My best attack has been to use a Snuggie and wrap the front paws, then include the back paws. Shove the pill down by grasping the top jaw and lifting the head up. Close the mouth, hold, and blow on the nose. Release quickly and follow up with a treat if your cat likes anything. The current one doesn't.

I understand you don't like the hold mode, but that is the only thing that has ever worked for me with all of my cats.

You might try tuna if he likes fish.

Boy, I don't know. I'm much more familiar with giving pills to dogs.

I would imagine it depends on his personality and if he'll accept being tricked. If he has a favorite treat that he cannot resist, stuff the pill into the center and hope that he doesn't detect it.

If the pill isn't bitter or smelly, perhaps you could pulverize it and mix it in his food if he eats wet food.

Have you tried putting the pill in his mouth and getting him to swallow it just to see how easily he'd accept that method? Once the pill is in the back of the throat, hold mouth closed and rub throat until he swallows. He might not mind it, but maybe you've already tried that and know that he does not like it.

Our dogs willingly took pills because they actually thought the pill was a treat!

Good luck and I hope he's better soon. One of our labs tore both ACLs and had surgery to repair them.

Have you tried using Pill Pockets? Available at Petco and similar stores.

Fussy animals like them. Try first a few times with no pill inside

Second on the pill pockets, here. When I have had to give one of the cats pills, usually I plan a sneak attack. That works well when it's a one-time thing. For a series of pills, they get smart fast. The Greenies pill pockets have worked pretty well for me in the past.

My cat has a thyroid problem and needs a pill twice a day. There is no way in h ll she would let me put a pill or anything else in her mouth. The vet suggested dissolving it and putting in a little bit of milk or tuna. This mostly works. She won't eat wet cat food and if I put the pill in her dry food it ends up on the floor.

I wouldn't dissolve a pill unless a vet told you it was OK with that specific pill. Lots of pills are formulated so as to only work via digestion.

My sister's cat has a medication that they get compounded into a transdermal gel that you rub onto the cat's ear. The cat tolerates it remarkably well - it doesn't seem to sting or irritate Sorry, I don't remember what medication. But again, only to be done via a vet.

Recently when Thomas had his front canines pulled the vet sent him home with a syringe of pain med. That was easier to administer - not great, but I had to be fast and push the syringe into his mouth quickly and push the syringe with a little force to make sure all the liquid went into his mouth.

This doesn't answer your question because none of my cats will take a hard pill, crushed or in food; but maybe talk to your vet. And I just remembered when he had surgery to repair a torn ear a couple years ago, the vet sent me home with a bottle of liquid med and an empty syringe to use with it. Mention that to your vet.

I've used this vet's technique with good results. I don't use the towel for my current cats but have before.

Give a cat a pill

Apparently, this is one of the only anti-inflammatory drugs made for cats. It's not a pain killer. It does not come in any other formulation at all, but he did say that it could be crushed, as long as he ingested the full dose.

If kitty eats canned food, you could try crushing it into 1 T of food at dinner. When that tablespoon is gone, you'll know he got the whole pill, then the rest of the dinner could be put out.

My cat is pretty good, I just pry her mouth open and throw it in the back of the throat. She loves to be brushed, so she knows as soon as the pill is gone, she gets a nice brushing.

By the way, I know for dogs' torn ACL involves surgery. What's the plan for your cat?

Hi, I'm new here. I've been giving my cats Comfortis by chopping into small pieces and putting a teaspoon of wet food on top of it. When they get to the bottom of the wet food, the pill is flavored and they eat it with no problem.

I also second Pill Pockets. I can't get my cats to take pills any other way.

Pill Pockets

Thanks everyone! I am absolutely going to try some of these ideas. You peeps are the best and I'll let you know what works.

I learned today that this type of injury is very rare in cats. They may have ligament damage but don't typically present as lame. Paco, out of the blue, is so lame that he can't put his weight on his back right leg at all.

Per our vet's direction, we've taken away his beloved tower, where he spent hours basking in the morning sun, overseeing the bird, squirrel, and chipmunk activity. We've blocked access to high window sills, too. Luckily, he's never been interested in tabletops, counters, or furniture.

There's one vet who specializes in feline orthopedic problems in my city...canine hip and knee surgeries are common, but not the itty bitty kitties. We will see this vet in a couple of weeks for an assessment.

Paco is about 13 years old; he adopted us so we don't know for sure. The thought of him undergoing a traumatic surgery at his age is frightening to me, but we will do whatever is best for him.

There's some irony here. I tore my ACL years ago and have been undergoing physio just recently in preparation for a knee replacement. I went to the vet today on a crutch!

Our dog had ACL surgery at 13. He did fine. Healed so well, we couldn't tell which leg it was. He lived to 18, so it was well worth it.

The cat we used to have to pill wouldn't take them in treats, and she didn't like wet food. So my husband would pick her up under her arms, she would meow in distress/annoyance, and while she had her mouth open to meow, I would poke the pill on the back of her tongue. I had to be ready when he picked her up because she would only meow big once, then start fighting to get down. She hated being picked up. After poking the pill in, I would gently hold her mouth shut and rub her throat until she swallowed. It usually worked like a charm, but it would take two people.

Gosh, I had one of those Animal Planet vet shows on the other day while cleaning the bedroom and they were treating a cat with a torn ACL. It seems like it healed without surgery in that case so must have been just a partial tear but I had no reason to be paying close attention.

Rhizo...do they give group rates on PT and crutches? Your whole family the last few months!

