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Get the vet to demonstrate how to give a pill
or refer to an illustrated cat book. You may need
someone to restrain your cat or you may have to
wrap him in a towel. Watch him to make sure he
swallows the pill before releasing him and watch
for a few minutes afterwards in case he
regurgitates the pill. Feeding a kitty treat
afterwards usually prevents regurgitation!
Other methods include a pill gun from the vet
or pet store, placing the pill inside a hollow cat
treat or mixing it with canned cat food. Cats
often eat around the pill (they can smell it even
if you can't) so you must crush it thoroughly and
mix it well in strong-smelling food to mask the
smell and taste. Other methods I have found useful
include putting the pill inside a piece of cooked
sausage or a ball of cheese; if these foods are
rare treats then the cat will eat it before you
change your mind! I have also found crushing the
pill and mixing the powder with a small amount of
milk, water or gravy and spooning or syringing the
liquid into the cat's mouth to be useful as the
cat instinctively swallows the liquid
Powdered medication can be mixed with strong
smelling cat food. Sardines/pilchards in tomato
sauce are ideal if your cat likes these. Otherwise
you may have to mix the powder with liquid and
syringe-feed it to your cat. Injections are given into a muscle or under the
skin (subcutaneously). It is often easier to
inject a cat than a human as the fur hides the
sight of the needle going in. Ask your vet to
teach you the technique. Skin is surprisingly hard
to puncture and you will probably have to inject
water into a number of oranges to learn how to get
the speed and pressure right.
Pain and
Pain Relief
Signs of pain include trembling, shivering and
crouching. It may be hard for you to identify the
source of the pain (especially if it is an
internal problem) and cats may respond badly to
your attempts to do so. Human painkillers such as
aspirin, paracetamol, acetaminophen or ibuprofen
are lethal to cats. Warm compresses may help if
you can locate the source or already know the
cause (e.g. arthritis). Warmth and sleep are great
pain-relievers and a hot-water bottle wrapped in a
fleece and placed in the cat's bed may help.
Unless the cause of pain has previously been
diagnosed, see the vet promptly.
Learn to read your cat's body language and
learn what is normal for him when he is contented.
That way you will more quickly recognize signs of
illness, discomfort or distress. Cats in pain or
distress often purr as a way of reassuring
themselves; this confuses owners who recognize
purring as a sign of all being well. Purring
realizes endorphins (the body's own pain killers
and feel-good chemicals, actually very similar to
opiates) to help reduce the pain.
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