to be picked up or held - it seems to make her very nervous. I couldn't even consider trying to force tablets down her throat on a regular basis, as I think she would hate me for it.

What I do is cut her tablet into quarters so each piece is really small, then I get a cat stick (like the Webbox ones, although I get aldi or lidls's own version) and cut it into small bite size pieces. Then I use a skewer to make a hole in the piece of stick, push a piece of tablet in, and then, as the cat sticks are soft, I pinch the end to seal it up.

I have found the best way to get my cat to eat these is to put them in a bag, and just leave them on the coffee table. I wait until she's on my lap and then pick up the bag. She is immediately interested as she thinks it's something I'm going to eat - and she's always interested in what I eat! I then feed her the little pieces of cat stick from the bag and she thinks she's getting a lovely treat!

It might sound like a bit of a faff, but I don't mind if it means I don't have to force them into her mouth.

BeenieCat

HappyMJ wrote: »

Grab cat. Pull cat's head up and back. Open mouth. Drop tablet in. Stroke throat. Cat swallows. Release cat.

The vet does that in seconds..amazes me every time.

^ This.

Rubbing the throat forces them to swallow, works on my dog too.

catieeb06

It is Felimazole- her normal TS levels should be between 13 and 15 and she was 113!!

Thankfully she's managed to eat them all after I spoon fed it to her.

Got it all again with more of the thyroid meds with tea tonight.