Battle of wills over pills.

[SecretSquirrels]

Novice kitten owner here.
Our 5 month old kitten has severe diarrhoea and the vet has given antibiotics. He has to have a quarter of a tablet twice a day. His appetite has been fine and he's drinking well. When I have given him a worming tablet I crushed it up in food and he ate it up no trouble (tried poking it down his throat but failed).
So I dutifully crushed up the pill and put into his breakfast. He wouldn't eat it.
I left it all morning them took it away and tried again with fresh food at lunchtime. He has licked around the bowl but won't eat it.
He tells me he is hungry.
New tactics needed.

[Casablancagirl]

Firm but fair. Pin kitten in knee on top of bedding maybe to give you protection. Grab head firmly and open mouth wide as possible. Insert tablet as far down throat as possible. Hold mouth shut for a minute. Watch carefully for the spitting out technique sometimes employed.....

[SecretSquirrels]

Thanks Casablanca. Okay,maybe a two person job then. Twice a day for a week. Sigh.

[frostyfingers]

I wrap mine in a towel, paying special attention to the front legs, then I put them in utility room sink (empty of water I promise), and wrestle until his mouth is open!

The pill is then stuffed in, jaw clamped shut and I rub his throat until he swallows - it usually works without me getting scratched.

[RancerDoo]

You could try putting it in a piece of cheese. Seriously, we did this on our vets orders and it worked!

[SecretSquirrels]

I'm losing the battle so far. Wrestled kitten into arm lock and inserted pill but he just pops it out. I thought it had gone but he snuck it into his dish.
Will now try cheese.

[catsrus]

butter is better - slides down the throat, get it in quick before it melts on your fingers though. it's technique - you do get better with practice

[Lizcat]

Cards on table - I am a vet. In the surgery I can tablet even the greatest devil cat. At home I have a couple of evil whirling dervishes they receive any tablets they required stuffed in cheesy wotsits, if you gently push the tablet on the wotsit it will sink in.

[igetcrazytoo]

I used to give my cat her tablets wrapped in small pieces of fresh mince, give 3 pieces, 1st - no mince, 2 nd with tablet, 3rd no tablet. really small amounts.

[igetcrazytoo]

oops should have said "1st no tablet"

[SecretSquirrels]

at cheesy wotsits.
Cheese worked!
Ok I know they are not supposed to have dairy but I only used a tiny bit.

[MessNessPess]

I roll a jumper sleeve into a chunky cuff and pop cats head thru with body inside dh the jumper and pin the edges down with my legs on the bed, one hand prises mouth wide open pointing towards the ceiling and pop pill at back of throat and at back of tongue, hold mouth closed, 99% success.

[SecretSquirrels]

MessNessPess that sounds like a determined approach. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the one pill but he has to have two a day for a week.
Sadly after one success he has me sussed and now won't eat the cheese.

[MessNessPess]

Ditto SecretSquirrel, pills am and pm for a week then the dreaded pancur, it really is the easiest way and he expected it and by day 3 it was much easier to open his mouth.

It was meant to read that the jumper is DH not mine ;) tho it is his ratty working in garden one.