My cat takes Benadryl for allergies. Is long-term use safe for my cat?

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).

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) can be used to alleviate allergy symptoms, but you will need to contact your veterinarian for confirmation and a safe dose. Legally, we are prohibited from telling you to medicate Kalisi in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). Your vet can confirm allergies or diagnosis a different underlying cause for the symptoms.

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.

While cats can have Benadryl, it's against the law for me to say it's safe to give it to Buster. That's because doing so requires a veterinary client patient relationship which cannot be achieved via an internet forum. Keep in mind as well that the sneezing may also be due to a respiratory infection, and Benadryl will not help that. Benadryl is for allergic reactions, not respiratory infections, and you would be unnecessarily giving him a drug he doesn't need. I would have him seen by a vet for this sneezing. If he does have a respiratory infection, the vet can prescribe medication to treat it.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Molly. Poor girl, I'm sorry she's so miserable. I wish we could legally say it's safe to give her Benadryl, but we can't because we are unable to see her in person. It's also against the user terms of the site. Give her vet a call now, and they can let you know if it's safe and can give you a dose for her. Best of luck.

This is not likely to cause a problem, but not ideal either. Topical Benadryl is not very effective in dogs and cats, and of course cats notoriously lick off whatever you put on them. Consider using [Zymox spray](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zymox-spray-with-5-hydrocortisone). You can pick it up from the local Petco. Place an e-collar (cone) on him/her for a couple of days. If the spot isn't improving after 3-4 days, have your cat evaluated by a veterinarian. Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Hello! Thank you for contact pet coach! Benadryl is safe for use in cats, however it is unlikely to help with sneezing. The dose of Benadryl for a 10# cat would be 10 mg if you wanted to try it. Otherwise I would suggest humidification (placing the pet in the bathroom and running a hot shower works like a “steam room” for them. This may help with congestion. You can also try nasal saline drops such as “Little Noses”. If she does not stop sneezing within a week or 2, or if other signs develop, you may want to consider taking her to a veterinarian to be evaluated. I hope this information helps, and Chloe gets the relief she needs!