How to give a cat a pill without getting scratched
Giving a cat a pill has a reputation as an extreme sport, and rightly so. But with the right technique, a little preparation and a few tricks, most cats end up swallowing it without drama. And there is one detail almost nobody knows that matters for their health: the water afterwards.
Before you start
Ask your vet three things when the medication is prescribed: whether the tablet can be given with food, whether it can be split or crushed, and whether it comes in another form, such as a liquid, a paste or a flavoured chewable tablet. Some tablets have coatings or are slow-release and must not be split or crushed; others are very bitter and, once crushed, the cat refuses them and drools. Prepare the dose before you go and get the cat, with the tablet already split if needed, and have everything you will use ready. The shorter the whole thing takes, the better. And do not chase them around the house: wait until they are calm and approach quietly.
Option one: hide it
This is the easiest if the tablet can be given with food. There are soft treats with a pocket, designed for wrapping pills, that many cats accept. You can also use a small ball of pâté from their wet food, a little cream cheese or cat treat paste. The trick: give them a ball without the pill first, then the one with the pill and straight away another without, so they eat it with the same confidence. Keep the ball small, so they swallow it in one go and do not chew it. Do not hide the pill in the whole portion of food: if they detect it, they may refuse the whole meal and you will not know whether they have taken it. And not in milk, which disagrees with many cats.
Option two: the direct technique
With the cat sitting on a stable surface or on your lap, facing away from you, hold their head from above with your non-dominant hand, thumb and index finger resting on the cheekbones, just behind the canine teeth. Gently tilt the head back, pointing the nose at the ceiling: the mouth tends to open by itself. With the other hand, holding the tablet between thumb and index finger, use your middle finger to lower the jaw by pressing on the front teeth. Drop the tablet as far back on the tongue as possible, in the centre. Close the mouth, keep the head slightly raised and gently rub the throat or blow on the nose so they swallow. If they lick their lips, they have usually swallowed it.
Always water or food afterwards
This is the important detail. In cats, tablets swallowed without liquid tend to sit in the oesophagus for minutes, and some, such as certain antibiotics, can cause inflammation of the oesophagus that over time narrows it and causes swallowing problems. So after any tablet given directly, offer a few millilitres of water straight away with a needle-free syringe, slipped slowly into the side of the mouth, or a little wet food or a soft treat. Coating the tablet with a little butter or pâté before giving it also helps it slide down. It is a ten-second step that prevents a serious problem.
The burrito: for cats that fight back
With nervous cats or cats that scratch, wrapping them in a towel helps them feel contained and protects you. Spread out a towel, put the cat in the middle, wrap them snugly around the neck without squeezing, so only the head sticks out, and hold the bundle against your body. That leaves both hands free for the direct technique. If possible, have a second person hold the cat while you give the pill. Do it somewhere quiet, without rushing and without raising your voice. If the cat is very stressed, stop and try again later, because a terrified cat can hurt themselves or you.
The pill popper
This is a small plastic applicator with a plunger and a soft tip that holds the tablet. It lets you place it at the back of the tongue without putting your fingers in the mouth, which is safer with cats that bite. It is used just like the direct technique: open the mouth, place the tip at the back, press the plunger and close. Do it carefully, without pushing hard towards the throat. Some also have a compartment for giving the water afterwards. They are cheap, a few euros, and are sold at vet clinics and pet shops.
Alternatives you can ask for
If the cat will not cooperate after trying, do not give up without talking to your vet: there are usually alternatives. Some medicines come as a liquid, a paste or flavoured tablets that many cats eat on their own. For others, pharmacies can make up a compounded preparation on a veterinary prescription: a fish or chicken-flavoured liquid, smaller capsules or, in some cases, a gel applied to the skin of the ear, although this last route does not work for every drug. There are long-acting injectable medicines that avoid weeks of tablets. And sometimes it is possible to switch to another drug given once a day instead of twice.
What not to do
Do not dissolve a tablet in the water bowl: you do not know how much they take, and they may stop drinking. Do not mix crushed tablets into all their food unless you have been told to. Do not throw it into their mouth from a distance or push it forcefully into the throat. Do not blow on them or cover their nose roughly. Do not give them another animal's medicine or your own: paracetamol is deadly to cats, and many human drugs are dangerous to them. And if a cat spits out the tablet, check how much they have taken before giving another: if in doubt, ask the vet before repeating the dose.
Training from kittenhood
A cat that now and then gets a treat placed in their mouth, has their face and lips touched calmly and their mouth opened for a moment followed by a reward, will accept a pill much better when they need one. A few minutes of practice every few days with a kitten, or a patient adult, and some very tasty treats, completely change the experience of a long course of treatment. Always finish with something pleasant: a treat, a stroke or a play session. For the cat, the pill has to be what comes before the good stuff.
Ask beforehand whether the tablet can be given with food or split, and whether it comes in another form. Hide it in a small ball of soft food, or use the direct technique with the head tilted up and the tablet at the back of the tongue. And always water or food afterwards: a tablet stuck in the oesophagus can damage it.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.