If you need to give your cat a pill, you may be tempted to disguise the medication with food. You can even purchase special pill pockets in yummy flavors. Why won't your cat take the pill?
With approximately 19 million nerve endings in their noses, cats have a much keener sense of smell than do their human counterparts that have 5 million. You may think that tuna scent hides the pill, but your cat will probably figure out your ploy.
Cats developed their sense of smell so that they could distinguish between edible and inedible substances in the wild. In fact, rotting food gives off nitrogen which a cat can detect.
Unfortunately, that pill does not smell like food, so your cat is not likely to take it willingly. Your cat will be able to smell that pill inside any food, too.
Cats are also geniuses at acting like they ate a pill and then spitting it out where you can't see them. So, you really need to see the pill actually go down the cat's throat to be assured that the medication was taken.
The best method to give a cat a pill is to either use a pill dispenser or your hand to place the pill at the back of the cat's throat and then encourage swallowing.
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