Is it safe to open cat pills, mix with water, and use a syringe?

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!

If you can't get Sweetie to take the pill by pilling her or adding it to her food, you can buy a "pill gun" that is like a little syringe that you fill with water, and then hook the pill to the end of. This lets you place the pill in your cat's mouth, and then the squirt of water helps them to swallow it down immediately a little easier with less risk of fighting it or being bitten. This site has some more info about how to use a pill gun with a cat: https://cats.lovetoknow.com/Pill_Gun_for_Cat You can also search "pill" in our search bar if you'd like to see other general articles regrading pilling pets. If all else fails and Sweetie won't take the medication at all, or it is too dangerous to try and give it to her, I would contact your vet to see if the medication can be compounded into a liquid or different formulation through a pharmacy, or if a different medication that is easier to give can be given instead.

Hello there and thank you for your post! I am not sure what medication you are trying to hide, but you could potentially have it compounded into a liquid form if that is easier. I've had clients use pieces of canned tuna to mash around the pill and that seemed to work well. I've had other clients use pieces of liverwurst to mash around the pill as well. You could also invest in a Pill Popper, which you can find in pet stores. Basically, a Pill Popper is a syringe like device that contains a hollow rubber tip which you can insert capsules or pills and safely administer them into the back of your cat's mouth. I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me with any further questions or concerns that you may have.

Hello. Foaming is not unusual when cats taste something they really do not like, but most likely most of the medication did go down. The problem is how much is Sweetie going to fight you at the next dose, & then the next one after that. I still prefer pills, as depending on the size, most are pretty tiny, or tablets can be formulated into tasty treats. I have also found that a lot of cats really love the taste of an product called Churu, by INABA. It is a lickable treat that makes it super simple to hide a small pill in it. For now, you can refrigerate the prednisolone you do have because making it cold often helps to disguise the nasty flavor some. Hope this all helps. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can grind the tablet to mix. Food will probably disguise it better than water but some cats will smell it and not eat the food then. I would watch the first few times you do it to make sure he eats the food with the medicine in it

The medication may have a bitter taste. When cats get something in their mouth that they don't want or like, they will drool profusely and foam at the mouth. If she will allow, rinse her mouth with cool water for 10-15 minutes. This may decrease drooling. Try mixing the medication into a bit of food and offering it. Once she eats it, you can feed the remainder of the meal. This may be enough to mask any bad taste.

They do work by getting absorbed oral so you will lose effectiveness by mixing it in food. You can talk to your vet to see if it can be compounded to be applied topically to the inside of his ear or see about giving an liquid form.