10-Step Guide Goes To Absurd Lengths Explaining How To Make A Cat Take A Pill, And It’s Hilarious
You think taming a lion is hard? Try making a cat take pills! Some owners don’t even bother: they pay the vet to do it. But Nick Filippou, the creative mind behind I iz Cat will show you that it’s completely possible to perform this task on your own. Like his 10-step comic guide shows, all it takes is just a little thinking outside the box.
“I’ve given pills to my own cat and some shelter cats I volunteer at,” Nick told Bored Panda. “It’s never a fun experience, haha. It’s kind of always been a battle.”
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Seriously, though. Nick said some things do help. For example, a pill pusher. “[Or] little tricks [like] scuffing, wrapping the cat in a blanket, and popping the jaw open behind the back teeth. Still, once the pill goes in the mouth, it always pops back out, haha. That’s the battle.”
Right now, Nick has only one cat, Minnie. “She was formerly was a feral cat from Little Flower Rescue, and I got to meet her as a volunteer. I fell in love immediately.”
“I had another former feral, named Sylvia, who sadly passed away last year,” Nick said. “She was a tortoiseshell cat with three legs. I adopted both of them at the same time about four years ago. Sylvia had some serious tortitude… but she was a loyal and very cute cat. I miss her every day.”
Cat owners related to this comic in the funniest ways
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I have a cat that’s been on daily pills for almost 14 years. He’s a little s**t sometimes because after so many years we both know all the tricks. But I’m the only one he will sit for.. I barely grab behind his neck and push down throat. But he’ also gets a treat after so any time he hears a pill bottle he comes running. Ever get up at 2am trying to sneak Advil so you don’t wake the cat? Lol
My parent's cat needs to be given pills on a regular basis - they do it by crushing the pill in a saucer and mixing it with a cat treat (cat pudding). Works like a charm - he will turn up himself and DEMAND to get the treat. So even when my mother's stressed and has a thousand other things on her mind, he'll be there, waiting by her feet, begging by the door, doing his best to remind her that SOMETHING's amiss. My mother swears by it.
Load More Replies...
Don’t forget a grimoire of intense magical power!! May I recommend Lux Adversus Tenebrae, or Ancient Rites of the Modern Paladin?
Load More Replies...
My lady cat is a master of pretending to swallow the pill. I put it in her throat (I am delicete, mind you), then she gulps, then she eats treats, then she trottles away. And around the corner I find the slimy spat out pill. :D
My cats can spot doctored food/treats a mile away. I pay extra for the vet to call the pharmacist for tuna or chicken flavor medicine when possible. Or I pay $70.00 for the antibiotic shot that last 2 weeks. My last option is welding gloves, goggles, blanket and a glass of white wine.
I'm a "specialist” pill giver on semi stray cats. So many pills, to so many different cats. I remember once, I can tell, the cat wanted to give me the pill. She was a ninja cat. For the most of cats I grab them and push the pill from the side of the mouth (no direct) and with a syringe (without the needle!!!) full of water or milk (depends the cat) I help them to swallow. That is the romantic version. I have other method for the angry cats. But the description maybe is not understood
Usually I pulverize the pill and mix it with cat's food, so the cat eats it without noticing.
Same here, pill is crushed and mixed with cat pudding. Best method by far, it makes the cat LIKE getting medicine.
Load More Replies...
I have a kitty with allergies. Vet told me to give her Benadryl. I tried liquid in her food and she refused to eat. I tried liquid down her throat and she foams it all out. I tried pills crushed on her food and she refuses to eat. I tried wrapping her up like a purrito, but that's the only time she will turn into a whirlwind of razor blades and slash me and the towel to bits. I've tried forcing it down her throat, but she hocks it up like a hairball. She's just going to have to be itchy and devoid of about 75% of her fur.
Have you tried watching you tube videos? Or having your vet teach you? My vet taught me and then I brushed up with videos and now I’m a pro! You just have to trust you will not lose a finger lol! Good luck!
Load More Replies...
I get these lil heartworm pills for my kitty, she actually likes them, so never had an issue with her gobbling them up. Putting them in some goodies always helps!
