How to get cat to take tablets

[DailyFailstinks]

My old cat has been prescribed some tablets to take twice a day. I’ve tried mixing them into his food, but he just eats around the tablet, leaving it in the bowl (he’s not particularly food motivated and never eats all of his food). Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can get him to take them?

[FelicityBeedle]

Ours has sensitive skin so spot on makes him bald, and that offends his delicate sensibilities. We do a two person job, one holding like a baby, the other to prise open this mouth, drop pill in and blow on his nose

[minipie]

Crush tablet into powder, mix with wet food, seems to work for us - perhaps only because Dcat normally gets dry food only (the poor thing).

I have no idea how to get a whole pill down her. Vet did it last time and emerged saying “she really doesn’t like tablets, does she?”

[powershowerforanhour]

The hideously named Licky Licks seem quite useful for a lot of people.

Pill popper.

Tablets chilled in fridge beforehand then inserted into tuna or something equally strong smelling.

What are the tablets?

[DailyFailstinks]

*at breakfast and Dinner

[DailyFailstinks]

Thanks everyone. He took pills and breakfast and dinner yesterday hidden in a bit of ham (only the best Parma ham though - turns his nose up at the other stuff 🙄). I’ll order some pill putty as well.

[goddessofmischief]

Crush tablet between two spoons, put a layer of lick-e-lix in a bowl, tip powdered tablet over it, another layer of lick-e-lix. Works every time for mine. I do check if there's any bits left and add another layer if necessary.

[Marcanana]

@Toddlerteaplease

I used to get 8 pills a day down my cat. With a pill popper thing. She was an Angel. My parents have a popper that squirts water after the polls. But that scares me as I was worried he's aspirate.

Yes I do six every day. She knows me, she trusts me. I'm not sure she'd be so forgiving with others - hence why I haven't had a proper holiday since 2016

[cupsofcoffee]

@IsolaPribby

I have always had issues with this, and generally always ask the vet to give wormer. However, last time due to Covid they couldn't, but gave me some putty which you can mould around a tablet, and to my amazement, she took it! I've no idea what the stuff is called, but might be worth a try?

Our vets had to give my cat tablets once.

It took a vet, a vet nurse, myself and a receptionist to hold her down and get it inside her

[Timeforatincture]

A bit of corned beef moulded around the pill worked well for our old moggie.

[Toddlerteaplease]

I used to get 8 pills a day down my cat. With a pill popper thing. She was an Angel. My parents have a popper that squirts water after the polls. But that scares me as I was worried he's aspirate.

[OodleLoodle]

I rub the tablet in the bottom of a dreamies packet, the dreamies dust that sticks to it seems to be enough of a persuasion!
Failing that, crushed up in a cat yoghurt.
(If I'm very lucky, sometimes I put it on the floor and "guard" the tablet, so it becomes game to come snatch it up!)

[SoupDragon]

The cats do make me appreciate my dog more. He's so dumb he'll just eat the tablets thinking they're a treat. No deception required.

[AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken]

We did the two person, swaddle and hold. He refused to swallow so I started putting a few ml of water in after the tablet with a small syringe that fit between his teeth.
It became a 5 second job after that.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I used to crush into a small portion of gourmet. A lot of cats can’t resist gourmet.

[AnnaMagnani]

Webbox cat stix (or the Lidl rip offs which are actually better as they are softer)

Mould around the pill, give your cat a treat.

99% of the time our v reluctant pill taker would go for this, we could just chuck them on the floor and she would run up and eat them.

[TheSockMonster]

My sympathies.

I had a cat like this. Said cat was also diabetic and completely fine with injections and blood tests so the second time she needed a course of something I begged her vet for the injectable version. Much easier.

I have a dog now…

[Madcats]

Do you have a fighting chance of being able to open Dcat's jaw a little? We were seen by a newly qualified vet once who gave us a "syringe-doser". It has a little flexible tip that holds the tablet and then you plunge it in and rub the cat's throat until it swallows.

We always check there aren't injections the cat can have instead.

[FAQs]

Pill gun or the cat yogurt seems to work for us.

[SwankyPants]

Link fail

[HeronLanyon]

Oh god. Awful. In the past I stated with my own head. My cats picked up on everything. Any day of vet visit a single stray glance towards the cupboard where the cat basket would see them out of the cat flap ASAP. So I tried utmost not to connect with the task mentally!
Only things which worked (and not always) -
Crushed unbelievably fine (in place they can’t see or hear you). Into small bit of dairylea or plain yoghurt or cream from small spoon.
If trying to put in the back of their mouth I needed to have closed the cat door and kept an eye on cat for a long time. Frequently they just spit it out a lot later in some hidden spot.
Good luck.

[SwankyPants]

<a class="break-all" href="https://smile.[[//amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NMKUIKC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_JS0HYXH4NM2D96X1NQQW?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21" rel="nofollow noindex" target="_blank">https://amazon.co.uk/dp/B00NMKUIKC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_JS0HYXH4NM2D96X1NQQW?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21]]

Its brilliant.

[SoupDragon]

I have always had issues with this, and generally always ask the vet to give wormer.

I have fond memories of the vet giving my previous cat his wormer. After about 4 attempts, she binned the soggy pink mess that was left of the tablet and used a spot on wormer 😂 (FatCat used to run away at the mere sight of any spot on treatments though so it wasn't an easy option)

[PawsQueen]

Mine is a no pill zone so he has to have other options (not helpful I know)
The vet gave him a wormer once and emerged saying "I think it's time to try a spot on"
He only has one tooth but he's so quick and like trying to throw a tablet into a basketball hoop. If I put it in something, he picks all the food off and spits the tablet out

[MilduraS]

One of my cats reluctantly accepts us shoving a tablet covered in easy pill putty into her mouth. The other one doesn't like the putty at all but thinks a tablet wrapped in Royal Canin pill assist is a treat and comes running when she hears me open the packet. She eats them out of myhand then begs for more. The RC pill assist is quite big so we have to take about 1/3 off or it's too big for her to eat.

[milinhas]

If it can be crushed, then crushed and mixed with Lick-e-Lix or similar yoghurt substance.