How to Give a Cat Liquid Medicine

Most animals dislike taking medications. With my cat it was even more difficult since the veterinarian supplied liquid antibiotics, although labeled for veterinarian use, were obviously diverted from mainstream human consumption because it was pink in color and smelled of bubble gum. Regular medicine would be one thing, but bubble gum flavored antibiotics are anything but enticing to a cat.

There are two things that a person can do to help make the medicating of a cat much more pleasant for you and the cat:

1. Make the medicine more enticing, make it Taste Better!

2. Use the proper technique to administer the medicine.

Follow these two suggestions and you will dramatically increase your odds of success and you and your cat will remain friends.

I've used the 'other' method of wrapping the terrified cat up in a towel to subdue it and have it gag medicine down. I recommend the method outlined in the next two steps.

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Step 1: Make the Medicine Taste Better

1. Make the Medicine Taste Better

The trick to make the medicine taste better is to mix it with the liquid (water) drained from a can of tuna fish. What cat doesn't like tuna?

You will need:

A. The Medicine

B. Can of Tuna packed in water (and can opener)

C. Oral Syringe

D. Two small 'cups'

1. Measure the prescribed amount of medicine into the oral syringe and then dispense it into one of your cups.

2. Drain the liquid off a can of tuna fish into a second empty cup.

3. Use the oral syringe to draw up a generous amount of 'tuna juice', but be aware of the total capacity of your syringe so that the medicine plus the 'tuna juice' does not exceed the capacity of your syringe unless you want to give your cat the medicine in two doses. I try for at least a one-to-one ratio of 'tuna juice' to medicine.

4. Add the 'tuna juice' to the medicine and mix them together and refill the oral syringe with the total mixture.

5. As an added incentive to your cat you can go back to the cup with the 'tuna juice' and 'top off' the syringe with straight 'tuna juice', that way the first thing the cat tastes is straight tuna ..... Yumm!

Step 2: Use the Proper Technique

2. Use Proper Technique for administering the medicine

A quick search on the internet will tell you that the best way to give a cat liquid medicine is to fill an oral syringe with the proper amount and place the syringe gently into the side of the cats mouth and work it back up into the corner of the cat's mouth.

After the syringe is in this corner-of-the-mouth position the medicine can slowly be dispensed as the cat swallows the medicine.

I have had great success with this method of administering medication, with my cat gladly staying put while taking the medicine and even sticking around wanting more after the dose was complete!

In the video my cat was sitting on my lap and I wasn't even holding her, she just willingly took the medicine.

I hope you have similar results using these tips to keep your cat happy and healthy.