Cats and pills

I have two cats and its always amusing to give them pills.. Good luck

Oh yes, a complete nightmare!

It's the bit where, having wrestled them to immobility in a suitably thick towel and then managed to stuff a pill down their throat, and you believe you've won, they then poke their tongues out at you with the bl**dy pill on the end!

With my Black Labrador all you have to do is say "Here boy!", chuck the pill in the air & he just swallows it.

quote:

I suppose there is a consolation in the fact that I was dealing with pills and not suppositories!

At least that end does not bite.

Thankfully the last pills I gave to Chutz were flavoured, and she started pestering me for more.

I have also managed to give her a pill by reducing it to powder, and mixing it with some food she really likes. Also giving her food at a time that is not her normal feed time, makes her think it is a treat.

I have tried the forcing a pill on the end of a finger down her throat, but she is too aggressive for that to work, ended up bitten and clawed, and the pill spat out. It is fortunate that she does not have such finely tuned taste that she can spot powdered pills in her food.

He predecessor could spot anything added to her food, and so the pill forced down her throat was the only way, but she could be held, and swallowed it.

With Chutz, the worst thing is getting out slugs she has sat on, and got stuck in her fur. She is a long haired Maine Coon, and unusually feisty for that breed. Our garden is damp, and she does not notice if she has picked up a gastropod passenger. They are usually in places that allow her good access with claws, so I am usually scarred.

Sometimes I find a clump of fur, and when I pin her down and cut it out, I find a dried black ex slug in the centre. The other bad thing with a long haired cat is the thankfully rare occasions when they get a turd stuck in their long hair under their tail. Cut out with scissors, and then sometimes washed in the bath, sometimes thrown out of the house, and not let back in until they do not smell.

A friend came up with a wonderful phrase that I am sure cat and dog owners will know from when their pets have problems, or uncleaness at that end 'arse surfing'.

Stick them in a prawn (or the equivalent favourite), that usually does the trick. Big pills means breaking in half and two prawns!

When I had a cat - and all the previous stories of grief is just like it was for me - I picked up a trick from my time in SA. Stop feeding them for 2 days. Grind up the mickey-finn and put it into/onto something the animal likes most; raw liver did it for my cat. Only problem is cats can be a real PITA begging for food in the 2 days, so that might not work for all. But it does for dogs, big time, they swallow everything so fast it doesn't touch the sides.

Here's the technique the lovely young vet showed me last week with the ferocious Ziggy:

With the cat stood on the floor, put your thumb and forefinger on the cat's shoulders. This stops it being able to lift its feet. Then with the other hand tilt the cat's head back and open its mouth. The cat has no choice but to let you do this. Put the tablet as far down the cat's throat as you can.... it's quite a view! The cat cannot cough up the tablet.

Tony

Just found this video courtesy of Youtube. Another cute vet, and an unimpressed cat.

Tony

Just how many hands do you have Tony?

I just loved the line "or have the cat on your knee"

My old cat 'Splodge', now sadly no longer with us, had a back paw sctatching move that virtually guaranteed a bleeding wrist everytime I tried to give her a pill. The first pill of a new illness was 'free' after that she wised up bigtime!

How To Give A Cat A Pill

1. Pick up the cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm 
as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either
side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while 
holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth.
Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from under chair. Cradle cat
in left arm and repeat process.
           
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take a new pill from foil wrap. Cradle cat in left arm holding
rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill
to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.
 
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top 
of wardrobe. Call spouse in from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between the knees. Holding 
front and rear paws, ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse
to hold cat's head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler
into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap.
Make a note to buy a new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully
sweep shattered figurines from hearth and set aside for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with it's head
just visible from beneath spouse's armpit. Put pill in end of drinking
straw, force cat's mouth open with pencil and blow down straw.

9. Check label to make sure that pill is not harmful to humans. Drink
glass of water to take taste away. Apply band-aid to spouse's forearm
and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.
  
10.Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Place cat in
cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force
mouth open with spoon, flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put door back on hinges. Apply
cold compress to cheek and check records for last tetanus shot. 
throw t-shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call the fire department to retrieve cat from tree across the road.
Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid 
cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly
to leg of dining room table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from garage.
Force cat's mouth open with small trowel. Push pill into mouth followed}
by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 1/2 pint
of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room. Sit quietly 
while doctor stitches finger and forearm and removes pill remnants
from right eye. Stop by furniture store on the way home to order
a new table.

15. Arrange for vet to make housecall.

Priceless!!!

David, you should do stand up.

On a seriouse note when you get the pill in hold the mouth shut and rub the throat, drop cat and run for your life.

I found the Pet Piller works a treat.