• combine multiple medications in one easy dose, e.g., 1/4 tablet of Pepcid AC and .15 mL of fortified vitamin b complex.
• hide the taste of "foul" tasting medications.
• assure that the medication gets down.  Cats are clever at "fake-swallowing" small pills and spitting them out later.  A gel cap, however, is swallowed almost automatically if you get it on the back of the cat's tongue.
• gelatin caps dissolve rapidly (5-10 minutes) and completely in the stomach.

Ask you vet about administering gel caps and pills to cats.  Many put a litttle butter on the cap to help it slide down.  Some squirt some water in their cat's mouths after to help the capsule/pill on its way.  Some give the cat food immediately after.  And some do nothing.  There are recent studies that suggest that 5-6 mL of water or a small amount of food administered immediately after a gel cap or pill will speed the transit of the gel cap/pill to the stomach.  See:

• "The Evaluation of the Esophageal Transit of Tablets and Capsules in 30 Cats."
• "Esophageal transit of capsules in clinically normal cats." 

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• Interrnet Vendors
• Gel Cap Sizes
• #3 Gel Cap Cost Comparison

Internet Vendors

• Vitaglo.comsells Now Vitamins gel caps in sizes #000 to #3, excepting #2s.  Size #3 is $7.06 plus $5 shipping.  Seach for "Now Vitamins - gel caps."  Orders of $50 and more ship free!  (Vitaglo also has an excellent price on potassium gluconate powder.)
• iHerb.com sells gelatin caps in a variety of sizes.  A bag of 1000 #3s is $8.38 for $4 shipping.
• ThrivingPets.com, (303) 320-6034, is a Colorado veterinary pharmacy that sells compounded pet medications and other medicines and supplies directly to pet owners.  They will sell 1000 #3 gel caps for $9.98 and/or 100 #4 for $10.98 plus $5 shipping.  They have other sizes and quantities of gel caps available.  They also sell aluminum hydroxide dried gel powder (a phosphorus binder, potassium gluconate powder (potassium supplement), compounded calcitriol liquid and a variety of other drugs and supplies used for treating animal CRF.  See http://tinyurl.com/22hasy for their CRF formulary.  Feedback from customers has been excellent.
• Capsuline.com sells gel caps in sizes #000 to #4.  Size 3 gelatin capsules: 1,000 @ $15.99 free shipping, Size 4 gelatin capsules: 1,000 @ $16.99 free shipping, Size 3 beef flavored 1,000 @ 20.95 free shipping, Size 3 Chicken flavored 1,000 @ 20.95 free shipping.


• Always Affordable Vitamins sells gelatin caps in sizes #000 to #3 (search for "empty gel caps").  Size #3 is $8.99 for 1000 plus $6.95 shipping.
• Healthgenesis.com sells gelatin capsules in in sizes #000 to #3, excepting #2s.  Size #3 is $11.16 plus $5.75 shipping.
• Thomas Veterinary Drug carries gelatin capsules in sizes #00 to #4.  Size #3 is $9.95 for 1000 and size #4 is $9.95 for 1000. Thomas also requires a $30 minimum for both web site and telephone orders!  Shipping and handling is $9.99 for orders under $60, free for orders of $60 or more.
• Torpac Inc. sells 20 different sized gelatin capsules - prices quoted on request.

Gel Cap Sizes

Torpac Inc., maker of empty capsules and capsule fillers, has the best Internet gel cap information and  size charts.  Torpac recommends sizes 3, 4 and 5 for feline use.  But many in the Feline CRF Support Group use bigger capsules with their pets.  Consult your veterinarian for what size is viable for your cat.