children's benadryl..how to administer.

OK, so our vet has recommended children's benadryl but from what I've read nobody can get their cats to take the stuff. Why isn't there a cat version that doesn't come in cherry or grape? Most meds we mix in wet food with no problem but I'm not feeling were going to be successful. Has anybody had better success with the liquid vs the meltable tablets?

The obvious answer for non palatable meds (to me, anyway ) is to get the liquid form and use a small (needle free) syringe to dose the cat. Ok, even the most tolerant cat won't love you for it, but if you stay calm and end with an extra yummy treat to take the taste away they soon forgive you...even working out that nasty is followed by extra nice so they might as well play ball.

Can they let you use Zrytec tablets instead?

Be careful with flavored Human medicines that the vet recommends - some may contain xylitol which is a common sweetener and is harmful to cats. I would avoid anything remotely grape flavored as well. Grapes in general are harmful to cats and personally I wouldn't risk even a fake grape flavor.

Did the vet recommend Benadryl for allergies? Ask if there is another brand of medicine you could use. When my previous cat had allergies, the vet recommend Chlor-Trimeton. I do not remember the specific strength of the medicine (it may come in a few different strengths) or the dosage (likely not an entire pill). Please ask your vet before giving any Human medicine.
Maybe try "melting" the tablet in water or canned food gravy and mixing it into food with lots of stinky toppers to mask any smell?

I can only tell you that I NEVER use benadryl (diphenhydramine) suspension in cats; I only get tablets, 25mg, and split in half to dose a patient. 12.5mg is not excessive for an 8lb cat, and is not ineffective for a 15lb cat. If the half tablet is too large to convince a cat to eat in food, we crush it, we pill it, or we use a 50mg tablet and quarter it, so the piece is even smaller but the same dose.

There is no reason, in a hospital, to have that sticky, nauseating, gooey mess all over our cats. I see no reason to have it forced upon an owner or tried on a cat at home either. I cheat, and give my cats a SQ dose if they ever need diphenhydramine, so, I just cop out entirely, personally ;]   Benadryl is very benign. And for allergic reactions, mast cell tumors, and vaccine associated sarcomas we administer even heavier doses, without any ill effect, other than mild sedation, and that is very rare in cats. Three boarded feline practitioners, multiple internists, and 2 oncologists with whom I worked have never recommend liquid benadryl over tablets. Take that as you may.

Benadryl in its non-gooey form is actually an anti-nausea med for a percentage of dogs and cats...not all, but quite a few benefit from this unintentional side effect of treating their allergies.

I was talking in general terms about liquid meds. Absolutely take puck 's advice on this - she knows what's she's talking about far better than me

Or I just fake it really really well Columbine! Sooky sooky now. But, really, thanks ;]

Syringing is excellent medicating route for liquid and suspension meds yes. Even those that come with one of those droppers, like Clavamox and Pet Tinic do, as that dropper is atrocious, just inaccurate, messy, doesn't clean easily. Syringe. Every time. Not a bad call atall.

Aside, I am intrigued as to what the benadryl is treating mpresley72....skin or respiratory allergies? Motion sickness? Premed for vaccines?