At times our feline companions need medicine or supplements to feel their best, but they can be very difficult to administer given the sometimes discriminating kitty palate and convincingly discouraging claws.  Here are some tips from your Chandler pet sitters for accomplishing the seemingly impossible: medicating your cat.

–Hide the pill inside something:  Try a treat like cream cheese and hide the pill inside.  Lunch meat is another good option.  A Greenies Pill Pocket has worked for one kitty client I’ve visited when nothing else would.  Sometimes the cat will lick the treat and pill off your finger or take from your hand, and sometimes they need it placed in their usual food bowl to recognize it and eat it.

–Place the pill directly in the cats mouth:  Some cats will actually swallow pills dry, without any treats or assistance.  One cat we visit often has been on medication for so long that he accepts a pill dropped in the back of his throat while lying on a lap upside down!  You must gently open the cat’s mouth to use this method typically by using one hand on the upper jaw and one hand on the lower jaw.  You may have to be quick after opening the cat’s mouth to insert the pill before the cat wriggles away from you. Be sure to check that kitty has swallowed the pill our they may spit it out, so beware!

–Crush the pill and put on the cat’s paw: Another suggestion is to crush the pill (or open and sprinkle if it’s a capsule) and mix with a spread like cream cheese then dab onto the cat’s paw.  While I haven’t used this method myself so can’t attest to it, apparently this causes the cat to immediately start cleaning the paw and therefore ingesting the medication.

–Crush the pill and mix into food:  If the cat is especially food-motivated, I have found that I can crush and mix the pill into wet cat food or meat-flavored baby food which the kitty will easily devour.  I have even had a furry feline friend who would eat whole pills if they were hidden in canned food.

–Get pill in liquid form:  Lastly, it is possible to make a pill into a liquid form by crushing it and mixing with low sodium beef broth, tuna juice, or simple syrup.  Using precise measurements so dosing is accurate, you can then use a syringe (without a needle) to administer the liquid into the cat’s mouth.  Most of the time kitty will swallow the liquid medicine, but occasionally may vomit it back up.

Our kitty companions sometimes need extra special attention to be convinced to eat, so these are just a few tricks to try that your pet sitter in Chandler  can offer if your feline friend needs to take medications.  Please use these suggestions under veterinary advisement.  In the meantime, try discovering more about your cat’s tastes so when the time comes, you can find something yummy in which to hide medication.  Paws crossed it will make your life easier!