Administering medication to our pet can become a truly stressful process, especially if it is a cat. However, if we face the situation calmly and confidently, it will be much easier than you think. For this, it is essential that you know the proper methods to hold and administer the medication to your cat so that, when you do put them into practice, you do so quickly, safely and effectively.
If you are wondering how to give medicine to a cat, don't miss the following article on our site in collaboration with VETFORMACIÓN at that we explain different tips and tricks to achieve it successfully.
What to consider before giving medicine to a cat?
If you are in doubt about how to give a cat medicine, you must first take into account a series of important factors that will help you deal with the situation. First of all, you should know that the administration of medication can be a stressful process for your cat. Therefore, you should try to do it as calm and relaxed as possible. Being clear about the steps to follow will help you be more confident in the process.
On the other hand, it is important to approach the situation from a safe approach, for both the caretaker and the cat. To do this, a restraint must be made that allows the cat to be immobilized and thus prevent it from escaping, biting or scratching us. Remember that the goal of the restraint is to immobilize the cat without causing any harm, so you must do it firmly, but gently.
For the holding it is advisable to enlist the help of another person (preferably someone your cat knows). The holding technique will depend on whether or not you have the help of another person:
- Two people: the cat should be placed on a table, preferably non-slip. The person in charge of the restraint will place the cat sitting on its back, so that the hind limbs of the cat are supported by the person's abdomen. She will then hold the forelimbs with her hands
- A person: the person will kneel on the ground and, with the cat on his back, hold the rear third of the person with legs. In this case, the forelimbs are not restrained, but the cat is sufficiently restrained that the drug can be administered. However, if the cat is very nervous and it is necessary to hold the front limbs, the best option is to use a towel. To do this, you must wrap the cat's body and extremities with the towel and, in the same way, support the rear third of the cat with your legs to retain the animal.
Finally, before administering the medication to the cat, it is important to have prepared everything necessary in advance to do it in the most efficient way. fast and efficient.
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How to give syrup to a cat?
When you have to administer a syrup to your cat, you must first practice some holding technique. Once subject, you must follow these steps:
- Place one hand on the cat's head and Gently tilt its head to the side.
- With your free hand, lift your lip and insert the syringe or pipette into the space behind the fangs.
- Next, go pouring little by little the syrup into the animal's mouth. As you introduce the syrup you should check that your cat is swallowing to prevent the content from being diverted into the respiratory tract.
In case you have any doubt about how to give drops to a cat, follow the same steps that we have explained to administer a syrup.
Ways to give a cat a pill
When we talk about how to give a cat medicine, we can refer to both liquid and tablet medicines. In the first case we have already seen the steps to follow, but what happens if they are compressed? First of all, you should ask your veterinarian if the tablet can be administered with food and if it can be divided or crushed. If it can be administered with food, start by trying this method because it will be easier and less stressful. For it:
- Make sure your cat is hungry. You can slightly space the meals to stimulate your appetite.
- Hide the tablet in a small amount of food (wet feed, m alt or a small piece of meat or fish), as it this will make it easier to check if your cat ingests the pill or spits it out.
- You can resort to commercial products specifically designed to facilitate the administration of oral medications. These products have a moldable texture that allows the pills to be hidden inside and are low in calories.
- If your cat refuses to swallow the pill, you can choose to crush it (consulting your veterinarian beforehand) and mix it with a small quantity of food. Another option is to mix it with water and administer it by syringe, following the instructions in the previous section.
- Some tablets are manufactured to be especially palatable to cats. In these cases, you can try offering it directly by placing the pill on the tips of your fingers (not in the palm of your hand).
In the event that the cat does not take the pill voluntarily or with food, you will have to administer it yourself, for which which will require the use of some restraint technique. Once subject, these are the steps to follow:
- Place one hand on the cat's head, placing your finger and thumb in the spaces behind the fangs.
- Tilt your head up gently and, with the middle finger of your free hand, open your mouth by pulling your jaw down.
- Put the pill into your mouth with your index finger and thumb through the holethat remains between the fangs. It is important to insert the pill as far back as possible, as this will stimulate the swallowing reflex. Instead of inserting the pill by hand, you can use a special applicator that helps push the pill all the way to the back of your mouth.
- After that, hold your jaw closed for a few seconds and wait for the cat to swallow. You can also gently massage under the chin to stimulate swallowing.
After administering the pill, it is advisable to give a small amount of water (about 6 ml) with a syringe to prevent the pill from remaining deposited in the esophagus for a long time and cause esophagitis. It is important that you make sure that your cat swallows each drop before administering the next, to avoid choking.
If you still have questions, don't miss this other article focused solely on this type of drug: “How to give a cat a pill?”
How to administer subcutaneous medication to a cat?
To know how to give a subcutaneous injection to a cat, you must follow these steps:
- Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab before administering the drug.
- Attach the syringe to the needle and insert the needle into the vial to load the drug.
- Vacuum until you get the dose you need.
- Dispose of the needle with which you loaded the drug and attach a new needle Some studies suggest that the development of postvaccinal sarcomas in cats may be associated with injection of gum residue from the vial. We can avoid this possible risk by using one needle to load the drug and a different one to inject it.
- With your non-dominant hand, pick up a fold of skin in such a way as to create a “tent”. It is preferable to administer the injection in the flanks of the animal or in the extremities and avoid injections in the interscapular area, since in the case of post-vaccinal sarcoma, removal will be easier.
- With your dominant hand, grab the syringe and insert the needle into that “tent” parallel to the surface of the animal.
- Retract the plunger to make sure you haven't punctured any blood vessels.
- If no blood comes out, press the plunger of the syringe to inject the drug
- Remove the needle.
- Clean the area again with a gauze soaked in alcohol and, with the same gauze, massage to promote absorption of the medicine.
If after knowing the different ways to give medicine to a cat you still don't feel completely sure, don't hesitate to go to your trusted veterinarian to teach you how to do it depending on the medication to administer.
