Ant vets or vet techs out there with good advice on giving pills to cats?

Question

My 8 year old tabby has a bad back and I'm suppose to give her 1/4 of Tramadol twice daily. The problem is that no matter what I do, she chocks on it and her mouths fills up with foam. I've tried the "pull the head back and drop the pill at the back of the mouth" which is not working because she keeps moving her tongue and push the pill out. I've tried pill pockets and mixing the pill with wet food but she will not touch it. She does not like any sorts of cat treats so no point of trying them. She likes some human foods like yogurt and ice cream (which by the way, I don't usually let her have them) but she won't touch them either if I mix the pills with them. I've tried dissolving the pill in a bit of water and give it to her with a syringe but it doesn't dissolve very well and she still chocks on it. 
I've got a pill gun which I haven't tried yet but I'm not very optimistic about using it.

lifeisgood · Accepted Answer

I'm not a vet, but I have several cats.  Crush the pill up and make a paste out of it with water.  Wipe it on the back of her paw.  She will immediately try to lick it off, problem solved.  But first call your vet to make sure that the pill will not make her sick if taken like this.  Good Luck and I hope kitty gets to feeling better.

Independent Woman · Answer

Try some cheese. I know it works for my dogs. I have 3 cats as well but I haven't really tried to give them any pills. A small amount of yogurt or ice cream coated on the pill itself as a whole might help it slide down the throat easier as you tilt the head back or when you do that you can close her mouth really fast and have a syringe of water, but when you use the syringe make sure the mouth is closed therfore they have to swallow. Hope this helps

oPHELANo · Answer

I am a vet in training. Buy pill pockets. Its like a treat which you pu the pill in. Also, if you have a syringe fill it with water and shot it down his throat, you wouldnt take a pill without water would you?
Hope I helped.

Anonymous · Answer

When you put the pill down the throat try holding the mouth shut for abit,normally they will just swallow.my cats do that...they take awhile but when they reolise they cant open mouth to spit out they just swallow. Open the mouth,put in pill & shut mouth & hold for abit.
Maybe you could try & wrap the pill in some ham or somthing & feeding it that way... Good luck

cherie · Answer

sit kitty on your lap and have pill ready. use your thumb and index finger to open her mouth do this while tilting her head back, take pill and pop down back of  her throat as far as you can. rub her throat gently, let her head go from tilting up and gently hold her mouth shut for a few secs,careful not to block her nose. she will prob want to run away straight away but try and keep her on your lap until she licks her lips , that means she has swallowed. my husband usually helps me which makes it easier, i hold her head and mouth open, he pops the pill in. easy when you get the hang of it! good luck

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Ant vets or vet techs out there with good advice on giving pills to cats?

5 Answers