Thread: How can I give worming tablets?

My previous moggy, George, suffered with kidney problems for the last 2 years of his life and needed daily pills. Once the vet showed me how to administer them it became easier.

I suggest asking your vet or veterinary nurse to show you as the method hard to explain in text *and* if done wrong could hurt (as opposed to annoy) your cat!

A method I have always used quite successfully, is to grab the cat and hold him between your legs as you kneel on the floor. The advantage to this posture is that he can't back away from you. Prise his mouth open with your left hand, pop the pill to the back of his throat with your right hand, and hold his mouth shut. Then, just to make sure, have a cup of water and teaspoon to hand, and quickly get some water into cat's mouth, which will force him to swallow. If you can get prepared and do the whole thing quickly, the pill will be down before the cat has a chance to think about putting up a fight. After he's got used to this, you might be just as successful sitting on a chair and holding the cat on your lap, with his back to you.

Mind you, none of this worked with Monty's last worming pill....! And I thought I was an old hand at this!!!! Could be time to switch to Advocate!

Good luck anyway!

Originally Posted by Peter Galbavy

My previous moggy, George, suffered with kidney problems for the last 2 years of his life and needed daily pills. Once the vet showed me how to administer them it became easier.

I suggest asking your vet or veterinary nurse to show you as the method hard to explain in text *and* if done wrong could hurt (as opposed to annoy) your cat!

My daughter who has worked at veterinarian offices for several years, swears it is 'easy' to open a cat's mouth, drop the pill in, and close the mouth so the cat swallows without even tasting the pill! Hah!

But, with experience, it does get easier.

When my previous MC, Mr Coongeniality, was diagnosed with cancer, I had to give him pills twice daily and it got so most times I could get it done rather easily. I agree it is hard to explain in text, but the trick (imo) is to get the pill far enough back in the throat -- whilst avoiding teeth!

I have 2 methods, and that is crush to tablets and put it on a spoon open wide and down the hatch, this is the preferred method my self and my daughter together can worm around 10 cats in 5 minutes. this is for drontal tablets and any other nasty s they don't like, I always have something nice around for them to eat after the deeds..


With the smaller tablets you can get a pill giver which are available at most UK vets. this is quick and easy too, back of mouth push plunger and off you go..

With our easy going cats which do not mind so much just open wide drop right at the back of the throat and stroke the throat until they have swallowed.

Wow thanks everyone, quick responses and quite a few different approaches.

With my other (smaller) cats I have favored the method of kneeling, wedging the cat backwards between my knees, preferably wrapped in a large dressing gown. I haven't managed that so well this time. He's not a lap cat so I think that would immediately alert him that something was happening.

I took him to the vets today and was gratified to know that the vet nurse had "a bit of a fight" and enlisted help with getting the pill down him.

Am interested that people are using the "drop on the neck". I have always used that in the past but this vet doesn't feel that it covers all the risks in this area. However Choo Choo doesn't go out in the garden, or mix with other animals other than my dog, so might go back to Advocate or Frontline.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Originally Posted by Pepsi2670

Wow thanks everyone, quick responses and quite a few different approaches.

With my other (smaller) cats I have favored the method of kneeling, wedging the cat backwards between my knees, preferably wrapped in a large dressing gown. I haven't managed that so well this time. He's not a lap cat so I think that would immediately alert him that something was happening.

I took him to the vets today and was gratified to know that the vet nurse had "a bit of a fight" and enlisted help with getting the pill down him.

Am interested that people are using the "drop on the neck". I have always used that in the past but this vet doesn't feel that it covers all the risks in this area. However Choo Choo doesn't go out in the garden, or mix with other animals other than my dog, so might go back to Advocate or Frontline.

Thanks everyone for the help.

Another way to get tour cat to take the pill is go out and get some cat nip! Put some in a toy or on the floor and it will tire him or her out!! Do the same as some have suggested from above with putting your cat in between your legs. And try that way. I have 3 rescued cats and it works great!

Give it a shot!

Hope it works out for you!! Best of luck!!

Or you could just wimp out like me and pop the pill in tesco value salmon paste 3 times a day

Our breeder suggested using panacur liquid mixed with evaporated milk- apparently the cat will then walk over hot coals to have it! I've got panacur paste which is supposed to be administered via syringe but have had success simply mixing with a little food, must be fairly tasteless. I've given antibiotics in a blob of butter wrapped in cooked ham (I was tired of subjecting Dudley to daily syringing!)- it was gobbled straight down.

Thanks again for the help. Thinking about it, I think part of the problem is my aim when throwing the pill down to the back of his throat. You only really get one shot! Adding that to the general tussle that is going on while I am aiming...... disaster. I also find it difficult to wrap myself and my long dressing gown around him - it was easy with smaller cats.

Will not give up though. There's are lots of ideas here and maybe I will practice my aim somehow. Thanks all.

I never found a need to flick or throw pills, just pushing into an open mouth trying to make sure it gets behind the tongue worked for me. Smaller cat mind...