If you have a cat, chances are you’ve had to give it medicine at some point. Cats can be finicky creatures, and food is often one of their greatest pleasures. It makes it difficult to get them to eat their medicine without making an unpleasant experience for both of you! However, there are many ways around this problem. If you’re looking for tips on feeding your feline friend (and I’m sure most cat owners do), then read on.
Isolate the Cat with Food
You first need to isolate the cat in a place where it can’t run away. If you are using a pill, this should not be too difficult, as most drugs come in a size that is small enough for the cat to swallow. However, if you are administering a liquid medicine or any other type of treatment that requires an oral syringe, ensure you have everything ready before bringing your pet home so that it will not eat anything else while they wait for its medicine.
Once they’re isolated and safe from distractions (including other pets), give them their food and ensure they don’t eat anything else before or after taking their medicine!
Begin with a Small Amount of Food
Start with a small amount of food. Kits should be fed very little at first and then gradually increased to the amount they need to maintain their body weight.
Give your kitten as much food as he can in one sitting. If you give him too much, his stomach may become distended, and he may even regurgitate the excess food later. The kit should only eat some of his meals for him to overeat and cause discomfort later on.
Sprinkle the Pill or Liquid Medicine Over the Food
Some cats can be a demanding audience when it comes to taking their medicine. It will be a good idea to wait until they seem relaxed and happy before attempting to put in any treatment. You should also use the food they like—it’s easier for them to take something that tastes good!
Watch Your Cat Eat
If you want to ensure that your cat takes the medication, watch it eat. Cats are intelligent animals and are not easily tricked into taking medications. If your cat is not eating or seems reluctant to take the pill, try hiding it in its food or using a “pill sleeve” (a type of treatment) to entice them to eat their medication.
A Pill Sleeve
A pill sleeve is a small plastic tube filled with cat treats (or other food) that your cat likes. You then give the treat-filled pill sleeve to your cat, who will eat it up without realizing there’s medication inside. It’s an excellent option for providing cats pills while they think they’re just getting an extra treat!
Pill sleeves are cheap and easy to find at any pharmacy or discount store like Parliament Animal Hospital. If possible, find one with a textured surface on one side – this will help prevent your kitty from being able to grip onto it so she won’t be able to spit out the pill before swallowing it!
Cats Love Pill Sleeves Because They Are Filled with Tasty Food
Pill sleeves are an excellent solution for those with cats who need to give them some pills. The reason why cats love pill sleeves so much is that they are filled with food that is tasty. If you have ever tried to feed your cat pills, then you know how difficult it can sometimes be to get them to take the medication.
These pill-dispensing treats come in various sizes, but we recommend buying the smallest ones possible – they’re simpler to use and will make it easier for your cat to swallow the medicine inside.
Pill Balls
- Pill balls. These are treats that have been hollowed out to hold the pill. They’re easy to find and cheap, making them an excellent option for giving cats drugs while they think they’re just getting an extra treat.
- Pill pockets. These are also treated that have been cut open and filled with the medication before being sealed up so your cat can eat both at once. You can buy these online or at any pet store like Parliament Animal Hospital.
Some people have trouble feeding their cats pills because the cats won’t swallow them or will spit them out, but this is a perfect solution! Just roll the ball into your cat’s paws (or mouth) and let him chew on it until it breaks down into smaller pieces that he’ll eat as if it’s regular food. Pill balls are a good option for picky eaters, too—if your cat doesn’t like the flavour of an ordinary pill ball, you can add some tuna juice or fish oil to make it more enticing.
Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a great way to disguise the bitter taste if you have a cat who needs to take pills. Peanut butter can be a feline’s best friend when getting the medicine down. The oil coats the pill, and the protein helps make cats feel full, so they won’t be tempted to snack on something else while they wait for the drug to digest. The best part? Cats love peanut butter! You can dab a little bit on top of the pill or cut open a capsule so that half contains medicine and half contains peanut butter.
- Try to coat the pill in peanut butter before giving it to your feline friend. Cats love peanut butter, so they’re more likely to swallow the pill without chewing and lick up any remaining residue.
- Another trick is to give your cat a small amount of milk or water before giving her the pill. Some cats will drink a few ounces of water, which helps lubricate the throat and makes swallowing easier!
The bottom line is that if you can get your cat used to taking pills regularly, then there’s no reason she shouldn’t be able to get used to this one too!
A Favourite Treat
Another tried-and-true way to give cats pills or liquids is by using their favourite treats as a disguise. They can’t resist a tasty treat and will eat it even if they know there is a pill!
If you have trouble getting your cat to take medication, try hiding the medicines inside their favourite food. It may not be accessible depending on the type of medicine, but this can be done With a liquid mixture. If you want your cat to get used to taking pills or liquid medications, try training them with treats before trying essential medicines.
For example: If you have a dry tablet that needs to be crushed, crush it into small pieces and mix them into some wet food (or gravy). Also, try crushing up some dry treats to look like pieces of kibble from another bag. The idea here is to make sure that your pet recognizes these new items as “food” so they don’t associate them with anything negative before trying again later when we need those meds taken care of properly!
Here Are Some Ways You Can Use Treats
- As a disguise – you can hide the taste of medicine in some treats so that it’s not as unpleasant for them
- As an incentive – if your cat knows there will be a nice treat after taking their medicine, they’re more likely to cooperate!
- As a reward! The best part about giving cats treats is seeing how happy they are with their prize!
If they eat their canned food without trouble, this will likely work well for them too!
If you have a cat that eats canned food without trouble, this will likely work well for them too!
There are several ways to make giving your cat medicine easier or even avoid the whole situation altogether. The best way to start is by not sharing your cat’s medicine if it’s not necessary. If you’ve been bringing in food and water for your cat but aren’t sure if they’re eating enough, talk to a veterinarian about how much food is right for them—and also see if there are any other options besides feeding them every day at set times (like having a bowl on the floor). We at Parliament Animal Hospital can help you.
If you do need to give your cat medication, there are some things you can do beforehand that will make it easier: first of all, don’t force your animal! This goes against our instinct as humans because we want them healthy and don’t want anything wrong happening—but forcing medication down an animal’s throat isn’t going to help. Try using a pill sleeve or pill ball instead; this will give them time to sniff out what’s inside without forcing them into it too quickly. If these fail, try freezing the pills inside something tasty like yogurt with fruit mixed in; again, this takes some time but should still be considered less stressful than just shoving something down their throat!
Clean Up Any Extra Medicine
You’ve given your cat his medicine, and now it’s time to clean up.
- First, dispose of any leftover medicine. You can do this by flushing it down the toilet or throwing it in the trash if you have a secure trash can with a lid. If not, try putting the medication in an envelope and then putting that envelope inside another before throwing it away (or using a pill bottle). This will help prevent children from getting into your trash and accidentally taking some of your cat’s drugs.
- Next, clean up any mess around your cat’s mouth or chin where you applied the liquid medication. Use warm water and soft cloths or cotton balls soaked to wipe off any sticky residue left behind by some medications; other types may come off with just plain water alone—check them carefully before wiping them off! Be sure not to use anything that has been used in preparing food recently (like spoons) because they could contaminate their taste buds when they lick their paws later on–and we wouldn’t want that happening now, would we?
As you can see, there are many ways to give your cat medicine. The key to giving your cat pills is finding a better way for both of you. If it seems too much work, then consider another treatment method!
If you want the best of anything, our vets at Parliament Animal Hospital are knowledgeable and friendly, and we treat your pets like they are our pets. Please go ahead and give us a call right now!