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Best way to give a cat a pill?

 
steward
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Tiny Kitty went missing on Sunday 12/04 afternoon.  She came home this morning for breakfast after being missing for almost a week.

She is limping and has a knot on her front paw.

What is the best way to give her a 1/4  benedryl tablet?

She doesn't seem to want it in wet cat food.
 
pollinator
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Safety first! You'll need this:



I kid, I kid. DW says hold the cat's face in left hand, pry open bottom jaw, squeeze so they can't close the jaw, and shove the pill deep, past the tongue, and hold mouth shut until they swallow. Rubbing their neck encourages them to swallow.
 
gardener
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Sorry I don't have more useful tips. If it was hard for Hercules...
Hercules-attempting-to-give-his-cat-a-pill.jpeg
Hercules attempting to give his cat a pill
Hercules attempting to give his cat a pill
 
steward
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It's not too bad to do.  Here's one of many videos:
 
Rusticator
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I must admit, I'm curious as to the purpose of the benadryl, for her. Is it to calm her, so you can check her out?
 
rocket scientist
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Hi Anne;
They make a little gizmo called a pill shooter.
This is how Liz pills our cats.   https://www.amazon.com/PETHOUZZ-Shooter-Syringe-Medical-Dispenser/dp/B072BS471Z
 
Anne Miller
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I know Benadryl is not for pain.  She is in pain so I just thought it might make her feel a little better.

I think she found a hunter's dump site and has been enjoying feasting on deer.

What happened to her paw, who knows?

I cut a pill into 1/4 tablet with wet cat food.  She just turns up her nose.

I crusted the pill with the same reaction.  I pulverized another pill again the same reaction.

I offered her the whole can of cat food without the pill with same reaction.

So I give up.

We will see how her paw is on Monday when the vet opens if she is still around.

She came home because it is raining.
 
Carla Burke
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I can't help thinking a tiny bit (maybe 1/8 to 1/4teaspoon) of willow bark powder sprinkled on/mixed into her wet food might help more than the benadryl, which is a pretty controversial medicine for cats and dogs. Some vets recommend it, others emphatically advocate against it. I'm super wary of it.
 
master pollinator
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Whenever our kitties come home injured, we mix some tumeric in with tuna. It helps reduce inflammation, which reduces pain. Of course, if she's not hungry yet... she won't eat anything.
 
Anne Miller
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Thanks, Carla and Joylynn,

I doubt that there is willow with 200 miles, who know?

I have turmeric in my spice rack.

I have lots of tuna so next time she acts like she wants to eat I will open a can of tuna.

I learned about Benadryl when the vet gave the dog a rabies shot and she had a reaction.

It also helps with that reverse sneezing.
 
master gardener
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I point their muzzle up and press in gently from the sides of the mouth until they open up. Then I press those fingers into their mouth a little more and while the cat is struggling with the obstacle, but before they decide to get angry and bite me, I drop the pill straight down into the middle of their throat. Then I remove my hand, pet them with one hand and rub their throat to help stimulate swallowing with the other hand.

I used to use the fingernail under their lower incisors to get the mouth open, but this gives me more control.
 
gardener
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I have two suggestions that are really a variation on a theme.

Option one:  cook up some bacon and drown that Benadryl in bacon grease.  I have yet to find the cat that can resist bacon.

But if the cat picks the bacon off the pill, crush the pill to dust and mix it in with the bacon, grease and all.  My bet is that the kitty eats the whole thing.

Eric
 
Anne Miller
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Eric, I think that might work.

I was first going to use peanut butter as I do for the dog though hubby said he didn't know if cats like peanut butter.

She may decide she wants to be a house cat. She is kind of clinging to me.

She looks out the door though she has not wanted to go out.

Only time will tell.
 
Joylynn Hardesty
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Peanut butter? We have one cat that loooves it! One cat that tolerates it cause the first thinks it is a treat. One that can't stand it.
 
Anne Miller
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We got back from the vet. It appears that she had been bitten by some unknown animal. The vet pulled her hair out exposing the puncture wound.

She was given an antibiotic shot.



 
master pollinator
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I hope your cat makes a speedy recovery, Anne.

Some cats are relatively easy to get to take pills, others just won't, no matter what, in my experience. One does need to be confident and firm with the cat, but I've had some who fight like demons and even the vet can't get them to take a pill. Sometimes liquid medicine is easier to give than a pill, though it's important to make sure the cat doesn't inhale a liquid rather than swallow it.

With ours, for routine stuff or long-term meds, we mix it with some food we know the cat is highly likely to eat, tuna or those yoghurt-based creamy cat treats. For short-term prescription things like antibiotics where they're seeing the vet anyway, we ask our vet to give a shot instead.
 
Anne Miller
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Thanks, everyone for the advice and wisdom.  I will remember these the next time something happens.
gift
 
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