My allergic cat won't take Benadryl. Are there other options?

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can be used for cats. Other over the counter antihistamines for use in cats include Chlor-Trimeton® (chlorpheneramine), Claritin® (loratadine) and Zyrtec® (cetirizine). You can get doses for any of the above from your veterinarian. Legally, we are prohibited from supplying doses for medications, even OTC meds, in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (Veterinarian-Patient-Client Relationship).

I suggest you talk to your vet about the possibility of switching to a different medication. Zyrtec works great for cats and it is dosed only once per day. The other option is switching to liquid Benadryl however, cats don't like that much either and she will learn to not interact with you if you are shoving a nasty tasting liquid down her throat twice a day. Have you tried mixing the medication with a very stinky food like canned tuna. Also, warming up the food in the microwave (before adding the medication) will make the smell stronger to help mask the medication smell. If she won't eat the medication no matter what then you may have to resort to putting the pill down her throat yourself. There are some good YouTube videos online you can watch or you can take her to your vet so they can show you how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRcsgpJ0GSE Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Both of these products contain an antihistamine called chlorphenarimine which does come in feline formulations. There are also several other options for controlling allergies including prescription medications and over the counter medications.

Hi, I think your cat flea allergy should settle after the steroids injection. However if your re just curious about doses for future references it would be 1 mg per pound, so for the liquid Benadryl 12.5 mg/5 ml, you probably need around 3 ml. Which does not look like a lot but it might be tricky to give to a cat ! Also you need to check the ingredients carefully to make sure nothing else is added that could be harmful to cats.

I recommend going to your vet for a travel tranquilizer made specifically for cats. Bendryl can sedate them, but occasionally cats will have an adverse reaction to it and vomit or be overly lethargic. I'd rather your cat be safe for his trip than potentially have a problem.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Excellent question. They are all about the same though their efficacy is a bit different. This is because while they have the same mechanism of action, their bioavailability meaning how much is used by the body when taken is different. Benadryl appears to be the most effective out of the three in my experience and that is the one I would recommend though in theory they all should work. Good luck and have a great day!

Some over the counter antihistamines may provide relief. These include Benadryl (diphenhydramine) or Chlorpheneramine. Antihistamines alone are usually not enough to provide real relief though. Ideally, you should contact your veterinarian to discuss the best treatment and dosing for OTC drugs. There are also prescription medications that can be dispensed after an exam. Fish oil supplements should be considered as a part of any treatment. They can promote healthy skin and coat and have some natural anti-inflammatory properties. Specific products are EicosaCaps, DermCaps or Welactin. Rule out other causes, if it hasn't been done already, such as fleas, skin infection or food sensitivities.