How to get cat to take tablets

[Hisisteritsmeeeee]

I have a nervous cat, and she has been prescribed tablets for the next ten days. I don’t want to have to wrangle her for the next ten days, but am prepared to if nothing works....although I predict finding her on day 2 will be a challenge if that’s the route I have to take never mind the scars I’ll come out with....

So far, I have tried hiding it in her favourite wet food - she ate around it at first so I left it there and this morning I found it spat back out in pieces

Then - I crumbled it and stuck it in some Mayo (she loves Mayo) but she ate around it again

I now have a disintegrated Mayo tablet to get into her, I’m thinking adding it to gravy or something (sounds delicious no) but going forwards does anyone have any tips?

Put in mouth as far back as possible. Clamp cat’s mouth shut. Stroke the throat until they swallow.

Have you got a second person to assist? If so, wrap her firmly in a towel under your arm. Other person opens her jaws, puts tablet in, closes mouth and strokes throat until she swallows.

Wrap tightly in a towel to form burrito and contain slashing claws. Insert pill as far back in mouth as possible. Clamp Jaws shut with hand and wait about an hour. Ignore fake swallowing. Watch closely when finally released as pill will probably be spat out somewhere.
You can buy pill pockets (treats designed to have a pill inserted in them) but if your cat is anything like mine, they get refused.
There are also syringe type things to fire the pill at the back of the throat (and presumably trigger a reflex swallow). I haven't tried this, but assume would also require the burrito stage.
How do you get wormer into her?

Does she like cheese? Try hiding in that.

Wrap her in a blanket and wack it down he neck my cats surprised me and didn't need a blanket just open mouth pop in rub throat give dreamies

You can buy pill pockets. A treat with a pocket for the pill.

Check with the vet if they can be crushed. I always crushed into a small amount of gourmet at breakfast.

Put it in a blob of Primula on your finger. Hopefully one big lick and it's gone

forum.diabetes.org.uk/boards/threads/how-to-give-your-cat-a-pill-hilariously-funny.14688/

This makes me howl every time I read it!

I used to soften a lump of cheese in the microwave and put the tablet in the middle and the cheese completely covered it, worked for both the cat & dog. Good luck.

I crush mine to a power then mix with half a tube of lick-e-lix they eat it no problem. But I give it first thing when they are really hungry.

A pill popper transformed my life as far as giving meds was concerned, your vet should sell them, there are cheaper copies that aren't so good so watch for that, I'll try and find the ones I have for you.

Crush and mix with tuna, good luck!

I second the recommendation for pill pockets.

Here you go www.animeddirect.co.uk/buster-pill-giver

Easy pill from Amazon. My fussy cat takes thyroid meds 2 x a day and thinks they are treats.

You just form the putty round the pill to make a little treat.

I've got those pill packets- putty that forms around the pill. I've even broken the pill into 4, used 4 blooody expensive pill pockets, hidden them in a pile of Dreamies and come back to .... 4 pieces of pill licked clean and nothing else.

I've tried the purrito jaw clamped throat rubbing thing. Ended up covered in fur and drool, bleeding - and a cat who after 10 minutes spits out what's left of the tablet on the other side of the room.

Dogs are stupid. They eat anything. Get a dog.

When you get completely desperate I have had luck with crushing into either lik-e-lix or yogurt and smearing it on a front paw, so they have to lick it off. Those treat sticks are good for moulding round pills too.

@TodgerStrunk even the vet won't give my cat a tablet
Tried the crush and wipe on paw. He looked at his paw, tucked it neatly under him and went to sleep

Put pill into back of mouth, clamp cat's mouth shut and then blow hard on the cat's nose. The surprise causes an involuntary swallow.

Are the pills antibiotics? If so I would see if you can get an injection instead. My little boy cat was impossible to pull (even the vet struggled) and so we paid extra for a long lasting injection when he needed antibiotics. Much easier for all concerned.

Thanks for all the advice, the problem is I can’t pin her down to wrap her in a blanket, it’s a though she knows what I’m up to if I so much as move near a towel/blanket ....I must look suspicious

I don’t have a second person who can assist either unfortunately, I’m calling the vet later so I’ll speak to them as well but I’m very much thinking the cheese idea or those pockets could work - I’ve not heard of those before.

@TodgerStrunk that made me laugh!

I have two dogs, they are definitely much easier!

They’re not antibiotics, I have no option but to give her the tablets - the vet made it sound so easy last night

The next 9 days are going to be interesting

Although I have just managed to trap her in my bedroom, wrap her in a duvet and force the tablet into her (after it came shooting out the other side of her mouth a few times - I wish I’d read the blowing on her nose trick earlier) she’s now not talking to me but the tablet’s disappeared so I’m hoping it’s been eaten

How does she show she isn’t talking to you? Mine would stop coming to the bathroom with me if he was cross with me.

He’d look at me to make sure I knew he wasn’t coming with me.

Mine now even has spot on for his wormer. He only has one tooth so he can't bite but he curls himself in a ball, tail over his eyes and if you try to unravel him he snaps back into a ball. Takes one to hold him and one to give the tablet while he flings himself about like the exorcist

Vet "ah. We perhaps should not do tablets any more"

We crush any tablets into butter and smear it on top of the front paw. They can't bear it and lick it off.

Obviously there are exceptions QueenPawPaws