Tips for Giving Medicine to a Cat

We all love our feline companions, but we also know that even the most loveable cats can be stubborn and uncooperative at times. Even when you are acting in your pet’s best interests, giving them the medicine they need can be difficult. You can become a capable advocate of your kitty’s health by learning how to give a cat medicine in an effective yet gentle way.

Why It Can Be Difficult To Learn How To Give a Cat Medicine

Cats are extremely wary of anything near their mouths, even if a trusted human companion is trying to feed them. They can also detect even the subtlest taste or smell of medicine, making them likely to immediately spit out what you are trying to give them. Even if you do get the medicine in your cat’s mouth, their naturally strong gag reflex might keep it from going down.

Your natural inclination might be to take your cat to the vet if it needs medicine, but you might find yourself in a situation where your feline friend needs a daily dose of medication to help overcome a health condition. It would be impractical to rely on the vet if your pet needs frequent doses of medicine.

Even an experienced vet can struggle to get a difficult cat to take their medicine, though, so you’ll need to learn some tried and true techniques to get the job done.

How To Give a Cat Liquid Medicine

You might know from your own experiences that liquid medicine has an especially strong taste. This can make it difficult to convince your cat to take it, but pet health experts explain that liquid medicine is easy to mix with your cat’s regular food.

Mix the liquid medicine with a small amount of canned food that your cat can eat completely from your hand. If you mix the medicine into a full meal-sized portion in a bowl, there is a chance your cat will not finish their meal and, therefore, not take the full dose of medicine.

If your cat manages to detect the medicine even when it is mixed with food, or if dietary restrictions make this method impossible, you can use a syringe or dropper to administer the medicine directly into the mouth. Many liquid medicines for pets come in a bottle with droppers included.

Administer the medicine according to any instructions provided by your vet or on the label. You may need to gently restrain your cat either by hand or by wrapping a comforting blanket around their body. Place the tip of the dropper between a canine tooth and the pre-molars. Try to make sure that the medicine drops onto the cat’s tongue rather than shooting into the back of the throat.

How To Give a Cat a Pill

Giving a cat a pill can be simple if you are familiar with how to give medicine to a cat in other forms. Like with liquid medicine, you can mix a pill in with your cat’s favorite food by crushing the medication and adding it to something with a strong and tasty flavor.

If your cat does not fall for this method, you can train them to accept pills in their complete form. Start with empty pill capsules and cover them with a tasty treat or meal topper. Give these fake yet tasty pills to your cat as a reward for various other tasks. When it comes time to feed your cat the actual medication, they will hopefully associate the pill shape with something they actually want.

Another option is to hide the medication in a pill pocket or pill wrapper. These are yummy treats designed specifically to encompass pills so that pets will never notice them, even after it is in their mouths. Even though cats are sensitive to the taste of medicine, pill wrappers will ensure they swallow the dose before they pick up on any unappealing sensations.

When all else fails, you can use a pill dispenser or pill gun to gently force your pet to swallow their medicine. This can be more effective than forcing the pill down by hand and is also much safer for both you and the cat. While this method is not harmful, your feline friend will almost certainly dislike it. Use this method as a last resort and work with your vet to find an alternative if possible.

How To Give Medicine to a Difficult Cat

How to give a cat medicine? An orange cat is wrapped in a blanket as it takes liquid medicine from a syringe.

Almost any cat will put up a fight the first time you try to give them medicine. They will recoil, squirm out of your grasp, hiss, or spit out their much-needed medication. With the right training and encouragement, though, some cats will eventually learn to cooperate. Others will continue to be difficult no matter what methods you try.

If you have such a feisty feline on your hands, It may be necessary to get a second caretaker who can help. You need a firm grasp on your furry friend to ensure they cannot wriggle free while you administer their medicine. This can be a lot to manage at once, so have your assistant hold the kitty down while you focus on medicating. Remember that you can wrap your kitten in a blanket or towel for added measure, but this can also cause additional stress for the animal.

Where To Buy Medicine for Your Cat

The BaxterBoo Online Pet Pharmacy is a convenient and personalized destination for all your kitten’s health needs. Find the medical products recommended by your cat’s veterinarian, including but certainly not limited to:

With BaxterBoo’s Online Pet Pharmacy, you get many benefits, including a wide selection of medications at a cost-effective price, access to an expert support network, and convenient auto-refill and reminder systems, all in one place.

Shop for All Your Cat’s Medical Needs

At BaxterBoo, we’re not just your guide on how to give a cat medicine. We’re here to be your constant companion on your pet care journey by offering a wide range of products – from pet food and lifestyle items to pharmaceutical medications – delivered right to your door. Browse our catalog of cat products today and contact us with any questions you might have.