Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
To administer a pill, first grab the cheek-
bones . . .
. . . point the nose toward the ceiling . . .
. . . open the lower jaw . . .
. . . then pop the pill in over the tongue.
so that the cat's nose is pointing toward the ceiling. When done cor-
rectly, the cat's mouth will automatically open, and the more coordi-
nated right index finger can pop the pill over the back of the cat's
tongue while the middle finger holds the lower jaw down. In this situ-
ation, you are not opening the cat's mouth with your hands; you are
using leverage to position the mouth open. (A left-handed person
should turn the cat the other way and reverse the hand positions.)
Research has shown that if a pill or capsule is not followed with a
swallow of water, it can remain in the esophagus for hours. Certain pills,
such as the antibiotic doxycycline, cause severe irritation to the esoph-
agus if they get stuck. If your veterinarian does not give you one, ask
for a small syringe to squirt water into your cat's mouth after pilling.
