Want to learn how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine?
It’s essential to keep your cat healthy and that doesn’t happen until you find a way to give your cat its medicine. As a result, most cat owners struggle, get frustrated, and then eventually give up!
So, what is the best way to give your cat liquid medicine without making a mess or getting bitten?
In general, you will want to follow a set of steps that don’t involve pouring it into their food. This may dilute their medicine depending on how you do it.
This detailed guide is going to teach you how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine and what is the best syringe for cats.
Best Syringe for Cats (EDITOR’s CHOICE)
- There are 2 silicone soft tips,the open tip can hold the small pills, the tip closed is used to feed the liquid.(Please...
- Made of high quality silica gel,reusable and washable.
- Product size:5.9x1.97inches. Product weight:1.06 ounce.
Last update on 2023-06-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The PETHOUZZ Soft Tip Syringe is the perfect option for cat owners. It’s lightweight, ergonomic, and offers enough control to easily give your cat its liquid medicine. The beauty of this syringe is it works well for both pills and liquid medicine making it a versatile solution.
The syringe is made out of high-grade silica gel and offers consistent value for those wanting to make the process as easy as possible.
How To Give An Uncooperative Cat Liquid Medicine
Use a Syringe
The best option is to use a well-reviewed syringe for cats.
This technique is simple, effective, and proven to be safe. If you are someone that wants to give your cat an exact dose, it won’t happen without a syringe.
In some cases, cat owners feel it’s okay to pour the liquid medicine into the cat’s food. Unfortunately, this is the WRONG way since your cat may not eat all of the food leading to a reduced dosage going into their system. Plus, the medication’s potency can be diluted depending on what you are mixing it into.
So, what is another option that works well and is going to yield perfect results?
In essence, you are going to want to invest in a soft-tipped syringe that is cat-friendly. The syringe mentioned above is a perfect example of what you should be using as a cat owner. It’s sleek, easy to hold, and will allow you to administer the dosage without a problem.
Place the Cat in Your Lap
It’s recommended to hold your cat in your lap.
The reason for keeping your cat in this position is to restrict how much they can move from one side to another. Plus, you are going to have the ability to soothe them making it less of a struggle.
Most cats aren’t going to mind the medicine as long as they are being treated the right way during the process. In fact, many cats show signs of curiosity when they see the syringe and will definitely take a lick or two.
To make sure your cat is getting the entire dosage, you will want to make sure it is firmly in your lap before starting.
This can be done by placing the cat’s body between your legs (without squeezing) or stroking its head to lower its aggression or defensiveness. This is going to depend on your cat and how it reacts to the situation.
In most cases, you are not going to have to wrestle with the cat during this process. Instead, you are easily going to have it settle on your lap before administering the liquid medicine.
Wrap the Cat in a Blanket
When you are giving the dosage, you should look to wrap the cat in a blanket.
The reason to wrap your cat in a blanket is to soothe it. This is going to provide an additional layer of comfort that is a must during the medication process.
Of course, this is going to depend on the conditions (i.e. unhelpful on a burning hot summer’s day!) but it can be ideal for an ill cat. Their body temperature isn’t going to be as stable as it needs to be, which can cause chills after a while. This is why you want to use the blanket as a way to calm your cat both physically and psychologically.
It is also recommended to use a blanket that is common to the cat. This means a blanket that they sleep on or around during the night.
By doing this, you are going to gain the cat’s confidence and they are going to feel comfortable during the process. This is essential when you are trying to give your cat liquid medicine.
If you can’t use a blanket then don’t be afraid to take out anything that is known to comfort the cat.
Use Your Dominant Hand
The hand that is used to administer the liquid medicine has to be your dominant one.
Why is this important?
It’s all about gaining leverage and making sure you are not stirring around during the process. It’s easy to lose your grip and/or not get the dosage to go straight into the cat’s system as intended.
Of course, you have to remember the idea is never to shove the syringe down the cat’s throat!
However, you are going to want to maintain control especially when it comes to an ill cat. You don’t want the syringe slipping as that may be enough to make your cat uncomfortable.
In general, you want to take your time to learn how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine. This is when you are going to see impressive results and feel good about how the medicine is ingested.
There are times when cat owners will aim to switch hands in the middle of the process. This is a bad idea because it could change the cat’s perspective due to the ongoing movement. You want to keep things as still as possible.
Your weaker hand should be enough to keep the cat stabilized during the process.
Let the Cat Lick the Syringe
As you learn how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine, you will appreciate the idea of letting your cat move towards the syringe.
A lot of cat owners try to shove the syringe down the cat’s mouth. This is unwarranted and not the way to go, if you are going to be using a syringe.
So, what is the right way then?
When it comes to learning how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine, you want to focus on allowing the cat to dictate this step. The reason is to ensure they take a few licks of the syringe to get a taste of what is in front of them.
If you aim to rush forward and force-feed the cat, they are not going to take a liking to the syringe. Not only is this bad for the first dosage, it is only going to get worse with time because the cat won’t forget what happened.
You have to put the cat at ease by allowing it to take a lick or two. As the cat comes closer, you can start working on the syringe to release the dosage carefully.
This is the only way to make sure the appropriate dosage is given to your cat.
Final Thoughts
Anyone that wants to understand how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine will have to start with the steps mentioned here.
As long as you buy a good syringe for your cat’s liquid medicine, you will be well on your way to a successful healing process.
Just like purchasing a good elevated food bowl for your cat, delicious treats for kittens, the right type of cat litter, or a safe scratching post, you have to put the cat’s safety first. Don’t assume anything and always take your time learning how to give an uncooperative cat liquid medicine.