The following entry is a guide to pilling your cat. My cat Tigre is the not-so-willing participant in this demonstration. Note the displeasure on his face.
Step 1: Wrap the cat in a towel. Make them a ‘kitty burrito’.
Step 2: Hold the cat’s head from the top with your non-dominant hand. Point the cat’s chin at the ceiling. The lower jaw will open automatically in this position.
Step 3: Coat the pill or capsule with butter before administering to your cat. The butter will help the pill slide down the esophagus without sticking.
Step 4: Pop the pill down the cat’s throat. When the cat swallows and licks its lips, you know they have swallowed the pill.
Step 5: Administer 3 cc’s of water to flush the pill into the cat’s stomach. Depending upon the type of medication administered, esophageal strictures may form from a ‘stuck’ pill. To avoid this serious side affect, never dry pill a cat. Always butter it and administer water after pilling.