Benadryl for cat allergies

by Sally
(Worthington, MA)

For the past few months my beloved Sassy, a petite black and silver tabby, has been "mowing" the inside of her front and back legs. Though she's an exceptionally clean cat, this licking and biting at herself has become obsessive. At times she wakes from a sound sleep as though she's being bitten. I brought her to the vet last week who advised blood work at some point though she said there was no emergency. She ran a comb through Sassy's fur and determined fleas are not the cause of her mowing habit. She also said the nature of Sassy's mowing is not typical of food allergies.

I did bring some different furniture into the house over the past several months -- an upholstered chair that she loves to use as a scratching post and an oriental rug that has no odors and surely seems clean. I try to enhance her environment and give her the run of the house. I can't help wonder if there's not something in either the rug or chair that she is having an allergic reaction to. Nothing has changed in her diet though she has caught quite a few mice and chipmunks right on her catio and sometimes eats them, or some of the viscera of the chipmunks. So possibly she has some sort of parasite but I do not see any indication of worms. I am also wondering about dust mites or mold spores though I've had her for six years and this has never happened before.

Sassy does have feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)so the vet didn't want to give her a cortisone injection, much to my relief. Doing some research online (which is how I found your good website) Benadryl is safe to use for cats according to special directions though I want to get as many opinions as possible because of Sassy's HCM.

Though I have confidence in our vet I have also learned to do as much research as possible because at times she misses the mark, costing me hundreds of dollars.

What a handsome fellow Max Factor is! I remember the Max Factor perfume, "Hypnotique" with the black velvet Sophisto-cat!

Thank you for your help and good website.

RESPONSE:

Benadryl given prior to a shot helps prevent or at least decrease any allergic reactions. The vet considers the age and health of the feline patient to determine dosage prior to administering it.

I hope that Sassy is doing well. Thank you for the "paws up" on Max.

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