If your cat won’t willingly take a pill that she needs to treat a medical condition, one option is to train her with a pill gun — that is, a plastic pill plunger. Start by clicking a clicker and immediately following up by giving your cat a delicious treat. (If you fumble for the treat after clicking the clicker, she won’t learn to make the connection.) After about 20 tries or so over the course of a number of days, she will get the hang of it that the sound of the clicker means a reward is about to come. She will also begin to understand that the clicker means she should open her mouth to receive the morsel.
Over time (patience, patience), you can add the pill gun to the sequence: pill gun, clicker, treat — all in quick succession. It’s much easier — and more respectful — than trying to pry your cat’s mouth open with your fingers in a jaws-of-life move.
