I've just spent ages giving worming pills to my two cats. I wrap the cats in a towel, but still have trouble. Does anyone have any tips please?

Giving a cat a pill is the hardest thing to do...most vets say the towel trick is best...with out cats it takes two to three adults to get a pill down a 9 pound kitty. These are new on the market, my brothers cat DID take the pills with this and she is usually very hard to medicate also. Here is the link, you can buy them at PetCo and I would imagine any other pet supplier.

Pill Pockets

Here is another link that gives several tips, some I never would have thought of like lubricating the pill with a bit of butter so it slides down kitty's throat more easily.

Pill Giving Tips

When I need to administer meds to my cats, the vet normally asks if I'd prefer liquid or pill form. I find that using a syringe is easier and faster than trying to shove a pill down a kitt's throat! Just open the sides of the mouth and inject the liquid - done! There's not much of a problem - USUALLY! LOL!!!

And dogs? Is it harder to give a pill to a cat than to a dog? Why?

Fred....read this:


Cats:
1. Cradle cat in crook of left arm. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply presure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop in pill and allow cat to swallow.
2. Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Repeat process.
3. Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.
4. Take fresh pill, cradle cat, holding rear paws lightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for count of 10.
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. 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 for 30 to 40 seconds.
7. Retrieve cat from curtain rail, get another pill. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set aside for gluing later.
8. Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from underneathe armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow pill down drinking straw.
9. Check label to make sure pills are not harmful to humans, drink one beer to take the taste away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap. Throw away pieces of towel.
10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck, leaving head showing. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.
11. Fetch screwdriver 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.
12. Call fire department to retrieve cat from tree across road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into fence while swerving to avoid cat.
13. Tie cat's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining room table. Put on heavy-duty pruning gloves. Push last pill into cat's mouth followed by large piece of steak. Hold head vertically and pour two pints of water down throat. Pray vigorously.
14. Consume remainder of Scotch. Get spouse to drive you to emergency room and sit quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Stop by furniture shop on way home to order new table.
15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat. Call pet store to see if they have any hamsters left
Dogs
1. Wrap pill in bacon and offer to dog.

Tree, I also usually ask for a liquid...the cat usually spits some of it out, but it IS way easier to do than a pill.

LOL Kitty! Good one!

Kitty, so that's it! I never bother with bacon wrapping around a pill. Any dog with wit soon susses that there is something wrong about it. No, with a dog, all you should have to do is squeeze the mouth of the animal with one hand, thereby pushing the lips at the rear of the mouth into the mouth, so it won't bite; shove pill down dog's throat, using free hand, until you can feel the tip of the dog's tail (big mistake to just put the pill at the back of the mouth ). Praise dog . [It is not always necessary to feel the dog's tail from inside;personally, I stop just short of its larynx ]

Further to the above: For clarity, I should have explained you must drop the pill on pulling your hand back to within the dog after touching its tail from inside; the tail is just a marker. Many beginners make the mistake of letting go only when they reach the tail, dropping the pill on the floor at the far end on reaching the outside. This does nothing to cure the dog.