Easier Cat Medicating: How to Give a Cat a Pill or Liquid Medication

Giving cats pills and liquid medication can be frustrating. Pills? At best, you won’t be able to pry open their mouth to get the pill in, let alone get them to swallow it. Worst-case scenario, you’ll get bit. Liquid meds? Your feisty feline will jerk their head away, leaving you with a mess of wasted medication and no idea how you’re going to be able to get the right dosage in them. Eye drops and ear drops, easy, right? Not if they duck their head and squirm out of your arms. So, what to do? Learn how to give a cat a pill with Cat-in-the-Bag to avoid any cat-astrophes and ensure their medication goes down smoothly!

Tips for Giving Cats Pills & Liquid Meds

Use the Cozy Comfort Carrier

The famous (or infamous, depending on if it works) towel burrito can come unraveled, and then you’ll find yourself trying to coax your disgruntled kitty out from under the bed. The Cat-in-the-Bag Cozy Comfort Carrier, a great alternative to other cat carriers, is also really handy when it comes to giving medications! It calms and gently restrains your feline to prevent any cat fights during medication administration. Here’s how to give a cat a pill with our soft cat carrier:

1. Find a quiet place that’s away from any loud noises or distractions to minimize stressors and anxiety.
2. Place your cat into their cat pouch carrier.
3. Gently hold their head and work on getting that pill down. A pill-shooter can be a helpful tool, too! Giving cats liquid medication works similarly: gently hold their head and give them the correct dose of liquid medication without the mess, inserting the syringe or dropper into the side of your cat’s mouth behind the canine teeth. Don’t administer the medication too quickly! Or, hold their head and drop ear or eye meds right in.

No, they’re still not going to like getting their meds. But with a faster, easier way to medicate your cat using the Cat-in-the-Bag cat purse carrier, there will be a lot less trauma for you both!

Hide the Pill in Food

Learning how to give a cat a pill requires a little creativity. Cats are clever! They’ll do anything to avoid pills going down the hatch, whether that means turning their head away like a professional food critic or just straight-up running away. Hiding the pill in their food is another easy way to administer their medication. Mix it into a small portion of wet cat food or tuna. You won’t want a large potion because there’s a chance they may not finish their food – and they won’t actually get their medication! This method also works if you’re giving your cats liquid medication.

Note: Some clever kitties may spit out their pills. Watch them to make sure they swallow their medication. If they don’t, you can always try some of our other tips for giving cats pills!

Disguise Medication with a Treat

You can also hide their medication in a treat or pill pocket/pouch. Pill pouches are treats made with a hole to place the pill in, disguising their medication as a treat. This can also be done with soft chews that you squish around the pill or with meat tube puree, which is great for administering liquid medication.

Struggling with how to give a cat a pill in a treat? Some cat parents find success using a rapid-fire method: give them one or two treats (sans any medication), give them the medication-filled treat, then give them another treat.

How to Give a Cat a Pill Manually

Some cats won’t be fooled by hiding their medication in food or treats. Whether you’re using the Cat-in-the-Bag lightweight cat carrier or a towel burrito, you’ll need to make sure their medication properly – and safely – goes down. Keep a calm attitude, find a quiet spot, and follow these steps:

1. Place the pill between the thumb and index finger of your dominant hand. Gently hold your cat’s head from above by placing your other other thumb and index finger on their upper jaw.
2. Tilt their head back until their nose is facing the ceiling. This usually causes the mouth to open slightly. Open their mouth further by applying gentle pressure on their lower jaw using the same hand that’s holding the pill. You’ll need to maintain this pressure to keep their mouth open!
3. Place the pill as far back on their tongue as possible and immediately (and gently) hold their mouth closed.
4. Lightly massage their neck, rub their nose, or blow on their nose or encourage swallowing. Watch to make sure they don’t spit it back out.
5. Now you know how to give a cat a pill! Give your kitty praise and a treat – and give yourself a pat on the back too!

More Helpful Tips for Giving Cats Liquid Medication & Pills

• Use Tools – There are tons of helpful tools for making medication administration easier – the Cozy Comfort Carrier, pill pockets, pill poppers/shooters, pill maskers. 
• Lubricate the Pill – Learning how to give a cat a pill? Lubricating it with tuna juice or gravy from canned food can help ensure the pill doesn’t stick so it’s easier to swallow.
• Switch it Up – Some cats can become avoidant of medication if you constantly use the same method. Instead of always hiding their medication in a treat, try administering it with your folding cat carrier.
• Keep a Calm Demeanor – While often easier said than done, staying calm when you’re first learning how to give a cat a pill will make things simpler for everyone involved.

Minimize the Stress of Cat Medicating

Figuring out how to give a cat a pill – or any form of medication – is not always easy. Don’t be too hard on yourself if it takes a few times to get the process down. It WILL happen! Try using a few tips for giving cats pills and liquid medication, whether that’s using the Cozy Comfort Carrier or pill maskers, to see what works for your feline.