My sister has an older cat that has itchy skin. Is a lil Benadryl okay for older cats?

She is on a fixed income %26amp; can%26#039;t afford a vet visit. We think it%26#039;s irritation from fleas, that we HAD a problem with over the summer. Any other suggestions?|||Hi there...benadryl dosage prescribed by veterinarians is generally based on weight, age and overall health of a cat before administering. Only childrens Benadryl is used for temporary relief not the adult formula which can be fatal. Please NOTE without knowing the above three can be also dangerous to administer this medication ...even if it is over the counter.





Ideally, if the itchy skin is from flea infestation, it would be best to address the fleas in the home and on the cat. Once that has been addressed the skin irritation will subside. Please ask your sister to have a little patience until the flea products work.





[edit] please note dosaging medications prescribed for canines are metabolized very differently than for felines. I hope the following article on this may be of help as to why: http://www.pets.ca/articles/article_pres鈥?/a>





Benadryl sided effects used in cats causes depression, , hyperexcitability, , vomiting, fever, muscle tremors, rapid or depressed heart rates, disorientation, and seizures. Please see section on antihistamines:


http://maxshouse.com/Drugs_To_Avoid_in_C鈥?/a>|||try a coat moisturizer like mink oil.dry skin is usually relieved by such. if its a flea allergy keeping the cat flea free will make the symptoms go away and the coat to regrow. if the cat is still scratching the spot after u are absolutely sure there are NO fleas present then it most likely IS just dry skin. DO NOT ever give ANY human medication to an animal without checking with a vet!there are some very serious side affects that CAN happen. including death. no matter WHAT the amount!|||Any vet will tell you that dogs can take certain meds while cats cannot.


You need to speak to a vet,cause it may work, or it may not, you do get Benadryl for cats, but it%26#039;s a weaker dose they get.


Why not just invewst in something to get at the fleas??|||Because the cat%26#039;s system is so exclusive never give medicine meant for people to a cat. Dogs can take a few people medicines but not cats. It might be better to bathe the cat in a medicated shampoo from the vet which will help with the itching.