I don't know what I'd do if I had to pill Oscar.  So far, it hasn't
been necessary *knock on wood*

(snippage)

I'm glad she's better!

I thought I'd have fits when I had to pill Persia for a bladder infection.
But I snuck up on her, giving her scritches.  Put my left arm firmly around
her and used that hand to pry open her mouth.  Popped the pill down in there
with my other hand then clamped her mouth shut.  Blow gently on the nose; it
induces a swallowing reflex.

Jill

Glad to hear she's better!

When I had to give Licky a worming pill recently, the vet gave me these
little things called "pocket treats" (or something like that). They're
soft and have a strong smell that cats like, and they have a depression
in them where a pill fits nicely inside. Once you put the pill inside the
treat, you smush it together so the pill is completely hidden. I gave it
to Licky and he wolfed it right down, pill and all. He never knew what
he'd just eaten! (And now he doesn't have worms anymore!)

I don't know if anything like that is available in New Zealand, but I
think it's a brilliant idea. Complete no-stress cat pilling!

Joyce

Glad to hear Fluffy SP is better, but sorry for the work you have to do to
pill her. We will purr and pray that she stays hungry all the time she needs
to take her pills. :)
Lily & her mama
Jazz, RB

We recently had to pill all three cats when we adopted Cleo. She had some
sort of parasite and the vet was worried that it might have spread to the
other two, even with their limited contact. We were concerned about pilling
Cali, as she can be difficult. But we used some of those pill pockets and
she ate them no problem. Cleo has never chewed her food, she has pretty
muched hoovered it from the time she was outside. I think our success had
something to do with the fact that the pills are supposed to be sweet,
unlike most pills. Cali can usually sniff out the pills when we try to hide
them.

Smokey turned out to be the most difficult, as she won't eat cat treats of
any kind. We tried breaking the pills up and hiding them in meat, but she
would either eat her way around them (very talented) or throw up the meat
afterwards. I finally had to hollow out some cheese cubes and hide the pill
pieces in those.

Pilling is not my favourite part of the day! Sesame and I have sort of come
to an understanding... that is.. I say you have to have your pill and the
elderly ladycat finds it too much effort to fight back very much. These days
she is pretty good.. she doesn't like it and sulks afterwards but usually
she's wanting cuddles within half an hour. Now I just sit her on the sofa
between my legs, gently open her mouth and drop the pill in so it goes
straight to the back of her throat. She doesn't have much choice then but to
swallow!

When we first starting pilling her regularly I had some luck crushing the
pill and mixing it with a tiny bit of butter, she would lick it off my
finger and the vet said a really small amount wouldn't hurt. I think Marina
has tried lactose free sour cream with Frank before which I wanted to try
but couldn't find any in the supermarket!

Good luck! :-)

Kathryn