The veterinarian hands an owner a few syringes and explains that the food and/or water needs to be force-fed to the cat. Force-feeding a cat is not an easy task. It requires both time and patience for you and your cat. The basic idea is to keep it stress-free for the cat while giving your cat the right amount of nutrition.
Things You'll Need
- Syringes
- Wet Cat Food
- Small Microwaveable Bowl
- Small Spoon
- Water
- Paper Towels
- Damp Cloth
- Designated Towel for Your Cat
Instructions
Arrange the area where you are going to try to feed your cat. Simply put, this is going to be messy until you and your cat become better at it and even then, it is still going to need cleanup. Cover the area and stock up on paper towels.
Wash your hands.
Prepare the food so that it can be pushed through the syringe. Place the amount you plan to feed the cat into a small plastic bowl and heat. Mash wet cat food that has chunks. In a microwave, heat for 10 seconds and stir until no hot sections are in the food. Add a small amount of water food so it becomes more like a batter and set aside.
Check the cat food's temperature as you would test a baby's bottle. If you are concerned about the temperature, then wait until the food is room temperature to feed to your cat.
Bring your cat to the area. When you pick your cat up, say something to the cat to start helping the cat associate the words with what is about to take place. A phrase such as "Time to Eat" works.
Stand behind or straddle your cat or to the side of your cat so that you can see your cat's face but your cat is facing outwards. Partners should stand on the other side near the cat. Avoid standing in front of the cat so the cat doesn't feel boxed in. If you find you need to restrain your cat, wrap them in a towel or old pillow case.
Start your cat. Some cats only need a gentle little start and may take food on their own with your help. Start by dabbing a little bit of the cat food onto your "pinky" finger. Now gently use one of your other fingers to gently push the lip upward on the side of the cat's mouth, mid way to the back of the mouth. Gently push some of the food into the cat's mouth so that it squeezes through the natural opening they have near that area. Say something like "Food" in an upbeat voice. Praise your cat for eating the food and pet him. It is possible that your cat may eat off your finger tips at this point. Encourage your cat to do so.
Switch to the syringe. Save the syringe until the cat is not interested in eating on their own. Fill the syringe with cat food, starting with small amounts that are easy to handle.
Position the syringe in the side of the cat's mouth, aiming for the back diagonally (not so much as to possibly choke the cat) and gently push a small amount into your cat's mouth. Praise your cat and say "Food" in an upbeat voice. Others have found that lifting a cat's head and squirt the food from an angle from the front of the mouth works well too. If you are also administering water, use this same method.
Give your cat time to swallow the food or a break if needed. The person feeding the cat needs to be patient. This is going to be a slow process. The cat needs breaks and time to swallow. The cat may want to walk around for a moment if the area allows it.
Clean your cat. Once you are done feeding your cat, praise him while wiping the cat's mouth, face and front paws with a wet cloth. Follow up with a dry towel.
Release your cat from the area.