Giving pill medication to cats is no easy task. We have all been there and struggled.
Sometimes it seems that every option you have tried has failed.
If hiding the pill in treats, or crushing it up on food has not worked, you may feel like you are losing the battle.
If you have tried to administer the pill by placing it in your cat’s mouth, you have probably noticed that your cat has skillfully hidden the pill in its mouth, only to spit it back out on the floor while you were not looking.
Cats can be stubborn animals, but thankfully there is a solution to your problem that is particularly effective.
If you have not tried a pill popper before, you may want to reconsider. They are a foolproof way of giving medication to cats without getting bitten or scratched.
In this article, we have reviewed five of the best pill poppers. We have provided pros and cons for each so you can see how effective they are.
We have also included a handy buyer’s guide and frequently asked questions section, so you know exactly what to look for in a pill popper.
In A Hurry?
Here is our top pick for the best pill popper, LIYU Dogs and Cats Medicine Feeder.
Available here
We have chosen this pill popper as it is a quick and easy product to use. The soft silicone tips are comfortable for your cat’s gums and it is inexpensive.
It is easy to behold and the pills can be administered with water. Being made from tough polystyrene, it can be reused and washed multiple times. The silicone tips can also be sterilized and are particularly durable.
Overall it is a great quality product that comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 12-month warranty. The only thing to be aware of is that the tips are quite small so if the tablets you are giving are bigger, check that they will fit before purchasing.
1. LIYU Dogs and Cats Medicine Feeder
This pill popper can be used for cats and dogs. It is not overly large and its dimensions are 5.9x 1.97 inches. Weighing only 1.06 ounces, it is an easy pill popper to hold.
It comes with two silicone tubes that attach to the bottom of the popper to administer medication. These tubes are durable and can be sterilized. They are soft silicone and should not be uncomfortable on your cat’s gums. The finger rings at the top of the syringe make it comfortable to hold.
The popper is made from tough polystyrene. It can be washed and reused. It is non-toxic, safe for kittens and other baby animals, and easy to clean. The LIYU pill popper comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Although it is reasonably inexpensive, it also comes with a 12-month warranty.
The LIYU Feeder can be used with water and to feed baby animals. It is worth noting that you will need to cut the silicone slightly down both sides to hold the pills. As the tip is quite small, it may be more difficult to administer larger pills.
Pros:
- Soft silicone tips
- 12-month warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee
- Durable and easily sterilized
Cons:
- A slightly smaller tip that needs to be cut to fit larger tablets
2. Kruuse Buster Pet Pill
This is one of the most popular choices when it comes to pill poppers. Its dimensions are 6x3x1 inches and it only weighs 0.03 pounds. The tip is relatively small and you can use water to make the swallowing of the pill easier.
It has finger rings to make the pill popper easy to hold and the classic tips make it safe for cats and reduces the chance of injury. You can use the Kruuse with both cats and dogs.
The barrel is made out of transparent plastic so you can see how much water it contains. The tablet holder is reinforced to ensure that the pills remain secure. It is quick and easy to use. It will not cause damage to your cat’s mouth and has a rubber plunger.
The Kruuse pill popper is intended to be single-use. While some people have used it on more than one occasion, it is not intended to be used multiple times.
Pros:
- Transparent plastic
- Will not cause damage to cat’s mouth
- Can be used with water
Cons:
- Single-use pill popper only
3. Pethouzz Pet Piller Gun
This pill popper is 5.9×1.97 inches in size and weighs 1.06 ounce. It comes with two separate silicone tips that are soft. One is used to administer pills, the other liquid medication.
The syringe is made out of silica gel and is safe to reuse. It can be washed with ease and is made out of good quality materials.
Pethouzz recommends that you use water with the liquid tip to lubricate your cat’s mouth before you administer the pills. Please note that the water and tablets will need to be given separately and not together with this pill popper. This may make the process of medicating your cat slightly longer.
The company does state that it can take a few tries to get used to compared to other pill poppers. But, as it is used in many pet hospitals, it is a good product once you are comfortable using it.
It has two finger holders to make the syringe comfortable to hold. The tips bend slightly to make it easier to medicate your cat. Overall it is an inexpensive product.
Pros:
- Two separate silicone tips for pills and liquid medication
- Made out of good quality materials
- Can be reused and washed
Cons:
- Not the easiest pill popper to use and the water and tablets need to be given separately
4. Jorgensen Pet Piller
It has a soft blue silicone tip that will not harm your cat’s gums and is safe to use with smaller cats and kittens. The shaft of the popper is straight and simplistic. As it is a more uniform product, Jorgensen states that this enables it to hold the pills better.
It is easy to clean and only weighs 0.6 ounces. Given its shape, it is a lot more compact compared to the other pet poppers. It is worth noting that the tip of the silicone is slightly larger compared to other brands. If you have particularly small pills, this could be a potential issue.
Pros:
- Soft silicone tip
- Uniform pill popper that will hold pills well
- Easy to clean and reusable
Cons:
- The tip is quite large and may not hold smaller pills
5. Bullseye Pillgun
This is a pill gun that looks slightly different from many other brands. It does not have two rings to hold the pill gun. Its dimensions are 6.5×2.6×1.1 inches and weighs 0.49 ounces. It is one of the lightest pill poppers we have featured in this article.
The Bullseye has curved fingers. This secures the pills in place until they are ready to be administered. It also prevents the pill popper from harming the back of your cat’s throat.
