If you’ve ever attempted to give your kitty medication in pill form straight away, you are familiar with their look of disapproval and eventual dismissal of such an unappetizing “treat”. If only they could understand that quickly gobbling down this morsel was for their own good! Que crafty cat owner inspiration!
So rather than inciting a catfight, so to speak, we thought it might be a great idea to hide their medication in something a bit more feline-friendly. Of course, you can purchase pill pockets at any pet supplies retailer, but they can be quite pricey for something you may only need to use a few times. We also know cats can be finicky about almost everything (including treats) so these manufactured pill pockets are not a sure thing. Making your own from scratch saves you a few dollars and gives you the freedom to try a few different options without being wasteful.
Now, to the treats! Below we have noted a few trusted recipes that will teach you how to make pill pockets for cats that are sure to have your pet taking their medication with ease.
The 6 DIY Pill Pocket Recipes for Cats
1. Natural Pill Pockets for Cats
When we talk about supplementing our kitty’s diets, natural is usually the way to go. This DIY pill pocket offered by a verified veterinary clinic is no exception. With limited ingredients and providing a few different ways to put them together gives you the opportunity to try different mixtures until you find one that your cat will gladly eat. We recommend that you try creating a few and testing them on your feline before attempting to sneak in their medication. With this method, you’ll find a mixture they love without wasting a pill, or pre-warning them that you’re trying to trick them into taking one!
2. DIY Pill Pocket for Cats
With only three ingredients and five minutes of your time, Kurious Kitty gives you an example of a simple, quick, and foolproof way of creating a pill pocket that is loved by both cats and dogs. The author suggests running the ingredients by your veterinarian before preparing to ensure they are safe for your specific pet. They also note that most cats are lactose intolerant and offer an alternative for kitty pill pockets.
3. DIY Fancy Feast Pill Pocket
When all else fails, good ol’ Fancy Feast will suffice. As the video demonstrates, a small amount of this wet cat food should be enough to mask the smell of the pill. Be sure not to use too much cat food, so your cat is not able to eat around the pill. Also, place the pill in their dish with a little wet food and only give the rest of their meal once their bowl is clean. This is a sure fire way to ensure the pill has been taken!
4. DIY Mochi Pill Pockets
The DIY Mochi Pill Pockets from Heart of Yoshi is a great single-ingredient pocket without chemicals, preservatives, or colors. Mochi is a Japanese food that consists of rice pounded into a paste. You can create tiny pill pockets that your cats are more likely to consume. The author explains how to purchase mochi and provides step-by-step instructions to make the pill pocket. It’s low cost, as one mochi ball will make plenty of pockets.
5. Homemade Pill Pockets
The Homemade Pill Pockets recipe is good for cats, dogs, and other animals. It uses rice flour, coconut milk, and peanut butter to make a dough with a fragrance that can cover the scent of many medications. Once you have the ingredients, you can make multiple pockets, and the instructions are in video format, so they are easy to follow. The only downside is that some cats might not like peanut butter.
6. Ikitty Cat Pill Pockets
Ikitty Cat Pill Pockets is a great resource for anyone with a finicky cat. The author provides three recipes that you can try in order to find something that your cat will like or at least keep them guessing. The ingredients are inexpensive and safe for cats, and the pill pouches will also work for dogs. The author provides a step-by-step guide for each recipe and plenty of helpful tips and tricks.
Wrapping Up
There you have it! We hope that one of these has helped you learn how to make pill pockets for cats and helped give your feline their daily dose of medicine with a bit less trouble. You might be inclined to crush their pill and mix it in with their food, but we strongly recommend that you stick to keeping their pill whole. This ensures they are getting the full dose of medication. Crushing the pill will also add a substantial amount of bitterness to your kitty’s food often making it completely inedible. Trust us when we say ‘one bite and done’ is the way to go!
How do you go about administering medication to your fur baby? If you have a DIY pill pocket that works wonders for your cat, we want to hear about it!
Featured Image Credit: Jakub Zak, Shutterstock