Cat Pill Shooter

We have tried many pill shooters over the years. As silly as this thing looks (a bodyless sauropod?), it works better than any pill shooter I have ever used. The cat who gets a twice-weekly tiny capsule doesn't mind it. It doesn't gag her, or choke her, and the cap seems to go down super easy for her. The device is sturdy (no flex, not flimsy) and the silicone tip stays on the device and holds the tiny capsule until you hit the plunger/top of the dinosaur's head. At 17 yo (18 in June 2024) we can't just not give her the medication. Once she decided she didn't like pill pockets anymore and there wasn't anything I could add to the capsule contents that would disguise its flavor we had to start pilling her. (My spouse is wise, he lets me be the bad guy/the one who dispenses meds. I'm also the one that gets bitten bc our kids don't know how to take a pill.) I was desperate (yep, "14-bucks-that's-outrageous-for-that-silly-looking-thing" desperate) for a safe easy acceptable-to-her way to pill her because her desire to not participate in the program was making her distrust me. She had started waiting until I was in bed before she came to bed and checking to see whether or not I had something unpleasant for her before I was allowed to pet her. I have given her several capsules with this pill shooter and the difference in her behavior is... remarkable. She may not have forgotten but I think she has forgiven me and doesn't expect the worst every time I approach. For the past few nights she has been in bed in her usual spot before we get in there. The sweet old lady is queen of our colony. The queen is happy. Harmony follows a happy queen. Highly recommend this weird shaped pill shooter.

Where has this been all my life? It makes giving daily thyroid pills to my cat a breeze. I don't even have to get a pill out of the bottle. Just tap the end of the dispenser in the pill bottle, and one sticks in the end. This device makes it simple to get a pill into the back of the mouth, almost right into the throat, very quickly. I had been trying to use a device for giving dog pills, the kind that look like a monistat applicator, but this new device is SO MUCH EASIER!

Edit: I have changed my review from 3 stars to 4. Their customer service is exceptional! After reading my review, they reached out and I was offered a full refund, even though it was past my return period. But I’ve decided to keep the product because I know our small local shelter can always use these kinds of supplies, and I still think it’s a good product even if it’s not “for me”. So if you’re on the fence about trying it, I’d say go for it. If it’s not ‘for you’ either, at least you have the peace of mind that you can return it for a full refund. Or you can donate it to a rescue shelter. I have an 18 year old cat with multiple health issues that require giving him five pills, twice a day. Some are tiny and some are kind of huge. So I bought this tool in hope of reducing his stress during medicine time. But sadly, it actually made pill time even more stressful. Pros: I do like how the silicone tip is soft and won’t scratch the soft pallet and is easy on the teeth if the cat tends to try and bite down on it. It also does hold regular-sized pills well. It would probably work well for any small pets that take normal, whole pills. The trigger is also responsive and releases normal size/shape pills easily. Cons: My cat takes varying sized pills, with some cut in 1/4 pieces and the cut pills do not stay in the silicone tip properly, plus they tend to not dispense when the trigger is pressed if the pill is cut. The tool is also very awkward to hold with a squirming cat trying to get away. It may work better if one person is holding the cat still while the other uses the tool. Sadly, I’ve just gone back to giving his medication by hand. As long as you keep your fingernails trimmed very short (and your cat’s claws trimmed) it’s actually kind of easy to give them pills once you find the ‘secret’ combo position that works for both you and the cat. I use this method: With my left hand (I’m right handed), I hold the back of my cat’s head by his neck for stability. With my left thumb, I lift his chin so he’s looking up toward the ceiling. Holding the pill with my thumb and index finger of my right hand, I use my right middle finger to wedge open his mouth at the back corner. With his mouth open, and him looking up, I drop the pill at the back of his throat. Close his mouth, gently massage his throat to trigger his swallow reflex, then repeat.

This pill pusher looks great. I haven't used it yet, but if I need to I'm sure it will work great. I bought size 5 capsules for my cats medication. He has congestive heart failure and needs to take a quarter of his pill everday. I have to score the pill in 4 pieces. And it's so easy to put in the capsules. I was forcing it down his mouth by hand and my poor cat struggled everday. So I hide the capsule in his wet food and he eats it right up and has no clue he took it. At dinner I give him a small amount of his wet food in a bowl first and I hide the pill in it. To my surprise he picked it right up. Then I feed him the remander of his food. It works and the capsules are very small so he isn't aware that he's taking it. The medication is very bitter but the capsules hid the taste. I bought the pink capsules so I can see if he ate it. When I was forcing it down his throat he would sometimes spit it out later. It would get stuck in the corner of his mouth. I recommend everyone who is looking for a safe and humane way to give your pets pills to try the capsules. The number 5 is the smallest and very easy to give to your cat. I found them here on Amazon. I also bought a kit here on Amazon that has small tools to fill the capsules very easily. I'll post the name in an update. XPRS Nutra Size 5 Empty Capsules - 500 Count . This is smallest, they have larger capsules if you need.

To start on a positive note, I found the silicone attachments were in no danger of coming loose. Maybe that would change if it's removed and washed frequently which hopefully it would be. And maybe if your cat is easily peeled but you just don't want to put your fingers in its mouth, this might be a good tool for you. And maybe if you're having to shoot large pills or capsules it would work better. I am giving my cat half of a small pill. I tested with that and even with a full uncut pill and even pulling as quickly and hard as I can, you pretty much just falls out. I also didn't find the mechanism to be easy to use. The trigger handle is so short that it's unwieldy. I can't find a comfortable position to use it in with one hand. I didn't even bother trying it on my cat and I don't think I will. I'd probably just end up pinching my fingers. Plus as you're pulling the trigger The wand is jerking around so who knows where you'd end up putting it.

The pill shooter works very well. I have to give my Calico a phenobarbital tablet every morning and this device makes it so easy. Before my big gray boy passed on I had to give him Pepcid twice a day. Again, this device made it easy to administer the drug to him. I highly recommend it.

OMG I love this thing! Unlike other pill shooters that have loops you need to put your fingers in, this one is easy to hold, and you can adjust your grip as your cat snakes its head back and forth in a futile attempt to escape your tender care. Seriously, I'd give this 10 stars if I could. I have three senior cats who need meds every day, and without this, I'd be struggling. PS: If, like me, you have cats that need multiple meds, get some pill capsules and stick all of the meds in them. This thing will hold the capsules with no problem.

It works so well that we ordered a second one - however it arrived without one of the silicone heads intended to accommodate different pill sizes