Medicating Cats

The news every cat owner dreads to hear from their veterinarian is that they will have to give their cat a course of tablets. Of course, this does not necessarily mean your cat is ill – it could be something as routine as de-worming tablets. However, giving medication of any kind can be a challenge, as cats are notoriously fussy about what they eat and how they are handled.

Caring Creatures understands how important it is for owners to comply with the expert advice of their veterinarian, so here we aim to teach you the easiest way to give your cat the tablets it needs.

The first way to try is to hide the tablet in some very tasty cat food – most cats love fish in a rich tomato sauce. However, many pet owners report that their cat is so fussy about what he/she eats that they will simply eat around the tablet or spit it out, having gobbled the tasty food, which was meant to be their reward for taking the tablets so easily. This is testament to the high level of intelligence many cats boast; however, it can prove to be a pain for many pet owners and, indeed, veterinarians.

The next thing to try is dropping the tablet at the back of your cat’s throat. This is also necessary if your vet tells you that the tablets cannot be broken up or chewed. To do this you may need a helper to restrain your cat for you. With the cat restrained, take your left hand (if you’re right handed) and place it around the back of your cat’s head, clasping its lower cheeks on the jaw joint, with your thumb on one side and your index or middle finger on the other. Your palm should still be resting around the back of your cat’s head. Apply light pressure with your finger and thumb against the jaw joint, and with your right hand gently push down your cat’s lower jaw, opening your cat’s mouth. Then quickly place the tablet as close to the back of your cat’s tongue as you can get. Rapidly but gently shut your cat’s mouth and stroke your cat’s throat to encourage him/her to swallow the tablet rather than spitting it back out.

Taking tablets can be very stressful for your pet cat, such that medicating may become more difficult over time. To avoid this downward spiral, reward your cat after he/she eats the tablet(s) successfully. This reward could take the form of loving care and attention, or a small treat.

Note: If using food as a reward/encouragement when medicating your cat be sure to adjust the portion size your give him/her at their next meal time.