How to get cat to take its worming tablet?

Bricriu

I have great difficulty getting my cat to take its worming tablet.

I have tried crushing it into wet canned food, crushing it and injecting it mixed with water or milk through a plastic syringe into its mouth, and popping it into its mouth whole. It always knows it is in the food and he rejects it.

Anyone got any ideas how to administer it? Also, how often does a cat need a worming tablet? The vet advises once a month. It seems very frequent.

Go raibh maith agat.

Alun

Once a month is a lot, 4 times a year is the usual recommendation, although possibly more often if the cat is an avid hunter.

SillyMangoX

I normally use soft cheese, give a bit each evening for a few days to get him used to the cheesey treat, on the day of the worming, give one or two bits of cheese, then the one that's covering the tablet, then some blank ones again. Never failed for me!!
Failing that though you could try something like an advocate spot on, it covers fleas, ticks and worms (though not tape worm if I remember). I usually swap between tablets and spot ons through out the year so they don't get a resistance.
As said above if the cat is a big hunter then once a month is recommended, otherwise it's every 3 months!

Fuzzytrooper

Depends on the cat. For one of mine I could coat it in butter and drop it in the cat's mouth and hold for a couple of seconds. My next cat - a tom - fought me every time so I just had to hold his mouth shut until he gave in and swallowed. I remember even one time where he acted like he swallowed and then waited until he thought I couldn't see him before spitting the tablet out.

lubie76

I have to take the tough love approcah with the three of mine. Grab, invert and insert before they even have time to register whats happening. All in separate rooms too cause if word gets out, they scatter!!

Springwell

Get a soft tip pill gun for a few euros and use that.

morgana

I use the soft stickies you get in Lidl or Aldi and work the tablet in. You might have to half or quarter the tablet, iirc, worming tablets are pretty big

Fakediamond

I've given up on the tablets, too many spat out and wasted. I'm now using Broadline spot-on, which covers all worms plus fleas/ticks. Works well on my cat, who is an avid hunter and would usually get ear mites during summer months but no problems this year! I got it for a tenner this week in my local vets, which was a good price, I think.

Fluffy Cat 88

I use a spot on to worm my lads, I could write a book on my failed attempts to get them to swallow tablets.

Streifi

Www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC372253/

Sorry op, no actual help otherwise apart from 3 man wrestling operations...

iora_rua

I've used glenisk plain GOAT yogurt very successfully for any oral medication. Crush the pill or whatever into a small amount of yog on a dessert spoon and top up with a bit more yog. It's better for them than cow's yog.

Bricriu

Op here: thanks for all your advice. Will try them. Any other advice welcome.

Go raibh maith agaibh.

Bunnyslippers

Another here for soft top pill popper, they work like a syringe and you can suck up a bit of water first and then stick the tablet in the end, then grab cat by scruff, up end and get the soft end right to the back of the throat, the water automatically means they have to swallow! Works for even my old wiley ferals!!:D. Not the most dignified way though but over and done in a flash! The spot-ons are fine but as others have said they don't do tapeworms so you need a worm tablet anyway!

Steve012

I find when kitty keeps spitting out the tablets (placed deep into the food) she still finds it! :rolleyes:
The way that works best with me is insertion into the rectum, you may get scratched using the anal method, but it works!

Ms Doubtfire1

1. Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill away.

4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.

5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

6. Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.

7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

9. Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard, and close door on to neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

11. Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to disinfect. Toss back another shot. Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.

12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

13. Tie the little *@!%#'s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy-duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

14. Consume remainder of scotch. Get spouse to drive you to the emergency room, sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.

mcgiggles

^.^ :D:D

sillysmiles

Our cat will not take it disguised in any food stuff and has turned off certain foods because of it. Now wrap in towel, making sure paws are securely inside and pop pill into side of the mouth. Job done and ten million times less stressful for all involved - human and feline.

kathleen37

I use a pill crusher (so pill is dust like) and then mix with Primula. Primula is like crack for all our cats - so if your cats like it, it should do the job.

mcgiggles

This reminds me. Must worm the cat.

Ms Doubtfire1

to relieve the issue--most, if not all wormers are available in spot on form...;)

kathleen37

You do have to make sure with the spot on wormers, some don't do tape worms. For example, I use Stronghold for fleas/ear mites and worms other than tapeworms, then I use a tablet for the tape worms (Drontal I think)

Ms Doubtfire1

kathleen37 wrote: »

You do have to make sure with the spot on wormers, some don't do tape worms. For example, I use Stronghold for fleas/ear mites and worms other than tapeworms, then I use a tablet for the tape worms (Drontal I think)

true. liquid parazole does the trick for those.:-)

kathleen37

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

true. liquid parazole does the trick for those.:-)

Will be looking for that - thank you!

*edit* just googling - Parazole isn't allowed in the UK - is that just a licencing thing do you know? (I'm in Donegal but work in Derry so get most stuff delivered to work)

Ms Doubtfire1

it will treat all other worms as well. If you have a cat that really doesn't like pills ( or a whole battery of them like I do) Parazole is the best option as it can be mixed through food and most, if not all, will take it no problem.

boomerang

Ms Doubtfire1 wrote: »

it will treat all other worms as well. If you have a cat that really doesn't like pills ( or a whole battery of them like I do) Parazole is the best option as it can be mixed through food and most, if not all, will take it no problem.

NB Parazole doesn't treat Dipylidium caninum, which is a common tapeworm associated with fleas.