I've given pills to dogs and cats since forever and it's really easy. Hold them by the scruff of the neck. Put a finger in their mouth sideways, drop the pill to the back of their throat, quickly and gently push the pill down and your done. It takes less than five seconds. There's no fight, there's nothing but an animal that's a little confused who got his pill.
With cats, I recommend sort of kneeling and tucking them into your legs, so there is no way for them to go backwards.
Load More Replies... 
Best thing i ever got was a pill dispenser for cats, as long as you got another person to wrap the cat in a towel and hold and then just use it to pop it down their throat, makes it sooooo much easier. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buster-Tablet-Introducer-Giver-Classic/dp/B004ZCHVUQ
I am fully prepared. I play Skyrim, so there is not that much difference between my angry cat and an angry dragon.
I love how the only useful step (the b/purrito wrapping part) is just a single sentence with no extra directions. :D
It's cause there is no fix instruction for that. You toss the towel, grab the cat under the towel and just go with the paw flow :D
Load More Replies...
Pill pocket. My vet recommended them and they were astonishingly well. She has to take 4 pills for her thyroid every day and trying to get her to take them was nightmarish. Not that I blame her. She thinks the pill pockets are a treat and very happily takes them. In fact, if we're 5 minutes late, she "reminds" us. No, we've never missed a dose since we started using pill pockets. We've been getting the very large dog pockets because we have to give her 4 pills a day, and we would go through the cat size ones like crazy. Those of you with cats might want to give it a go. Or maybe what we do with our other cat will work...he also gets one pill twice a day but he hates the pill pocket. Thankfully he's lazy and loves to eat so we drop the pill in his mouth and when he swallows we give him treats. Not many, but a "reward" for swallowing the pill. He also reminds us when its time for his treats. Bribery is wonderful.
I tried the whole towel thing with my cat...she was so terrified by being "assaulted" by the towel (that's how she saw it) that she jumped straight up about 6 feet into the air, claws out (scratching me horribly) and sprayed me with poop. Poop was everywhere...in my hair, on my clothes, all over the walls and floor...after that I told my vet to find another way. It was traumatic for all of us involved. Lol.
I count myself very lucky that I have a dog, for this situation! He takes his pills in treats - doesn't suspect a thing XD
LOL the cat I had for 17 year was a devil to give pills to, but here 2 cats later my Siamese kitten needed pills for a parasite. I had put them in a meat stick cat treat and he chowed them down with no issue... until the last one... the pill fell out.. as I prepared for battle and picked him up he found the pill in my hand and gobbled it down.... Incidentally said cat loves Tomatoes
Shopping list: one set of armour, possible chain mail for underneath to cover any vulnerable spots, and pending on the size, and previous kill rate possibly a blow dart tranquillizer...One cannot be too sure in these situations.
The kitty in my avi who is no longer with us (lived to 21 with kd and ht), I tried to give her a pill by hand and scratched her throat so for me, it is better to just squirt liquid in there. We are down to one indoor kitty and she is the wilyest one of the bunch. If its is a liquid, I try to see if she will eat it in wet food. If not, I have to wait til she's asleep to surprise her. I mash up pills and put them in 1ml of water. There will be sensitive people who will not realize that you have to be pragmatic when your cat has a non-life threatening illness that can be completely treated if only you could get a pill or bit of liquid in them. Please do not worry. We love our cats and make sure they know it.
How to give dog a pill: Step 1- wrap pill in piece of cheese; roll into ball. Step 2- give cheeseball to dog. Mission accomplished.
I saw a posted comment recently that said "Bathing cats is a martial art!" So is medicating them. Every cat is different, though. I have a beautiful, sweet tortie that has congestive heart failure, and she has to take human meds 2x a day for it. She is a sweetie about it, and I use a small pet piller to make it easy on her. But, if she could be cured of this incurable condition, but I still had to giver pills 2x a day, and she fought like a demon, I'd take that trade.
