advice for worming a reluctant cat?

artyeva

need to get worming tablet inside cat. unsuccessful attempts over the last week so far include:

*watching countless youtube videos on the back of the tongue and massaging the throat technique. mustering up courage and necessary arm protection. cat having none of it. tablet halves spat out, cat has hissy fit. not willing to try this again - safer for all concerned.

*breaking tablet in tiny pieces and hiding it in food. cat eats food and spits out tablet bits.

*powdering up tablet and hiding it in a different, stronger smelling food that nomally the cat would gobble without stopping. cat sniffs it, gives me evils, walks away.

any other suggestions? i'm trying to give him drontal xl. is this a particularly smelly tablet that my cat just won't ever take to? should i try a different one?

SillyMangoX

You can get a 'pill popper', you put the tablet in the top, slip it in the cats mouth and pull the trigger and it should force it back their throat. I hate doing it, but it works most of the time! Or if you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself I'm sure your vet wouldn't mind if you bring the cat down, we've had to worm an amount of reluctant cat's since I've started placement!

Also if your cat really really hates tablets and you don't want to go through this process every 3 months you can get advocate spot on which covers against fleas, flea larvae, roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, heartworms, ear mites and mange mites.

Edit with link for pill popper so you can see what it looks like!

http://www.apetslife.co.za/detail.asp?c=2&s=32&t=0&p=5422

Zapperzy

I feel your pain, quite literally I have scars to prove!

SillyMangoX

I feel so lucky my cats eat tablets straight from my hand without any disguising or forcing! :P:pac:

planetX

profender spot on for cats - it has literally changed my life:D

btw it covers tapeworm which advocate doesn't. If your cat hunts you need tapeworm cover.

artyeva

i had no clue that you could get spot on wormers? they're definitely on the list for the next time BUT, when i ordered the drontal i ordered a 3 pack of frontline for the creepy crawlies at the same time, so can't be buying anything different till that's all used up. he's an indoor cat so no worries with him catching anything from wild beasts.

that popper thing looks the business though, would i get one in a vetinary chemist?

ISDW

I got our pill popper from the vets, very cheap. Usually works, but not foolproof

planetX

If he's purely indoors why use frontline? Unless he's in contact with other animals he's not going to pick up anything. Same with worms.

artyeva

that's kinda what i thought but i've been advised by a few different people [and not just people who are trying to sell me stuff] to continue with treatments, just half or even less as often as an outdoor kitty, plus the vet advised me cause he was originally an outdoor cat before we rescued him, it's better to for the first while anyway. we only have him 7 or 8 weeks. from reading up on the whole confusing issue i've decided on worming every 3-4 months and flea treatment start of spring and start of summer, then just vigilent checks in between.

anyhoo - thank you sillymangox, this morning we had success with the worming tablet!! thanks to that popper, that's seriously a great job. and he's already forgiven us. yay!