Thread: How can I give worming tablets?

Can I have some advice on giving worming tablets please? I haven't had Choo Choo long so have only had to do it once so far. He has 2 x Drontal XL

I tried to give one crushed in his food and he ignored it.Nor would he take it in a piece of food. I managed to get one down him using the pill holder, but he was ready for my second attempt and it was impossible on my own. He didn't hurt me as he has no claws, but he struggled and was too strong for me. I took him round to the vet and they did it.

He is due his next dose and I will take him to the vet again, but my aim is to be able to do it myself if possible. I have always managed with my other cats, but they were smaller.

Any advice please?

Originally Posted by Pepsi2670

Can I have some advice on giving worming tablets please? I haven't had Choo Choo long so have only had to do it once so far. He has 2 x Drontal XL

I tried to give one crushed in his food and he ignored it.Nor would he take it in a piece of food. I managed to get one down him using the pill holder, but he was ready for my second attempt and it was impossible on my own. He didn't hurt me as he has no claws, but he struggled and was too strong for me. I took him round to the vet and they did it.

He is due his next dose and I will take him to the vet again, but my aim is to be able to do it myself if possible. I have always managed with my other cats, but they were smaller.

Any advice please?

Sorry, Pepsi, can't help you - both mine are on Advocate which covers worms and fleas, and you just put the fluid on the backs of their necks - nothing to ingest. I've seen that some of the forum members have had success by putting tablets inside a bit of butter but I would wait and see what others come back with before trying that.

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.

Our last lot of antibiotics were a two man job for wriggly Gracie!

Helped a lot wrapping her in a towel with just her head showing. Open her mouth with one hand, pop the pill in as far as possible with the other and then clamp mouth shut whilst holding head steady and massaging her throat encouraging her to swallow.

I also found it very useful having a syringe with a little water in it which I then dripped into her mouth encouraging the swallowing process.

Not easy, granted, but it worked for us

Good luck!