Giving your cat a pill

 Site Accessibility Features: Skip to page menus 
 
Reset Website Accessibility
   Site Menus:Skip to page content 
   Veterinarians in Brush Prairie | Amazia Veterinary Service
Contact Us
 12303 NE 152nd St.

PO Box 87

Brush Prairie, WA 98606

Phone: 360-892-7524

Email:

Large animal: amaziavet@yahoo.com

Small animal: amaziavetsa@yahoo.com
 About Us
 Find Us
 Services  Large Animal Services
 Small Animal Services
 Veterinary Acupuncture
 Our Team
 Clinic Forms
 Order Prescriptions
 Links
  
Site Content: Skip to page footer 
   Giving your cat a pill
 Home » How-To Videos » Giving your cat a pill
Transcript of Giving your cat a pill
 00:01 Speaker 1: Hold the cat securely in your lap. Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions. Grease the pill with a very small amount of margarine or butter, so it doesn't stick in your cat's mouth or throat. Hold the pill between your thumb and index finger. Gently grasp your cat's head from above with your other hand, by placing your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Tilt the cat's head back over its shoulder so that its nose points to the ceiling. With your pilling hand, use your little finger and ring finger to open the cat's mouth farther by gently putting pressure on the lower front teeth. Quickly place the pill as far back over the tongue as possible. Close the cat's mouth and hold it closed while you return the head to a normal position. Gently rub the cat's nose or throat or blow lightly on the nose. This should stimulate swallowing. 
  Download Video: MP4, WebM, Ogg
 The easiest way to give your cat a pill is to hide the pill in food. This usually works best if the pill is hidden in a small amount of tuna or cream cheese. To ensure that the pill is actually taken, it is best to give a small amount of food that the cat is certain to eat rather than a large portion that the cat may not complete. Some cats may spit out the pill, so it is important to monitor this activity. If your cat persists in spitting out the pills or if dietary restrictions prevent you from hiding the pills in an appealing treat, you will need to administer the pill directly into the cat’s mouth.
 Instructions
  Prepare the environment so that you have a safe place to handle your cat. Have the pill ready and in a place where it will be easily accessible.
 If you are administering the medication on your own, you may find it easiest to place your cat in your lap. You may need to have someone assist you in restraining your cat by wrapping it in a blanket with only the head exposed.
 Make sure you have carefully read the label and understand the dosing instructions.
 Grease the pill with a very small amount of margarine or butter so it doesn’t stick in your cat’s mouth or throat.
 Hold the pill between your thumb and index finger.
 Gently grasp your cat’s head from above with your other hand, by placing your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other. Tilt the cat’s head back over its shoulder so that its nose points to the ceiling. The jaw should drop open slightly.
 With your pilling hand, use your little finger and ring finger to open the cat’s mouth further by gently putting pressure on the lower front teeth.
 Quickly place the pill as far back over the tongue as possible.
 Close the cat’s mouth and hold it closed while you return the head to a normal position.
 Gently rub the cat’s nose or throat, or blow lightly on the nose. This should stimulate swallowing.
 If you have trouble with this method of opening the mouth, try placing the cat on a table. Hold the cat by the scruff of the neck and lift the front paws off of the table. The mouth will open. Quickly place the pill as far back over the tongue as possible, as in the previous method.
Site Sidebar: Skip to end of sidebar 
  Share
  Print this page 
    Email this page to a friend
    Share this page on Facebook
    Share this page on Twitter
    Share this page on Google Plus
Amazia Veterinary Service

12303 NE 152nd St. (driving directions)

PO Box 87 Brush Prairie, WA 98606 Phone: 360-892-7524 Fax: 360-896-8758

Large animal: amaziavet@yahoo.com

Small animal: amaziavetsa@yahoo.com

Emergencies: We will take large animal emergency calls to our office number after hours. 
 

Site Footer: Skip to top of page  
     RSS
  Facebook
 About
 Privacy
 Sitemap
  © Copyright 2025 Provided by Covetrus AVImark | Powered by LifeLearn