Tricks to get a cat to take her tablets!

groovygranny_2

My cat Charlie has just been diagnosed by my vet as having the same problem this very week. He is aged 15/16. He always refuses to take any tablets in any form. However, Hills has just brought out a new food called Y/D which he started 3 days ago. He has been told tostick to this for 3-4 weeks and his levels should be brought down without any need for tablets or operation. Not sure if this will help you, but perhaps discuss with your vet.

GlynD

If we're having problems we make a cut in a prawn and hide the tablet in there. Madame loves prawns so she doesn't pay too much heed to them - just scoffs away. Works a treat for us.

Tiddlywinks

w2234s wrote: »

I would a spoon and some honey mixed with rice and pea.

sophief333 wrote: »

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...

Please don't use a metal spoon - cats do struggle sometimes and they could hit (and consequently chip) one of their teeth on the metal spoon. Also, even a fairly blunt edge on a spoon can cause cuts to the soft tissue inside the mouth if the cat moves or struggles.

gettingready

I have 4 (sometimes 6) cats and really feel for you as all of mine are a nightmare with tablets... So no useful advice to give.. Just wanted to share this - makes me laugh every time... so true..

HOW TO GIVE YOUR CAT A PILL!

Pick up cat 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 apply gentle pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As the cat opens its mouth, pop the pill into the mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.
Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.
Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.
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 forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.
Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Retrieve cat from neighbour’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.
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 away T-shirt and fetch new one from bedroom.
Ring Fire Brigade to retrieve cat from tree across road. Apologise to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to miss cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.
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.
Get spouse to drive you to Casualty, sit quietly while doctor stitches finger and forearm and removes remnants of pill from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.
Call RSPCA to collect cat and ring pet shop to see if they have any puppies.

calicocat

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Oh god that is so true.......dredding having to EVER give the cat I have now any tablet.

But I have found a treat called 'licky-e-liks' that she (currently) adores , so if I ever do , I'm hoping it is one I can crush into that stuff...........it's chicken yoghurt !........puke!

Take_it_like_a_man,_sonny

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.

If cat is lie our tiger, wrap cat in old towel first, saves scratched paws.

catieeb06

Dammit, woken up this morning to find she's not refusing to eat the prescription cat food to help her kidneys.

Hidden them in the gravy of the normal cat food, will see where we get with that, otherwise it's trying to hide it in her treats. She's a sucker for bits of real chicken but has been turning her nose up at it recently.

georgiesmum

I have to give my 16 year old cat pills regularly. He's a big softy and has ham, (the value one ) every morning that i feed him by hand. I just wrap the pill in a bit of that, no problem. However the others are a different matter. I had my daughter bring some pill pockets over from America recently and they worked a treat for them. Why can't manufacturers make them here? And would it be rocket science to make the pills palatable for cats. :mad:

shortdog

My old cat was given "palatable" antibiotics from the vets last year - she took it nicely from the vet, straight from his hand, purring the whole time.
We got home, and she refused to take them. I had to get the tablet out of the packet (sneakily - hid the packet in the bathroom!), grab the cat, pin her down, open her mouth, pop tablet in, hold her mouth closed, and wait until she swallowed! She refused to come near me for weeks, and my arms were covered in scratches - so much so that my sons paediatrician asked me if there was anything he could do to help, or could I pop along and see my doctor please, as self-harming wouldn't solve anything!

sammyjammy

groovygranny wrote: »

My cat Charlie has just been diagnosed by my vet as having the same problem this very week. He is aged 15/16. He always refuses to take any tablets in any form. However, Hills has just brought out a new food called Y/D which he started 3 days ago. He has been told tostick to this for 3-4 weeks and his levels should be brought down without any need for tablets or operation. Not sure if this will help you, but perhaps discuss with your vet.

Has anyone else's cat been diagnosed with this prescription food? Just took a call from my vet that my cat has low level hyper thyroidism and I'm concerned about this tablet every day for life. He will find it stressful (although obviously will feel well) and I am really concerned about the cost, he isn't insured. I'm assuming the cost of the Hills food is quite substantial and I'll have problems keeping him separate from my other two cats at feeding time but very possible.

My vet didn't even mention it which I'm really surprised at because we've apparently caught it early and my vet sells Hills in its reception area so must be aware.