My cat won't take pills or eat his new diet food. How to give meds?

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.

I understand! Medicating cats can be very challenging in some cases. I'm not sure what type of medication he is taking, but some options would include mixing in some canned food, tuna, or other special treat. If he won't eat it this way and won't allow you to medicate him by putting the medication directly in his mouth, you could ask your vet about having it compounded into a tasty treat or liquid suspension that might be easier to give.

Hello there! Oh my goodness- I feel your pain. Medicating cats daily can be so frustrating! Luckily, food allergies are almost never to fats! Butter shouldn't interfere with the diet trial. I would be sure to use butter that doesn't have any traces of other food in it though. Some prescriptions can be compounded into different formulas that may be easier to try as well, but I would caution that most flavors would likely interfere with the diet trial. A popular pharmacy that compounds pet medications is called Wedgewood. Some medications in capsule form are relatively unflavored, and may be easily hidden by sprinkling on top of food. Your vet can consult with one of their pharmacists over your cat's disdain for pills and hypoallergenic needs, and they may be other, easier options! I hope this is helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Trixie. Compounding can be effective, but the flavoring could be a problem. Is she on a prescription veterinary diet? A lot of times this is the case with her condition. If the diet is to be fed exclusively, then flavoring a medication would not be recommended as it can increase intestinal inflammation in some cases. I hope this information helps!

Hi, Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If the cat burrito method (wrapping in a blanket) isn't working you can try putting the liquid medication in canned cat food. Put it in a small amount then feed him the rest. Otherwise make sure he is really wrapped tightly and all legs are wrapped up and the towel is to the back of his head it doing the towel method. You could also ask the vet for a pill or injectable form of the medication if available. Good luck

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Unfortunately there are no alternative medications that can be given other than orally. You can try and see if having the medication compounded at a compounding pharmacy to a very small dose and with good flavoring that can be disguised well enough for Wendy to take. Otherwise, you will need to consider having her kept at a veterinary clinic as medical boarding and have the veterinary staff try and medicate her for you. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

I think a lot of this depends on the issue needing medications. You may need to select a Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach consult so we can discuss what is wrong with your cat, the medication prescribed, the type of food recommended, and methods to help with medicating a difficult cat. You can also ask one question at a time or call your vet for recommendations.