It's actually very simple to do. Kneel on the ground and put kitty between your legs with them facing outward. With your left hand, put it under their chin, tilt the head up and use your middle finger and thumb of the hand under the chin and place them on each side of their mouth. Slowly massage your fingers inward and it'll force them to open their mouth. While their mouth is open and head tipped up, drop the pill dead center on the back of their tongue and they'll automatically swallow. My vet taught me this in the 90's and I still use it because it's the easiest and most effective way. From start to finish it takes me about ten seconds. Please DO NOT shove the pill down their throat like I've seen people do and comment that they do.
Pill pockets. My cat needs thyroid medication twice a day and the vet recommended them. She thinks its a treat, in fact she pouts if we're 5 minutes late with them. I get the big dog size one and break it up, but that's because she gets 4 pills a day and the cat size ones would get expensive. Give it a try, it definitely works with my pill hating cat.
Am I a killjoy if I say: "Call cat, pill in, done." My cat just went with anything you did, no matter what. When the vet treated her broken joint once (she took on a truck. Yeah, I said truck.), she lay absolutely still and waited until he was finished.
Oh bother, what is wrong with you all? I can pill 2 cats in 3 minutes and still have all my fingers. Proof? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEkSYw3o5is
I have 2 cats you can 'trick' into having a pill (put it in any meat etc) but one smartass who knows the pill is coming just by my behaviour and the sound of the packaging. I have to put it in his mouth and pray he'll swallow it but the bugger got smarter- makes the swallowing noise and when I let him go- he'd spit it out. Not easy but he knows what's going on. Had to p my tactics and make sure he swallows it before I let him go. (btw- he's not aggressive or anything- just too smart)
What if my cat is a Flerken???? Would I hold the pill as it eats me?!? Or should I put the pill in the tesseract?
My cat loves to chase cat treats so I just throw his tablets in much the same manner. He falls for it every time
We had our female cat on birth control for a while (she was an outdoorsy cat and we wanted to prevent more pregnancies before we could get an appointment to neuter her) so we had to give a pill daily. We crushed the pill and mixed it with stuff she alost never gets (like deli meat or such) or deluxe cat food. Then simoply put her down in front of the now tampered food and watch her gulp it all down. Worked like a charm every single time. No reason to do such battle with a cat^^
Your methid will fail when you have two cats that eat meals freestyle, not on fixed hours. My cats get breakfast and they eat some, but they often also switch bowls and leave some for later. As we both work, they are left for the day and I cannot control which eats from which bowl. Besides my lady cat is very picky and will only take specific dry snacks in (yes, even if I snuck the pill in those, she will find it and spit it out) so smuggling a crushed pill isn't an option. And another thing: many pills are sour or bitter after crushing or cutting, so the cat will not touch the food with that. Luckily I don't need the armor and towel, but have to use the down the throat method.
Load More Replies...
I have a cat that’s been on daily pills for almost 14 years. He’s a little s**t sometimes because after so many years we both know all the tricks. But I’m the only one he will sit for.. I barely grab behind his neck and push down throat. But he’ also gets a treat after so any time he hears a pill bottle he comes running. Ever get up at 2am trying to sneak Advil so you don’t wake the cat? Lol
My parent's cat needs to be given pills on a regular basis - they do it by crushing the pill in a saucer and mixing it with a cat treat (cat pudding). Works like a charm - he will turn up himself and DEMAND to get the treat. So even when my mother's stressed and has a thousand other things on her mind, he'll be there, waiting by her feet, begging by the door, doing his best to remind her that SOMETHING's amiss. My mother swears by it.
Load More Replies... Don’t forget a grimoire of intense magical power!! May I recommend Lux Adversus Tenebrae, or Ancient Rites of the Modern Paladin?
Load More Replies... My lady cat is a master of pretending to swallow the pill. I put it in her throat (I am delicete, mind you), then she gulps, then she eats treats, then she trottles away. And around the corner I find the slimy spat out pill. :D
My cats can spot doctored food/treats a mile away. I pay extra for the vet to call the pharmacist for tuna or chicken flavor medicine when possible. Or I pay $70.00 for the antibiotic shot that last 2 weeks. My last option is welding gloves, goggles, blanket and a glass of white wine.
