Dear Critter Corner: My senior cat, Tux, gets liquid medication twice a day for his arthritis, but he really doesn’t like it, and I’m having a hard time giving it to him. What do you suggest?
Giving kitties medication can be tricky at times, especially if they don’t like it or are unwilling to take it. It’s good, though, that you’re trying to keep up with Tux’s health concerns, even if it may be challenging. Kudos to you!
Let’s start first with the form of the medication being liquid. Some cats may tolerate being held on a lap or gently wrapped in a blanket or towel and then having a liquid-filled syringe gently placed into the corner of their mouth. This depends on how comfortable your cat is with being handled, where he is most comfortable (such as sitting on your lap), and if he will tolerate the syringe being placed into his mouth. Whether he’ll allow the syringe or swallow the medication will also depend on the taste of the medication. If it doesn’t taste very good, he may make a fuss, but if it has a pleasant flavor, like salmon or tuna, it might make the process easier.
Ask your pharmacy or vet whether they’re able to formulate the medication in different flavors and whether you can test which flavor is preferred by your cat. Your pharmacy or vet may also be able to provide you with a different form of the medication, such as a pill or capsule. If your vet allows it, you may be able to mix or crush these into a small amount of wet food for your cat. There are also compounding pharmacies available that can customize how the medication is made, providing chewable tablets or more flavors than your vet.
There are also a lot of pet treats that can be used to hide medication or can be mixed with medication to make it taste better. Some of these treats act as a pocket for a pill and are putty-like in texture. You can place a small portion of the treat around your cat’s pill. Other treats, like purees, may work well with liquid medications, as the medication can be mixed into the puree. Be sure to check with your vet before mixing the medication to ensure that it doesn’t dilute the medication or cause any adverse effects to your cat.
Mary-Ann Fernandes is a Trainer for the Behavior and Training Department at the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. For more information, please call 650-340-7022 or email behavior@phs-spca.org.