How to Hide a Pill in Cat Food

Use a rare food treat to overcome Kitty's suspicion of medications.
i white angora cat eating from food bowl image by Stephen Orsillo from Fotolia.com

While pills can help your cat overcome a medical condition, your kitty sees them as odd-smelling and bad-tasting anti-treats. If you conceal the pill in tasty food that she rarely gets an opportunity to eat, it's possible she'll never realize a mere human has outsmarted her.

Step 1

Find out what type of food your cat really enjoys and will quickly scarf down. The more eager your kitty is to eat a certain food, the less likely she is to realize a pill is lurking inside. Even if you assume she'll like something such as tuna, always give her an initial bite. Cats are sometimes finicky and curious with new food, and may bat it around or take small, cautious bites at first, which can reveal the pill.

Step 2

Prepare the tasty treat away from your kitty's view. If she sees you messing with her food -- or worse, sees the pill fitting into it -- she may be more inclined to inspect it critically before taking a bite.

Step 3

Sneak the pill into a ball-sized portion of food slightly larger than the pill. You want to fully hide the pill, but hiding it in half of a can of tuna isn't a good idea. With large portions, she's more likely to leave the food for later or eat around the pill, accidentally revealing it.

Step 4

Give Kitty the special treat before she gets her regular meal. If she has already eaten, she'll be too full to wolf down the treat.

Step 5

Hide the pill in a pill-pocket treat. Pill pockets are treats with a built-in space for a pill. If your cat is a slow eater and takes small bites, it's sometimes impossible to sneak the pill past her even in small portions. Most cats will eat a pill pocket without taking multiple bites. Most pet stores and veterinary offices sell pill pockets.

Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.

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