This product can be used with both cats and dogs and is significantly larger than some other brands. This is worth noting as it may not be the most suitable for smaller pills or kittens. It does not contain a soft silicone tip. Instead, the product is all made out of hard plastic.
What is great about this pill popper is that you can administer more than one pill at once. It is also durable and reusable. In terms of price, it is inexpensive.
Pros:
- Curved fingers to give pills with ease
- Will not harm your cat’s throat
- Can administer multiple pills at once
Cons:
- Significantly larger than many pill poppers so may not be suitable for small cats and kittens
Buyer’s Guide
We have provided you with a useful buyer’s guide that includes everything you will need to consider before you purchase a pill popper.
Cost
We recommend only purchasing a pill popper that is within your budget. However, the vast majority of pill poppers are not overly expensive.
As the majority can be reused, they are worth the investment, especially if you will need to use it for a long period. They are a great addition to your cat medical cupboard.
In addition to this, many pill poppers can be used for both cats and dogs which is an additional benefit if you have multiple pets.
Design
The design of the pill popper is worth considering. A pill popper with a soft rubber tip typically tends to be better for pets. As it is softer, it is more comfortable when placed in your cat’s mouth.
You want to ensure that the rubber tip is secure to the pill popper and that there are no safety risks of it detaching and becoming a choking hazard for your pet.
Some pet poppers have finger holders whereas others do not. It is worth testing to see which type you prefer before purchasing.
Ease Of Use
A good pill popper should be easy to handle, quick, and effective. The part of the pill popper you press down to release the pill should not stick.
In addition to this, it should be simple to place the pill in the product.
The pill popper should be able to be taken apart easily to allow for effective cleaning. A good pill popper should have clear instructions on how you can use the product and how to clean it.
Use Of Water
It is worth noting whether or not you can use water with your pill popper.
Some medications should be taken with water to ensure that the tablet reaches the cat’s stomach quicker. Some tablets can potentially be harmful to a cat’s esophagus if they begin to dissolve there.
While the majority of medicine can be given dry, it is a lot more comfortable and safer for the cat if you administer it with a bit of water. However, this can potentially start to dissolve the tablet if it is not given correctly.
Cleaning
You want to purchase a pill popper that can easily be taken apart and cleaned.
It is essential to wash non-single use pill poppers after use to ensure that all of the medication has been removed.
Check that it can be taken apart and put back together with ease before purchasing. If it has a smaller opening for the pill to fit through, these types of pill poppers may be slightly more difficult to clean.
Size Of The Tablets
The size of the tablets you are using is important to consider. You want to ensure that the tablet can be pushed out of the pill popper with ease and will not get stuck.
If the tablets are larger, we would recommend purchasing one with a larger tip such as the bullseye. If the tablets are smaller, the pill poppers such as the Kruuse would be more suitable.
Size Of The Pill Popper
In addition to the size of the pills, the size of the pill popper itself is important too. A Mainecoon compared to a very small kitten would likely need different sized pill poppers.
While the overall size of the pill popper is not so significant, it is important to focus on the tip of the product. If you have a small cat or kitten you will want to ensure that the pill popper’s tip is small enough to fit into your cat’s mouth without causing them discomfort.
What is included with the pill popper?
When purchasing, it is worth noting what is included with the pill popper.
Ideally, you will want it to include extra rubber tips. If the one rubber tip is damaged you will be able to replace without having to buy an additional replacement.
While not all pill poppers will include extra tips, it is a great addition if they do.
Benefits Of Using A Pill Popper
There are many benefits to using a pill popper. It allows you to medicate your cat a lot easier than doing so by hand. You will be less likely to be scratched or bitten. It is also a lot more effective. It is also more likely that your cat will accept the medication rather than spitting it back out.
It is a better way of ensuring that your cat has digested all of the medication it needs. If you put the pills in food or a treat there is no guarantee that your cat will digest the whole pill.
This method is particularly useful if you have to administer medication alone as it allows you to hold the cat safely while still giving the medication.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Use A Pill Popper?
Pill poppers are simple to use. You simply place the pill into the syringe-like device. Once you have done this, place the syringe into your cat’s mouth.
You will need to hold the cat’s head and body securely and place the pill popper at the side of the mouth. It should fit behind the back teeth comfortably. Once the pill popper is inside your cat’s mouth, press it like you would a syringe to release the tablet.
The quicker you do this, the less stress it will cause the cat. Once the tablet has been released, check your cat’s mouth to ensure that they have swallowed the pill.
How Do You Trick A Cat Into Taking A Pill?
There are a few ways to try and trick your cat into taking a pill, such as:
Hiding the pill in their food
Crushing up the pill and putting it in their food or water
Putting the pill into a treat such as chicken or cheese
Using a pill pocket treat
Placing the pill in your cat’s mouth
However, these tips only tend to work if your cat is calm and not fussy with food. They are also not guaranteed to work.
If you have a particularly tricky cat, a pill popper is a much easier option. It protects you a lot better against scratches and bites too.
Do Pill Poppers Work?
In the vast majority of cases, pill poppers are a great solution for giving cat’s medication. As with anything, however, some will work better than others.
If your cat is struggling as you are trying to use a pill popper your accuracy may be affected and you may find that the cat will spit out the pill instead of swallowing it.
The quicker and more effective you are with a pill popper, the more likely it is to work. We would recommend practicing using the pill popper before trying to give your cat its medication to ensure you are comfortable with how to use it correctly.