I sometimes take a small syringe, cut the end off and put the pill in the end and shoot it to the back of their mouth. My old vet showed me how to do that. I give my cats Comfortis too, and they don't like it. I dissolve it in a little water and give it to them in a syringe.

I have to give a pill tonight that I know from past experience is particularly bitter, so I plan to dissolve it and give it via stomach tube. Not an option for anyone else, but I have always had trouble giving this particular pill.

I second the idea of wrapping it in a little turkey or chicken...or cheese....turkey or chicken, as in deli meat. Give them a few bites and then give the "loaded" one.

If you are UNsuccessful, vet can give a one-time injection of meloxicam or robenacoxib.

BTW - BFF's kitty had torn ACL, considered surgery but due to age declined, restricted activity, kitty recovered completely, back to jumping on couch in 9-12 months.

It's a little awkward until you get the hang of it, but I always slathered pills in a little butter, put the cat on a hard surface, like the counter, with the back end under my wing (arm), grasp by the scruff of the neck and force the pill into the side of the mouth as far back as I can get it. The butter makes it slippery for you, too, but hard to spit out and they kind of like cleaning themselves up after. :-) I'd always use real butter, not margarine.

Did Paco jump off a high place? I have three 20 pound cats and I worry when they jump off high places. One of them sounds like an earthquake when she lands. Giving pills to dogs, I wrap them in a thin slice of mozzarella cheese. Cats, forget about it. I have one who had to be wrapped like a mummy to put Frontline on.

My cat will eat the pill pocket, then spit out the pill. lol

Good luck - I've finally mastered the pill-giving (kneel on floor, cat wedged between my knees with her tail toward my body - open mouth at jaw hinge with left hand, drop pill in mouth with right hand, clamp muzzle closed with left hand, massage throat with right hand).

Our Yorkie is the worst in the world when it comes to taking pills. He has to have a blood pressure pill every morning. The vet ordered the med through Wedgewood Pharmacy--they formulate it in liquid form and provide the syringes for giving him the med. Greatest idea ever...and they are wonderful to deal with!

I've wondered why the manufacturers of pet meds don't make them more palatable. Friend needs to give her cat Prozac (he's aggresive, smart and his neutering 'grew back'!) because he goes after the other cats but she can't keep him from spitting it out. She's really needs to figure something out but loves him to death. I'm sorry this happened to your cat, Rhizo.

Try pill pockets first. If he won't eat them, then do this:

Get some empty gelatin capsules. Size 2 or 3 will probably fit your cat's pills. Size 2 is a bit larger. You can order them online, from Amazon or another retailer. Your pharmacy or veterinarian may have them in stock or be able to get them more quickly than you can get them, yourself.

Put the pills into the empty gelatin capsules. Don't worry that you are making a bigger "pill" for your cat to take. It's nowhere near too big. This takes away the taste of the pill, which is the main thing to which most cats really object. Get a piller. I like the white ones with the slightly larger barrel vs the really thin ones. No, these pillers are not too big for cats. They really are not too big and they work well for cats.

Put the capsule (with pill) in the piller. If you are right-handed, hold the piller in your right hand. Go to where your cat is, which is less stressful for kitty than disturbing him and bringing him somewhere else. Be calm and quiet and act like this is no big deal, because it really isn't. Stand behind or to the right side of your kitty (kitty on your left or in front of you). Kitty didn't even have to sit up or anything. Gently take your cat's head in your left hand, with your palm on top of your cat's head and your thumb and middle fingers slightly behind kitty's canine teeth ("fangs"). You'll lift the lips slightly to do this. Your forearm may end up gently touching your cat's back, just to give you a better idea about positioning. Insert piller through the front of the mouth, until it is at the back of the oral cavity. Press plunger. If you find that kitty backs up, just make sure there's something behind him to prevent that.

The more stressed you are, the more stressed kitty will be. So, be calm. This really does not need to be a big deal. Most cats can be pilled easily using this method. Remember to give plenty of pets and even a treat after pilling. That way, it will be a positive experience for your cat. At worst, you want this to be a neutral experience for your cat. But, it's best to turn it into a positive experience.

Edited to add... With the pill pockets, do not use a whole pill pocket. Just use enough of a pill pocket to cover the pill. The idea is for kitty to swallow it (with the pill inside) whole. If it's small enough, this is what will occur. Too big and kitty will chew it, taste the pill and spit it out.

Well, I think that I've found the 'bait'. This morning I took a few pinches from a burger bun and made little dough balls about the size of his kibble. In the test drive, he scarfed them down without hesitation....picking them out of his kibble.

He's never been tempted by canned food, cheese, chicken, or any other juicy tidbit. But he does like a tiny bite of pizza crust or bread. Go figure.

Next time he heads to his food bowl, I'll give him three more little dough balls, one of which will have this tiny pill inside. Wish me luck.

I have no idea how, when, or or where he injured the knee. Vet indicated that cats can have a problem for a long time, but remain symptom free. He has been a bit slower lately but I attributed it to his older age. He's been kittenish all of his life until recently.

Fortunately for Paco, he only weighs 9 lbs! You may remember that I had to put him on a weight loss program a couple of years ago and with careful portion control he lost the two lbs he needed to. That's a lot for a little guy!

I'm gratified to hear stories of recovery. I'm hoping that with some of the rearranging we've done, that he can begin to heal.

I told Robert that I would have to make darned sure that if Paco did have to have surgery, it couldn't coincide with mine! I know which one of us would get preferential treatment, lol.