Does anyone have any miraculous ideas for giving a cat a pill who most certainly does not want it? I’ve put him in a purrito but he’s adept at getting out of it and I really don’t want anymore scratches or bites. I’ve tried the Greenies pill pockets which work until they don’t and he totally ignores them. Due to FARS seizures he needs Keppra 3x a day. Unfortunately we are unable to get the injectable in Canada (so the vet says).
This is stressing everyone out!
oh the struggle is real!
How big are the pills? Have you tried any of the “churro” products, not sure what you have there. The US has several kinds, they’re basically pureed yummy stuff in a squeeze tube. Temptations brand Purrrree is the one I’ve used with the most success. Our cats will take your hand off trying to get to it lol Maybe the pill, even if it’s small, can be cut into pieces (if allowed) to be snuck into a hangry sucking down of the puree?
Is an oral suspension an option?
Same as above - coordinate squeezing out the med into the puree as it’s being consumed.
It’s actually quite a small pill. We are going to see if we can crush it even though it says not to…but that’s for humans.
I’ll see if I can get the tube stuff.
The vet didn’t know about FARS. ( Not many do) But will look into the oral stuff.
Thanks!
Have you tried multiple greenies flavors? Our love the chicken but are eh on beef and peanut butter. If he’s super fish motivated you could get some freeze dried sardines, pulverize, and put it into a Tupperware. Once the tiny pinch of pill pocket is filled, drop it in the powder, and give it a shake.
If it shouldn’t be crushed for people, make sure it’s ok to crush it for cats. There’s usually a reason, which is often the enteric coating to help it get past the stomach
@GraceLikeRain I love that idea! AND, it reminds me:
@crackerjack I don’t know if you can get Forti-Flora or similar digestive aide for cats, but it’s like crack for our kitties. So a pinch of pill pocket rolled in that might also be something you can try
Fortiflora is kitty crack. Mine literally know the sound of the packet crinkling.
Ohhh I think I can!
My barn kitties take meds dipped in sardine oil and added to a tiny amount of tuna or cut a sliver in a dried sardine.
I can’t physically pick them up without loosing blood yet so give them meds so this is our workaround.
I found a small piece of pork tenderloin wrapped around a pill worked well.
My dad’s most recent method for giving their asthmatic fluff ball his prednisolone was to take a dehydrated chicken treat, add some water to it, smush around the pill, let it dry, then coat it in Churro. He’d gotten too smart for pill pockets, so my dad had to improvise.
Dad also learned the hard way that handling the pill without tweezers inevitably ended up with pill residue (they were cut in half) on the outside of the treat, so kitty could smell it from a mile away.
Kitties are way too smart.
Kitty decided that for right now the pill crushed in a bit of milk was tolerable… Obviously only just and that opinion could change any time.
Never forget the power of Churros, though!
I need to figure out if I can get those here… 
We do have other brands but have to look for those!
I think they’re all the same, but the cat experts on here may know better!
I feel you! So there is a little trick I tried one time: I tried to sort of run it through a blender and mix it with a little tiny amount of tuna juice or something really fishy. There is also the option to swallow the pill wrapped in a little piece of butter or cream cheese because it’s easier to get it down. It’s difficult but that’s alright, keep on learning and you will discover what is best for you.
Train cats to extra super treats every time they get in a cardboard box with a cat head sized hole and stick head out.
Give a real treat or two first, then the Judas one then a chaser or two more.
Cats are too busy with the arrangement ending in treats they eat most anything before they realize it may have stuff in it and your body is out of reach of anxious paws.
Clearly we are talking about cats so your (general) experience might be different, but generally speaking they are all the same. I find the Churros brand to be a little more gelatinized than say the Squeeze Ups. So far none of my barn cats have said any of the brands or flavors are not edible, they are all a win.
Signed,
Someone who spends way too much money on cat treats for the barn cats.
Churros is one “brand” (not sure who makes it). Temptations has one which is what we use. I’ve seen a few others as well. I haven’t used Churros specifically because they were a lot more $ and I didn’t want to get the box and have it be a fail.
Temptations Purrrree in the salmon is the crack. But Pure Balance in salmon is a big fat NOPE.
Ohhh, great idea. I’ve done something similar, just without a box. There’s a term for this - training? As in the choo-choo-train. It might be something else. Several small clean treats, once they’re practically grabbing the next clean treat before swallowing the last one, then stick the pill treat down and QUICKLY lay down 1-3 clean ones in succession. But I do it on the floor, not handing it out because you’re right - grabbyhands!
Have you ever tried a pet piller/pill gun? A vet friend of mine suggested that to me as one of my cats gets daily meds but grew wise to pill pockets.
I have this one and it works great: Cat Pill Gun
DJ knows he will get a treat afterwards so he doesn’t care. When he hears the pill bottle he hops up on my desk or a table. I gently grasp the back of his head/neck (basically to steady his head, not restrain him), slide the tip of the piller in the corner of his mouth to open it (sort of like deworming a horse) and shoot it in. He then demands his treat. 
It is so much easier than trying to just use your hands. I think it also helps with him being at the same level as me and I’m sitting down so he doesn’t feel overwhelmed. I did some counter-conditioning with the piller first so that he associated it with treats, then I gave him some treats with it, and then switched over to the pill.
He gets some other meds in his food and I use Churu for that.
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