Tips on getting tablets into cat?

[Roominmyhouse]

Our gorgeous boy was sadly diagnosed with cancer 2 weeks ago. He’s not doing too badly but starting to struggle more with eating. As such it’s been very hard to get his medication into him. He’s on half a table of steroids and pain relief twice a day.

Initially we were crushing them up into his food or a licky lix bit now he’s not so keen on that. Tried to put it directly in his mouth but he wasn’t keen and I just got scratched.

Sadly I think we may have to say goodbye soon but I desperately want to try and at least relieve his pain in the meantime. Anyone been through similar and got any ideas or tips?

We use these, and mix them in with the morning food.
www.amazon.co.uk/GREENIES-POCKETS-Chicken-30-count-vet-recommended/dp/B001BS9P0Q

We cut one corner out of a pillow case and pop our old girl's head through it then wrap the bottom around her body and tuck her under our arm. This means her head is exposed but her paws are constrained gently like a very loose straight jacket.

Then we have cut off the tip of a plastic syringe- so we can put the tablet into the body and the tip into her mouth then use the plunger to push the tablet into the back of her throat- of tat makes sense. The syringe has to be cut so there is an opening that allows the tablet to shoot through.

Then we give her cuddles.

Ooh ok. Are they soft or crunchy? He has squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth so his tongue is sore as the lesion is under it. If it’s crunchy I don’t think he’ll manage it but if they are soft it may be worth a try!

Hmmm our fail safe is crushed and mixed into sardines or mackerel in tomato sauce.

If his mouth is too sore perhaps it's time 🥲

@HeelsAtDawn we were trying the syringe method but I think we need to wrap him up better so he can’t claw or wriggle free.

Ultimately I know if we can’t get him to take meds today or tomorrow we are looking at saying goodbye. I know it’s for the best if he’s suffering but I really thought with the meds he’d be ok a little longer 😔

we coat tablets in butter so they slip down - hold cat in towel so no claws - put tablet in mouth - hold mouth shut and stroke cat under chin to get to swallow!

he could still spit them out!!! Grrrrr!!!

Place cat on table, pin under your body facing away from you so you cant get scratched or bit, lift head, tablet in and to the back of the mouth, stroke neck and they should automatically swallow. Mine do. It sounds awful but it's the only way they'll take tablets. I also use this way to pin my rescue as he suffers with dry eyes and needs eye drops and gel 3 times a day. Just instead of tablets I open eyes and place drops in. Vet told me I was doing it perfectly.
I'm sorry your boy has cancer. It must be awful to see him decline. I hope you manage to find a way to give him his pain relief.

@RandomMess that’s my fear. He wasn’t good Friday but then yesterday was eating like a champ. Now today he’s back to struggling. It’s so hard 😔

Yry crushing them & mixing them with a small amount if water (one syringe worth) and syringe them into his mouth.

Oops - now seen you've already tried that. Sorry.

I swaddle my cat in a towel trapping arms and legs. Then squeeze mouth open, throw pill in, hold mouth shut. Lots of stroking face and throat, then treats.

All the best.

Don’t be sorry! This sort of worked yesterday but less successful today. I just wish he’d understand why we are doing it!

We use Easy Pill Putty for one of our cats who's on one tablet of steroids every day and currently one and a half pills of antibiotics - he thinks he gets three treats a day, doesn't seem to taste the pill at all whereas he would always be able to tell if mixed in with food. Might help. All best for him, very sad.

They are very soft, like a putty.

Sorry you're going through this, OP. Hope this makes you smile 🙂

Sad as it is, it does sound like it might be time.

Stressing out a very ill cat by trying to get meds into him might not be the kindest thing you can do for him.

So tough @Roominmyhouse 💐

@Beachsidesunset that did make me smile! Thank you.

@2reefsin30knots I know. I think we’ll see how he is tomorrow but I think we might have to say goodbye. I really don’t want him to suffer.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions and support. It’s so hard, my heart breaks for him 💔

A friend used to roast a chicken and use the chicken skin to wrap tablets and was v successful with that. I think the skin it could probably be frozen for future use.

I had a pill syringe thing. I got 8 pills a day down my, (admittedly) very compliant Persian!

My old girl had a bad tummy once and the vets gave me some prescription food. It's high calorie so she only had to eat a bit and super soft so she could lick it. Whatever is in it I could get her to eat anything and she's normally so picky.

Its called restorative a/d - smells really strong and as I say mine can tell there's crushed up food in anything. She turned her nose up at tuna and everything else but licked the plate clean. As I say may also help if he's off his food been a recovery food.

How's he doing this morning @Roominmyhouse ?

My cat has to have a daily pill and for weeks rejected everything I tried. I finally stumbled on a method that works 99% of the time: split the pill into small pieces. Wrap each piece in a VERY THIN layer of Tomlyn Pill Masker (this brand works best as it's stickier and smellier than other putties, I tried them all). Take a meat stick (I use Webbox mini sticks as they seem to be the most moist), break it into small chunks, split each chunk open, push in the putty-covered piece of pill and squish the chunk back together. Then feed the cat the meat stick chunks one by one (starting with a 'clean' chunk with no pill) - if you hold out another chunk as soon as you give him one containing a pill, he'll hopefully gobble it down quickly to get to the next one. Though I appreciate it might not work so well if your cat doesn't have much appetite :(

It's horribly stressful trying to get medication into cats, especially when you can sense it's stressing the cat too. You have my sympathy :(

We get minced beef and roll it into tiny meatballs with the pill inside. I make an ice-cube tray of micro meatballs, keep them in the freezer and just defrost a couple every day for his medicien. He loved them so much he starts chirruping for food when he hears me swearing at the safety lock on the open the medicine bottle.

DH has this and is awaiting an op in the next few weeks. In his cheek though, not under his tongue.
I can't tell you how much pain he's in. He sleeps a lot of the time and can't eat solids. It's bloody awful seeing him like that.
I would strongly advise having your DCat put down. He'll be suffering so badly bless him.