Have you ever tried to give your cat its medicine? If you have, then you know that the task can sometimes feel impossible to achieve and may involve bites and scratches from a grumpy kitty.

Ointments and liquid medications are one thing, however. But pills?

What happens if you have to give your cat a pill?

How do you get it in the cat's mouth, and how can you ensure that your cat actually swallows the pill? And what happens if your furry friend spits it out? Then what do you do?

We've found the best options for how to give your cat a pill, no matter its temperament.

First things first – test the waters by giving your cat treats. Experiment with different kinds of treats and foods to see if this can help bribe them into taking a pill first, or else hiding the pill in something they really like to eat.

Also, make sure to check with your veterinarian for tips and tricks, as they might have insight into your individual cat and its needs.

If any of the following methods of giving your cat a pill to swallow don't work, then you can ask your vet for an alternative medication. Some meds come in an injectable form, for instance, which your pet's doctor can administer.

And one last thing – keep an eye on your cat during and right after eating its pill, no matter how you deliver it.

They could spit it out or throw it back up, so you've got to make sure it stays down!

For the safety of both you and your pet, find someone to assist you in keeping the cat calm and immobile. Also, keep a blanket, towel, or gloves handy to protect yourself from any sharp kitty back-sass.

Keep a close eye on your cat's body language for signs of distress and potential for them to bite and scratch you.

Signs of this include:

• Hissing
• Growling
• Tail swishing
• Rigid posture
• Fur standing on end
• Ears flat against the head
• Wide pupils

The easiest way to give your cat a pill to eat is to pair it with food.

Either train your cat to take its pill and then receive a yummy apology treat right after, or else hide the pill in wet cat food, fish, or a soft modable treat (like a Pill Pocket.)

You can also hide pills inside of the often forbidden human foods that pets crave, such as peanut butter, deli meat, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, or butter.

Keep these human treats in careful moderation, however, as too much of them can make your cat sick.

And be careful to keep an eye on the pill and make sure the cat didn't just eat around it!

Form the food into a "meatball" shape around the pill so that it is completely covered. If the cat catches on to the medicine inside, try giving them a few wet food balls without a pill so they don't suspect the third one with a pill hidden in it!

If possible, try to get the whole pill into your cat, but ask your vet if the pill can be ground into food.

Grinding pills down into powder to more easily hide them in food can actually be harmful to your cat in some cases, leading to overdose or the destruction of important protective coatings that leave the medication inactive.

Note: NEVER crush a slow-release medicine!

Crushed animal medicines for cancer or thyroid issues can also expose you and others to harmful ingredients.

Again, don't crush your cat's pills unless a vet explicitly gives you the all-clear to do so.

If your cat is suspicious of the medicated food, you might need to try a more hands-on approach to giving them their pill.

Administering the pill directly into their mouth may be necessary.

When you do this, however, it's important to take steps so that you don't get bitten or scratched in the process.

If your cat lets you put it right into their mouth to swallow, then that's all well and good. There are also options to wrap your pet up in a blanket to avoid a catfight, however.

Below are both options explained!

If you're brave enough – or your pet is docile enough – to try administering a pill directly into your cat's mouth with your bare hands, simply do the following:

• Beforehand, lubricate the pill with a small amount of gravy from yummy canned food, flavored broth, or a soft treat so it's easier for your cat to swallow and doesn't stick to the inside of its throat.
• Hold the pill in your dominant hand between your index finger and thumb.
• Gently hold your cat's head from above with your other hand, thumb on one side of its jaw and fingers on the other side.
• Tilt back the cat's head so its nose is pointing up to the ceiling, jaw dropped open slightly.
• Take the hand holding the pill and use your other fingers (pinkie finger and ring finger) to put light pressure on the cat's lower lip and front teeth.
• Put the pill as far back on the cat's tongue as you can – if it's on the back third of the tongue, then an automatic swallowing reflex will likely be activated.
• Hold the kitty's mouth closed and return its head to a normal upright position to avoid choking.
• Rub your kitty's throat or nose, or lightly blow air on its nose to stimulate swallowing. If your cat licks its nose with its tongue, then it has probably swallowed the pill already.
• Offer the cat more treats/gravy/broth to wash down the pill and make sure it stays down!

If you need help from another person, just have them hold the cat's limbs above their elbows to make sure they don't run away, stay upright, and don't get loose with their claws.

Did the bare hands approach not work?

For safety and less stress, try swaddling the cat in a towel or blanket by using the "burrito wrap" method.

Here's how to burrito wrap your cat for a more positive outcome:

• Beforehand, lubricate the pill with a small amount of gravy from yummy canned food, flavored broth, or a soft treat so it's easier for your cat to swallow and doesn't stick to the inside of its throat.
• Lay a blanket or towel down flat with your cat in the middle, facing away from you.
• Tuck their legs underneath them.
• Wrap one top corner of the blanket or towel around the cat's back and then tuck it in near their back leg.
• Repeat this on the other side but wrap the corner all the way underneath the cat's body, leaving just its head exposed to the air.
• Make sure the wrap is somewhat snug, but not so tight that the cat seems to be in discomfort.
• Offer the kitty a treat while in the burrito wrap to put them at ease and make a positive association with the swaddle.
• Now, holding its head stable, open the cat's mouth with one hand while closing the pill in the other hand between your index finger and thumb.
• Put the pill as far back on the cat's tongue as you can – if it's on the back third of the tongue, then an automatic swallowing reflex will likely be activated.
• Hold the kitty's mouth closed and return its head to a normal upright position to avoid choking.
• Rub your kitty's throat or nose, or lightly blow air on its nose to stimulate swallowing. If your cat licks its nose with its tongue, then it has probably swallowed the pill already.
• Offer the cat more treats/gravy/broth to wash down the pill and make sure it stays down!

A pill plunger is a device that plops a pill into your cat's mouth without the risk of your fingers getting bitten by its sharp teeth.

It's a small plastic tube with a plunger on one end that might just save your skin... literally.

Simply load the medication into the pill plunger – also called a piller or a pill popper – before securing your pet in place.

Carefully release the pre-lubricated pill onto the back of your cat's tongue, washing it down with water, wet food, or other favorite treats.

If you need help, ask a vet to give a demonstration of how to use the pill plunger. And remember, if your cat seems overly distressed by this or any other pill administering technique, consult a vet for help.

If none of the above methods work to successfully get your cat to swallow a pill – if they still refuse to eat the pill, spit it back out, or throw it up soon after – then reach out and touch base with a trusted veterinarian for help and guidance.

It might be possible to find a similar medication in a liquid or treat formula that comes in flavors like tuna, salmon, or chicken.

Other meds can be made into a gel that you rub on the cat's ear flap.

At the end of the day, you want your best feline friend to be feeling its best.

Sometimes, achieving that means you'll have to give them a pill, even if it's not the most pleasant task.

Hopefully something in this handy guide helps you out in the endeavor!