Home
>
Pet
>
Pilling a Cat

Pilling a Cat

Pilling a cat can be a "nightmarish" experience. Cats don't want something pushed down their throats, and they'll fight with all their might to prevent it. In fact, it's amazing how powerful their small bodies can be. Here are some ways to make the pilling process easier and less stressful ? for both you and your cat.

The easiest way of pilling a cat is to crush the pill into a powder by using mortor & pestle or by putting the pill between two spoons. Then mix the powder with a small amount of wet food (preferably a preservative free, healthy wet food). If your cat usually eats dry food, she will probably view the wet food as a treat and eat it up.

If the medication is a capsule, just pull the capsule apart, sprinkle the contents on the wet food, & mix, & serve.

If your cat won't eat the wet food that contains the pill or if she is too ill to eat, you can get a "pill gun", also called a "pet piller", from your veterinarian. This is a plastic rod with little rubber cups on the end that hold the pill until a plunger is pressed. It's best to get a long gun with a soft tip.

Your vet can show you how to use the pill gun, but here are some basic instructions. Getting your cat's mouth open is going to be the most difficult part. First, be sure the pill is in a handy place. You can put your cat on a bookshelf with her bottom in a corner or you can put her on your lap firmly braced. Have your cat facing to the right if you're right handed, & vice versa. With your left hand, grip your cat at the cheekbones, putting your palm at the top of her head. Keeping your finger off the trigger, with your right hand, insert the pill gun until the pill is positioned over the tongue & open throat. Then pull the trigger & withdraw the gun quickly. Be sure to give your cat a treat directly after giving the pill.

If you don't feel comfortable using a pill gun, you can try giving the pill by hand. Extend your cat's head backwards just far enough so that her nose is pointing towards the ceiling. At this point, most cats will slightly open their mouths. With the little finger or ring finger of the hand holding the pill, open the bottom jaw a little more. You may need to hold her top jaw with your other hand while doing this. Aim straight and lightly throw the pill or drop it so that it hits beyond the hump in her tongue. (Be sure to drop or lightly throw the pill rather than shoving it down so that your cat is not as likely to gag and so that you lessen your chance of getting bitten.) Most cats will then instinctively swallow the pill.

In case none of these "pilling" strategies work, as a last resort try to find a compounding pharmacy, and have them make flavored liquid or gel out of the medication.

Deena Caruso, author, teacher, & distributor of natural pet products Helps pet owners create healthy, happy pets. To receive FREE "Pet Pointers" Newsletter, go to: http://www.healthyfoodforpets.com http://www.healthyfoodforpets.com Ph: 760/758-7963, 877/877-0665

move in cleaning service Mundelein ..

In The News:

Kodiak Driver autonomous truck achieves perfect 98 safety score, matching top human fleets in groundbreaking AI evaluation by Nauto's VERA system.

New 401k catch-up contribution rules in 2026 will change taxes for high earners over 50. Learn how scammers exploit these changes and protect your retirement savings.

Kurt Knutsson's guide covers social media privacy protection through location settings, account privacy controls and two-factor authentication to prevent scams and data breaches.

Revolutionary retinal implant restores central vision in 80% of patients with advanced macular degeneration, offering hope where treatments once only slowed blindness.

Learn how to use passkeys on Windows and Mac computers without cameras or fingerprint readers. Discover secure authentication methods that replace passwords.

Tesla's FSD v14.1.2 update reintroduces Mad Max mode, enabling higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the standard Hurry profile setting.

A phishing email scam targeting American Express customers shows how cybercriminals use fake urgent messages to steal personal and financial information.

Facebook's new Meta AI feature analyzes your camera roll photos to create polished collages automatically, but requires cloud processing and raises privacy concerns.

A New Jersey teenager filed a major lawsuit against AI/Robotics Venture Strategy 3 Ltd. over ClothOff, an AI tool that created fake nude images from her social media photos.

Microsoft reports Storm-2657 cybercriminals sent phishing emails to 6,000 addresses at 25 universities to steal payroll credentials and redirect funds.

Astronomers have discovered asteroid 2025 SC79, a skyscraper-sized space rock orbiting the sun in just 128 days. the second-fastest known.

The Fox News AI Newsletter delivers the latest developments form the world of artificial intelligence, including the technology's challenges and opportunities.

A cyberattack on SimonMed Imaging exposed personal information of 1.2 million patients, including medical records, financial details and identity papers.

Spotify's managed accounts for kids under 13 now available in at least seven countries, allowing parents to filter and block explicit content and songs.

Friendly text conversations about BBQs and social events can lead to WEEX gold trading scams that target older adults with fake investment opportunities.

California company Skyeports creates self-healing glass spheres from Moon regolith that generate solar power and support plant growth for sustainable lunar living.

Cleafy researchers discover fake VPN streaming app Mobdro Pro that installs Klopatra banking Trojan, giving attackers full control over Android devices.

Police departments across the U.S. and Canada are adopting virtual reality training to better prepare officers for high-pressure, real-world situations.

House Bill 469 would prevent AI systems from owning property, serving as executives, or gaining legal personhood in Ohio under Representative Thaddeus Claggett's proposal.

Public voter records expose retirees' personal details to election scammers who create targeted cons using names, addresses, and voting history data.

Instead of fearing what comes next with artificial intelligence, think outside the box. Here are high-earning AI jobs that don't require a computer science degree.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says polite words like "please" and "thank you" cost millions annually, while direct prompts may improve ChatGPT accuracy by several points.

Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat exposed intimate conversations and photos, revealing users spent up to $18,000 on AI companions before the breach.

New Instagram parental controls allow families to manage teen screen time and content limits through the Family Center with stricter safety settings.

Third-party security breach at Discord exposes sensitive user information including government IDs, highlighting cybersecurity risks from external service providers.