I'm a "specialist” pill giver on semi stray cats. So many pills, to so many different cats. I remember once, I can tell, the cat wanted to give me the pill. She was a ninja cat. For the most of cats I grab them and push the pill from the side of the mouth (no direct) and with a syringe (without the needle!!!) full of water or milk (depends the cat) I help them to swallow. That is the romantic version. I have other method for the angry cats. But the description maybe is not understood
Usually I pulverize the pill and mix it with cat's food, so the cat eats it without noticing.
Same here, pill is crushed and mixed with cat pudding. Best method by far, it makes the cat LIKE getting medicine.
Load More Replies... I have a kitty with allergies. Vet told me to give her Benadryl. I tried liquid in her food and she refused to eat. I tried liquid down her throat and she foams it all out. I tried pills crushed on her food and she refuses to eat. I tried wrapping her up like a purrito, but that's the only time she will turn into a whirlwind of razor blades and slash me and the towel to bits. I've tried forcing it down her throat, but she hocks it up like a hairball. She's just going to have to be itchy and devoid of about 75% of her fur.
Have you tried watching you tube videos? Or having your vet teach you? My vet taught me and then I brushed up with videos and now I’m a pro! You just have to trust you will not lose a finger lol! Good luck!
Load More Replies... I get these lil heartworm pills for my kitty, she actually likes them, so never had an issue with her gobbling them up. Putting them in some goodies always helps!
I've given pills to dogs and cats since forever and it's really easy. Hold them by the scruff of the neck. Put a finger in their mouth sideways, drop the pill to the back of their throat, quickly and gently push the pill down and your done. It takes less than five seconds. There's no fight, there's nothing but an animal that's a little confused who got his pill.
With cats, I recommend sort of kneeling and tucking them into your legs, so there is no way for them to go backwards.
Load More Replies... Best thing i ever got was a pill dispenser for cats, as long as you got another person to wrap the cat in a towel and hold and then just use it to pop it down their throat, makes it sooooo much easier. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buster-Tablet-Introducer-Giver-Classic/dp/B004ZCHVUQ
I am fully prepared. I play Skyrim, so there is not that much difference between my angry cat and an angry dragon.
I love how the only useful step (the b/purrito wrapping part) is just a single sentence with no extra directions. :D
It's cause there is no fix instruction for that. You toss the towel, grab the cat under the towel and just go with the paw flow :D
Load More Replies... Pill pocket. My vet recommended them and they were astonishingly well. She has to take 4 pills for her thyroid every day and trying to get her to take them was nightmarish. Not that I blame her. She thinks the pill pockets are a treat and very happily takes them. In fact, if we're 5 minutes late, she "reminds" us. No, we've never missed a dose since we started using pill pockets. We've been getting the very large dog pockets because we have to give her 4 pills a day, and we would go through the cat size ones like crazy. Those of you with cats might want to give it a go. Or maybe what we do with our other cat will work...he also gets one pill twice a day but he hates the pill pocket. Thankfully he's lazy and loves to eat so we drop the pill in his mouth and when he swallows we give him treats. Not many, but a "reward" for swallowing the pill. He also reminds us when its time for his treats. Bribery is wonderful.
I tried the whole towel thing with my cat...she was so terrified by being "assaulted" by the towel (that's how she saw it) that she jumped straight up about 6 feet into the air, claws out (scratching me horribly) and sprayed me with poop. Poop was everywhere...in my hair, on my clothes, all over the walls and floor...after that I told my vet to find another way. It was traumatic for all of us involved. Lol.
I count myself very lucky that I have a dog, for this situation! He takes his pills in treats - doesn't suspect a thing XD
LOL the cat I had for 17 year was a devil to give pills to, but here 2 cats later my Siamese kitten needed pills for a parasite. I had put them in a meat stick cat treat and he chowed them down with no issue... until the last one... the pill fell out.. as I prepared for battle and picked him up he found the pill in my hand and gobbled it down.... Incidentally said cat loves Tomatoes
Shopping list: one set of armour, possible chain mail for underneath to cover any vulnerable spots, and pending on the size, and previous kill rate possibly a blow dart tranquillizer...One cannot be too sure in these situations.
