How To Give a Difficult Cat Liquid Medicine
If you've ever tried to give a difficult cat liquid medicine, you know it’s not an easy task.
Cats can be incredibly picky!
When it comes to that mysterious liquid from an oral syringe, your Fluffy Friend might run away just to avoid it.
Don't worry; we're here to help!
In this guide, we'll show you the simple steps of giving liquid medicine to your cat.
Choosing Between Liquid and Solid Medication
There are a lot of pills and liquids that can be mixed into your cat’s kibble.
Depending on availability, veterinarians may let you choose between liquid and solid medication.
However, a recent study revealed that cats liked the taste of liquids more than pills.
Still, most pet parents preferred giving their cats pills.
On the other hand, cat medicine may only be available in one form.
For example, the cat medication meloxicam only comes in an injectable liquid form.
Liquid medicines may be the best option to give a smaller or more accurate amount.
This is because a pill would contain too much medicine for a small kitten.
Also, there are times when taking medicine in pill form could be worse for your cat's health than taking it in liquid form.
For instance, some antibiotics like the pill doxycycline can hurt your kitty’s stomach if not followed with water.
Common Cat Liquid Medication
Let’s look at a list of the common liquid medicines to treat cat illness and what they do:
- Gabapentin: treats pain and helps lessen stress and anxiety.
- Prednisolone: treats allergies and autoimmune diseases.
- Meloxicam: an anti-inflammatory drug that helps with short-term pain, like pain after surgery. It also helps manage long-term inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
- Amoxicillin: treats many different illnesses—from lung problems to wounds.
- Dewormers: help get rid of or treat parasites that live in the intestines.
Related: Tips for Pet Surgery Aftercare
How To Give Your Cat Liquid Medicine?
It's best to start teaching them how to take medicine while they’re young.
A good start is getting your kitten used to having their mouth checked out regularly.
To do this, open your cat’s mouth slowly.
Give them a tasty treat or liquid formula, then pet and praise them.
In this way, you can also check your cat's oral health.
This process also makes opening their mouth easier when it's time to give them medicine.
Step-by-step Guide
It's a good idea to ensure you have everything before giving your Fluffy Friend liquid medicine.
- Gloves
- Comfortable blanket or towel
- Dosing syringe or bottle to measure and give the medicine
- Wet food or treats
Also, if you know your cat is fussy, having someone else around to help you is the best course of action.
1. If your cat is eating well, the easiest way is to put the liquid medicine in a small amount of food.Food with a strong odour will help cover up the medicine’s smell better.
Don’t put the medicine on a whole meal's worth of cat food.
Your cat might not eat all the food or take all the medicine.
Reminder: if you have more than one cat, make sure that none of them takes medicine that isn't meant for them.
2. If your cat is not eating well, adding medicine to their food might be useless.They may associate the medicine’s taste with their food and be even less likely to eat it.
3. You can also gently wrap them in a blanket or towel and sit them on your lap with their head looking away from you.You can then use the medicine dropper to reach your cat's mouth from the side.
Since your kitty can see the dropper, taking the meds might not seem as scary to them.
Also, this position keeps your cat's head away from your body.
Additionally, you gently hold your cat in place and prevent them from running away.
4. After that, give your cat the syringe or drip.If you're lucky, your cat will be willing to take the medicine.
If not, put a little wet food that you can squeeze on the tip of the syringe.
Press the tube into your cat's mouth once they lick the treat.
Reward them with praise and treats!
If none of the above choices works, try this instead:
1. Hold your cat's head steady with your non-dominant hand.
Keep your hand from getting bitten by putting your middle finger under their jaw.
Next, your index finger should be on their forehead.
Your thumb should be behind your cat’s head so you can control them.
2. Next, hold the needle in your stronger hand and slide it into the corner of your cat's mouth.
Quickly squeeze the medicine into the cat’s cheek pouch.
Then, take the syringe out and close your cat's mouth gently.
Rub your cat's throat or gently blow on their nose to get them to swallow.
Reminders:
- Ensure your cat's head isn't turned back when you give them liquid medicine to avoid choking.
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Never force the liquid into the back of the throat.
If you do, your cat could inhale the medicine.
Having one person hold your cat's body and another person give the medicine can be very helpful.
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Whenever you give your cat medicine, try to make the experience as positive as possible.
Afterwards, give them something they like as a treat.
You could also feed them with their regular food.
Also, consider playtime or a gentle brushing session.
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You should stop if the cat is getting very angry while trying to give them medicine.
Try at a different time instead.
Use caution and watch your cat's body language to check if they’re angsty.
If your cat pins their ears back, growls, or hisses, they want you to stop.
If your cat bites you, carefully clean the wound and get medical attention immediately.
Related: How To Deal With Jealous Dog Breeds
What To Do if Your Cat Refuses Liquid Medication?
Talk to your vet if you still can't give your cat their medicine even after your best efforts.
Cat oral medication can also come in a different form, like a tuna-flavoured liquid or a tasteless pill.
Some medicines also come in the form of transdermal gel that can be applied to ear flaps.
Then again, some medicines can only be bought in some forms.
In that case, you might be able to take your cat to the veterinary hospital so an expert can give them the medicine.
You can also book a veterinary technician to come to your house and give the medicine.
You can also use a relaxing pheromone spray to help your cat relax while they take the medicine.
Remember that cats can sense how we feel.
When it's time to give your cat medicine, staying calm is the best way to help them relax.
Take your time; if things aren't going well, talk to your vet for help.
Related: Tips on How to Calm a Hyper Cat
Conclusion
We hope you've found our tips and tricks helpful in navigating this difficult task.
Remember, even though your cat might put up a good fight, their health is worth every effort.
You can make medicine time less of a headache with a bit of patience, practice, and much love!
The most important thing is to be cautious at all times.
You wouldn’t want to stress out your kitty more than they should be!
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