Many people find it challenging to give a cat medicine such as a pill or liquid. Once you learn the five steps below, it will simplify and speed up the process. You may want to pretend your medicating your cat right now. Once you feel confident with the steps below, use them the next time you need to medicate your cat.

1. Place the medicine on a floor or table top in a quiet room. If you are giving a pill, have the pill ready to place down the cat's throat. If you are dispensing a liquid medicine, have the syringe filled with the correct amount of fluid.

2. Pick up you cat and pet it like normal. Place one hand underneath the ribs as you continue to pet the cat and walk toward the room where the medicine is prepared.

3. Continue to hold the cat and kneel down next to the medicine in the following manner. Spread your knees approximately 10 inches apart (this is approximately two or three fist widths). As you kneel, place your big toes side by side and flatten you ankles on the floor if you can. Next sit back on your heels, keeping your knees apart. You hips should be directly over your feet or ankles.

4. Place the cat so that it's feet are on the floor, it's butt and tail are facing your belly or hips, and it's head faces forward-the same direction as yours. Do not sit on or put weight on your cat. If your right handed, slip you left arm against the left side of the cat's body, and firmly but gently hold the cat's chest with your left hand. If your cat is nervous, you can also hold the scruff of the neck with your left hand.

5. With your right hand, grab the medicine. Bend forward a little bit and place your right elbow on your knee. Continue to cradle the cat with your left arm and use your left hand to keep the cat from running forward.

a. If you are giving a pill, open the cat's jaw by pressing an index finger near the corner of the lips. (Usually, I like to do this with my left index finger). Shove the pill toward the back of the cat's throat with your right index finger. As soon as the pill is in the cat's mouth, use your left hand to keep the cat's mouth shut and tilt the cats head slightly up so the cat's nose will be slightly higher than its jaw line. Be firm but gentle, and do not cover or press down on the cat's nose. With your right hand, gently stoke the cat's throat. This encourages the cat to swallow.

b. If you are giving liquid medicine, press the tip of the syringe (obviously, without the needle) into the corner of the cat's lips. With your left hand, lift the front of the cat's head so the nose is slightly higher than the jaw line. As soon as the cat opens its mouth, dispense the liquid. The goal is to have the liquid run right down the back of the throat so that the cat will not taste the medicine. It helps to dispense liquids in a steady manner and do it as quickly as possible, provided it does not cause the cat to panic or choke. Sometimes it is easier to squirt a little medicine, let the cat breath, and then squirt some more medicine.

Once the cat has taken the medicine, pet it briefly and let it go. A few things to keep in mind: cats always like to feel safe, so cradling them without applying any weight can be helpful. When a cat becomes upset, it needs to be left alone. Its brain literally gets overloaded and an upset cat is likely to become aggressive. If you are having difficulty and your cat is getting upset, let it go. See if a veterinarian, a vet tech or a trusted pet sitter can give you a demonstration of the best way to medicate your cat.

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Kate Garvey provides writing assistance to individuals and business. She has experience ghost writing personal narratives, creating technical documentation, and providing research assistance. She is the author of "The Low Risk Guide to Real Estate Investment" and "Aging, Death and Euthansia-A Guide for People with Pets". Kate is a former vet tech and provides free pet care tips on her website http://www.kategarvey.net

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