My cat won't take pills. What can I use besides pill pockets?

Hello. A compounded medication will always be more expensive than the pill you have, so I would first try hiding the pill in a treat. I am just not a fan of raw meat as it could harbor bacteria, but you can try the low sodium turkey sausage, or even feline Greenies pill pockets. Some cats will take a small pill covered in butter or cream cheese. And you definitely can use a little cooked meat to hide the pill. Most compounding pharmacies are very good, some do not have very good quality control, so you do run the risk of a less than effective compounded product. If you do want to try a compounded product, make sure it is a company your veterinarian has great faith in. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I can certainly understand your frustration. Cats are very smart at not taking their nedicaiton. I would talk to your vet about getting his medicaiton compounded into a flavor that he likes. There also may be an alternative medication in capsule form that won’t taste like anything that you can hide in a soft treat or a pill pocket. Most vets carry pill pockets or you can get these from your local pet store in many situations (call first). And finally there is a “pill gun” or “pet piller” that your vet should be able to sell you to make it easier to give Diggie his medicaiton. I surely hope this helps you in giving Digger his medicaiton. And remember that cats will often feed off of our energy, so try to keep a level head and be firm with him, then cuddle him and praise him every time he takes his medication well. I also find it helpful to use a large soft blanket to help hold my cats still when I want to give them their medication. This also prevents you from getting scratched. Best of luck to you and take care.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This should be ok. The other thing that I would suggest that works great is putting them in pill pockets which you can buy from your local pet store or online. They are very palatable so they tend to like them. You could also consider using tuna or any food he really likes. Good luck and have a great day!

Hello, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Unfortunately, Denamarin only comes in tablet form. You could try pill pockets, or potentially crush it and mix it with a bite of canned all-meat baby food. If that doesn't work, and you're really struggling to get the medication into him, I recommend reaching out to your vet. We understand that many cats are nearly impossible to get pills into! There are other liver support options, such as milk thistle, that can come in liquid form if you need a "plan B" option. It wouldn't be quite as good as Denamarin, but better than nothing! Hope this helps!

Yes of course. You can try hiding the pills in his freeze dried treat or any treat for that matter. If he grows tired of that too you can also try “Pill pockets” which are pliable soft aromatic treats specifically designed for giving pets daily medication. You can find these at your vet clinic or at some pet stores. Best wishes with your pet Tony and keeping up with his laundry list of medications. : ) Take care.

A device called a pill popper or a pill gun may help. You may be able to find them at a pet store and some veterinary offices will carry them as well. Otherwise your veterinarian may be able to pill your kitty for a fee. Your veterinarian also carries injectable tapeworm medication which they will administer and then you don’t have to give any oral pills. I hope this helps.

You will need to have flavored medications made at a special pharmacy called a compounding pharmacy. Your vet may know of a local compounding pharmacy that may make flavored medications, so I would check with them. If they do not have a suggestion, I have been very pleased with Road Runner Pharmacy ( https://www.roadrunnerpharmacy.com/ ). Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using PetCoach.