Giving Medicine to Cats
Giving a cat a medication can be like a rodeo event that calls for an ambulance parked nearby. This rodeo occurs because cats don't like being handled aggressively, don't like the taste of medications and don't like it when pills get stuck in their throat, which is what happens to most medications. Cats evolved as desert creatures and don't make the same amount of saliva as humans or dogs so that pills don't slide down their throats easily. Knowing what cats don't like, you can medicate your cat gently and avoid creating resistance. Your cat is with you for life, so your relationship with it and your ability to give medication are important. You'll want to use different techniques than those used by technicians in animal shelters who don't know the cat, need to give it a medication and will never see it again.
Skin Medications, Liquids, and Pills.
Medication we commonly give to cats can be formulated as a skin medication called a transdermal gel, a liquid or an oral pill. When possible, request the medication be compounded by your veterinary pharmacy, as a liquid or as a transdermal gel.
Transdermal gel. Transdermal medications cross the skin or dermis and enter the bloodstream. Hairless areas that are not easily licked, such as the inside of the ears, are ideal. Before applying the gel, clean the skin gently. Do not scrub, but remove any traces of dirt, old medication or flaking skin. To apply the gel, wear gloves or use a Q-tip. Apply the medication gently without rubbing. Don't smear gel into the hair where it isn't absorbed. Use gentle confinement so your pet doesn't feel trapped. Praise your pet for cooperating, and offer treats. Keep your cat in a quiet place where no other pets can lick the medication, at least until the gel has penetrated the skin. Gently clean the residue before the cat goes to bed so the area is clean and dry overnight. This allows any microscopic abrasions to heal.
Liquids can be made so delicious your cat comes to get its medication. Ask your pharmacy to formulate the medication with a flavor your pet loves. Shake the medication if necessary. Draw up the dose in a dropper, and with your shoulders relaxed and a happy tone to your voice, cradle your cat. Use gentle confinement. With one hand around the head, gently support the neck so the head doesn't move back. Slide the dropper between the lips at the corner of the mouth. It's not necessary for the jaw to open or for the teeth to be separated. Slowly deposit the medication inside the cheek pouch. Hold the mouth closed and the head level while your pet swallows. Praise your cat and offer a favorite treat.
Some cats accept a dropper more willingly with a little butter spread on it because it slides into the cheek easily. Do not put a dropper with butter on it back in the medicine bottle. Do not put a dropper that has been in your pet's mouth back in the bottle if the medication is to last for more than four or five days. Droppers may seed the medication with bacteria so the medication becomes unsafe. Instead, use disposable droppers and throw them away.
Pills and Capsules. This is your chance to be a gourmet. Prepare the smallest amount of the most delicious soft food and divide it into three portions. Some cats love tuna and cream cheese. Some love bacon and cheddar; some, yogurt and rhubarb. Sit and cuddle your cat using only as much confinement as necessary. Give it a treat with no medication. Wait until it swallows. Then, with one hand on your cat's head, gently support the neck so the head doesn't move back. Place your fingers gently in the dip below the arch of the cheek bones and lift up. If the lower jaw doesn't drop open far enough to place the treat in the mouth, put the other hand with the treat in it so that the fingers touch the jaw and move it down. Place the treat as far back as easily done. Hold the mouth gently closed with the head level or nose slightly low so that it's easy for your cat to swallow. Don't raise the nose. Raising the nose does make it difficult for your cat to push medication forward on the tongue where it's easy to spit out, but it also makes it more difficult for your cat to swallow.
Work quickly with capsules because the gelatin dissolves when it gets damp. Praise your cat and let it pick up and eat the third treat on its own.
Pill Pushers. If you cannot medicate using the above techniques first ask that your veterinarian prescribe a medication that can be given as a liquid or as a transdermal gel. If it cannot be done, you might have to use a pill pusher, which is a plastic device rather like a straw that the medication can be slipped into. With the device slid into the mouth, a plunger releases the medication and the cat has the pill in its mouth without your fingers having been near its teeth. You should keep in mind that a pill pusher does little to strengthen your relationship with your cat, so it should not be your first choice. If using a pill pusher, practice with a treat first. Get the technique of placing the treat so that it is held securely but released easily. When you're adept, place the medication in the pill pusher and coat the entire length that will enter the cat's mouth with a delicious smooth substance your cat loves. Some choices are: butter, cream cheese, liver pate or anything that will help the medication slide.
Keep your shoulders relaxed, breath easily, smile and place one hand behind the head. Slide your fingers into the dip below the arch of the cheek bones and lift. Use the fingers on the other hand to depress the lower jaw by pushing against the incisor teeth at the front of the mouth. Slide the pill pusher to the back of the mouth, pushing slightly down against the tongue rather than up against the roof of the mouth. Release the pill, remove the pill pusher and hold the mouth closed. Don't force the nose up because it's difficult for cats to swallow with the throat extended. Praise your cat and as soon as it swallows, offer a wonderful treat.
If it is impossible to medicate your cat safely, notify your veterinarian. It is better to change the medication or pay to have a technician medicate your cat than to make an enemy of your pet.
Note: This information is intended to be a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise and professional judgment of your veterinarian. It is recommended that you work with your veterinary technician to develop a technique that is safe for you and your pet.