The kitty in my avi who is no longer with us (lived to 21 with kd and ht), I tried to give her a pill by hand and scratched her throat so for me, it is better to just squirt liquid in there. We are down to one indoor kitty and she is the wilyest one of the bunch. If its is a liquid, I try to see if she will eat it in wet food. If not, I have to wait til she's asleep to surprise her. I mash up pills and put them in 1ml of water. There will be sensitive people who will not realize that you have to be pragmatic when your cat has a non-life threatening illness that can be completely treated if only you could get a pill or bit of liquid in them. Please do not worry. We love our cats and make sure they know it.
How to give dog a pill: Step 1- wrap pill in piece of cheese; roll into ball. Step 2- give cheeseball to dog. Mission accomplished.
I saw a posted comment recently that said "Bathing cats is a martial art!" So is medicating them. Every cat is different, though. I have a beautiful, sweet tortie that has congestive heart failure, and she has to take human meds 2x a day for it. She is a sweetie about it, and I use a small pet piller to make it easy on her. But, if she could be cured of this incurable condition, but I still had to giver pills 2x a day, and she fought like a demon, I'd take that trade.
It's actually very simple to do. Kneel on the ground and put kitty between your legs with them facing outward. With your left hand, put it under their chin, tilt the head up and use your middle finger and thumb of the hand under the chin and place them on each side of their mouth. Slowly massage your fingers inward and it'll force them to open their mouth. While their mouth is open and head tipped up, drop the pill dead center on the back of their tongue and they'll automatically swallow. My vet taught me this in the 90's and I still use it because it's the easiest and most effective way. From start to finish it takes me about ten seconds. Please DO NOT shove the pill down their throat like I've seen people do and comment that they do.
Pill pockets. My cat needs thyroid medication twice a day and the vet recommended them. She thinks its a treat, in fact she pouts if we're 5 minutes late with them. I get the big dog size one and break it up, but that's because she gets 4 pills a day and the cat size ones would get expensive. Give it a try, it definitely works with my pill hating cat.
Am I a killjoy if I say: "Call cat, pill in, done." My cat just went with anything you did, no matter what. When the vet treated her broken joint once (she took on a truck. Yeah, I said truck.), she lay absolutely still and waited until he was finished.
Oh bother, what is wrong with you all? I can pill 2 cats in 3 minutes and still have all my fingers. Proof? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEkSYw3o5is
I have 2 cats you can 'trick' into having a pill (put it in any meat etc) but one smartass who knows the pill is coming just by my behaviour and the sound of the packaging. I have to put it in his mouth and pray he'll swallow it but the bugger got smarter- makes the swallowing noise and when I let him go- he'd spit it out. Not easy but he knows what's going on. Had to p my tactics and make sure he swallows it before I let him go. (btw- he's not aggressive or anything- just too smart)
What if my cat is a Flerken???? Would I hold the pill as it eats me?!? Or should I put the pill in the tesseract?
My cat loves to chase cat treats so I just throw his tablets in much the same manner. He falls for it every time
We had our female cat on birth control for a while (she was an outdoorsy cat and we wanted to prevent more pregnancies before we could get an appointment to neuter her) so we had to give a pill daily. We crushed the pill and mixed it with stuff she alost never gets (like deli meat or such) or deluxe cat food. Then simoply put her down in front of the now tampered food and watch her gulp it all down. Worked like a charm every single time. No reason to do such battle with a cat^^
Your methid will fail when you have two cats that eat meals freestyle, not on fixed hours. My cats get breakfast and they eat some, but they often also switch bowls and leave some for later. As we both work, they are left for the day and I cannot control which eats from which bowl. Besides my lady cat is very picky and will only take specific dry snacks in (yes, even if I snuck the pill in those, she will find it and spit it out) so smuggling a crushed pill isn't an option. And another thing: many pills are sour or bitter after crushing or cutting, so the cat will not touch the food with that. Luckily I don't need the armor and towel, but have to use the down the throat method.
Load More Replies... 
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