How to give a cat a pill: step-by-step methods that work

Learning how to give a cat a pill takes a little practice, but most cats can be medicated calmly with the right method. Start with the gentlest option and only move to hands-on pilling if you need to. Before you begin, read the label and ask your vet whether the pill can be given with food, because some must be given on an empty stomach.

What’s the easiest way to give a cat a pill?

The easiest way is to hide it in something your cat loves. VCA suggests a little wet food, tuna or a soft treat you can mold around the pill.

• Pill pockets and moldable treats. These are soft treats with a hollow or a putty texture made for hiding tablets. Wrap the pill completely so no edge shows.
• A small amount of favorite food. A teaspoon-sized bite works better than a full bowl. Offer it when your cat is hungry, then give the rest of the meal.
• Cheese, cooked chicken or fish. iCatCare lists these as options, as long as they suit your cat’s diet.

Watch your cat eat it. Clever cats nibble around the pill and leave it in the bowl, or spit it out later behind the sofa.

Don’t mix the pill into your cat’s main meal. Merck notes that putting medicine in food can make a cat avoid that food. iCatCare adds that you can’t tell whether the whole dose was eaten. If your cat starts refusing their regular food, stop hiding medicine in it and call your vet.

How do I give a cat a pill by hand?

If treats don’t work, you’ll need to place the pill directly in the mouth. Get everything ready before you pick up your cat. Cornell’s pharmacy suggests coating the pill in a little butter, which makes it tastier and slides down more easily.

1. Set up. Use a stable surface, or sit on the floor. A second person to hold your cat helps.
2. Hold the head. Approach from the side, which iCatCare says is less threatening than reaching over the top. Hold the head with your thumb and fingers on either side of the upper jaw.
3. Tilt the head back. Point the nose toward the ceiling. The jaw often drops open a little.
4. Open the mouth. With the pill between the thumb and index finger of your other hand, use your middle finger to press gently on the front of the lower jaw.
5. Place the pill far back. Drop it on the middle of the tongue, as far back as you can. The further back it goes, the harder it is for your cat to spit out.
6. Close and wait. Hold the mouth closed for a few seconds and gently stroke the throat. A lick of the lips or nose usually means your cat has swallowed.
7. Follow with water or a treat. See the next section. This step matters.
8. Reward. Finish with a treat, a brush or a short play session.

How does the towel wrap work?

A towel wrap is useful for wriggly cats or when you’re on your own. iCatCare describes it this way:

• Lay a medium soft towel on the floor or a table
• Sit your cat on it, facing away from you
• Bring one side of the towel up around the neck, then the other, so the front legs stay inside
• Hold gently but firmly, with just the head showing

Never hold your cat down hard. If your cat is struggling, trying to bite or scratch, let go and talk to your vet about other options. A bite from a cat can be serious.

How do I use a pill popper?

A pill popper, also called a pill giver or pet piller, is a plastic plunger with a soft tip that holds the pill. It lets you place the pill at the back of the tongue without putting your fingers in your cat’s mouth.

Load the pill before you pick up your cat, with the plunger just touching it. Open the mouth as above, slide the tip in gently and press the plunger. iCatCare warns never to force the popper in, because it can injure the mouth. Ask your clinic for a demonstration.

Why should I follow a pill with water?

Pills given “dry” can stick in a cat’s esophagus, the tube from the mouth to the stomach. In a 2001 study of 30 cats, researchers filmed pills going down with X-ray video. When tablets were given dry, fewer than 4 in 10 had reached the stomach after five minutes. When they were followed by water, 9 in 10 got there within 30 seconds.

A pill that sits in the esophagus can burn the lining. Over time, that can cause scarring that narrows the tube, called a stricture. This has been reported in cats given doxycycline tablets and clindamycin capsules, two common antibiotics. In a report of five cats given clindamycin capsules without food or water, signs such as trouble swallowing, regurgitation and gagging started within days. Some needed a procedure to stretch the narrowed esophagus open again.

Cornell’s pharmacy recommends following every tablet or capsule with about a teaspoon of water from an oral syringe or dropper. A small tasty liquid or a treat can also help wash it down. Check with your pharmacist that the liquid is suitable for that medicine. For more on these drugs, see our guide to antibiotics for cats.

How do I give a cat liquid medicine?

Liquid medicine is given with an oral syringe, never one with a needle.

• Shake the bottle first if the label says so, because some liquids settle.
• Draw up the exact amount your vet prescribed, using the syringe that came with the medicine.
• Don’t tip the head back. Cornell’s pharmacy advises against tilting the head up for liquids. Keep it level or only slightly raised.
• Slide the tip into the side of the mouth, toward the back teeth.
• Squirt slowly, a little at a time, and pause so your cat can swallow.

Some liquids can be mixed into a small amount of food or a lickable treat, but only if your vet approves.

What about gels and other forms?

Some medicines can be made as a transdermal gel that you rub onto the hairless inside of the ear flap, where it’s absorbed through the skin. Methimazole for an overactive thyroid is a common example. Wear gloves, rub the gel in fully and keep other pets and children from touching the spot. Only some medicines work this way, so it’s your vet’s decision. See our guide to methimazole for cats.

If pilling is a battle every day, ask your vet about:

• A compounded flavored liquid or chew. VCA notes veterinary pharmacies can make many medicines in flavors such as chicken, tuna or salmon.
• Gelatin capsules, which can hold several small pills so there’s only one to give. Check with your vet before combining medicines.

Your vet sets the dose for each form. Never change the form or the amount yourself.

What if my cat spits it out or I miss a dose?

If the whole pill pops back out and your cat is calm, try once more, perhaps with a pill popper. If you can’t tell how much was swallowed, or your cat vomits after a dose, call your vet before giving any more.

The FDA explains that some medicines are absorbed fast, so a cat that vomits soon after may have already taken in the dose. Giving another could cause too much. The same goes for missed doses. Your vet can tell you when to give the next one, because the right answer depends on the medicine. Never give two doses at once to catch up. Our guide to cat medication dosage explains why.

How can I make giving pills less stressful?

• Stay calm. Cornell’s pharmacy notes that cats pick up on your mood.
• Pick your moment. VCA advises not interrupting eating, grooming or litter box time.
• Keep sessions short. Have everything ready so it’s over in seconds.
• Reward every time. A treat, a brush or play helps your cat link medicine with good things.
• Ask for a demonstration. Your clinic team will happily show you, and may spot a better method for your cat.

iCatCare points out that a lot of stress won’t help a sick cat recover. If medicating is harming your relationship with your cat, tell your vet. There’s often another option. Watch for side effects after starting any new medicine, and browse our other cat medications guides.

Written by the CatsMed Team from the sources above. Reviewed by Dr. Jarod Grantland, DVM. It isn’t a substitute for seeing a vet. See how we research.