Winter’s coming and that means your cat can be more vulnerable to feeling unwell. No one likes being ill, especially cats, and what’s the number one thing that humans do that cats find annoying? Give them medication.
No matter how good our intentions are, our feline friends have a sixth sense for knowing when they’re being tricked into having a tablet with their dinner. They always find a way to eat around it, avoid you giving it to them, or disappear for the day altogether.
While dogs can be fooled into having their medicine by mixing it into food, cats are more resistant to our efforts to help keep them healthy. Sometimes our cats need their medicine and turning it down just isn’t an option. But what’s the secret to getting them to have it?
Rather than stressing out and taking your cat straight to the vet to get them to work their magic, try out our handy hint to get your cat to take their tablet. All you’ll need is a little bit of butter, the meds, and your feline friend.
Lots of cats refuse tablets because they don’t like the unfamiliar taste. Next time you need to give your cat some medicine, try coating the tablet in butter and pairing it with a gentle throat massage to help it go down. Tilt your feline friend’s head back a bit and place the coated tablet farther back on their tongue. Your cat will likely lick their nose once they’ve swallowed the tablet.
The butter will help hide that horrible medicinal taste and make everything a bit less stressful for you. The throat massage will help calm them down and make them less scared for the next time – especially helpful if they’re on a cycle of tablets! Keeping them comfortable is key, and it should make it easier each time.
This trick may also work with a bit of the gravy from your cat’s wet food, or some juice from a can of tuna. Liquid coating is key when you can’t simply hide the tablet in their food.
Some cats are easier to give medication to than others – it’s part of every cat being unique. Keep trying and be patient. We know you’ll find something that works for both you and your feline friend.
What are your tips for giving your feline friends their meds?