benadryl was a major bust TRAVEL HELP

I tested benadryl on my cat before the trip to portland and I am sick over the effect. She is acting drunk and howling. twice she has fallen over , she fell into her food dish , yet is too agitated to lie down. I am going to take her on the trip cold turkey and just tough it out .... bach's rescue remedy helps a little and I will spray the car and rooms with feliway.

Does anyone else have any other suggestions? I am going to need all the help I can get.

I can't remember how soon you're leaving. A number of sites give the following information.

"Most cats can overcome motion sickness through desensitizing them by repeat short, uneventful trips. Gradually accustom the cat to spending time in the car with the engine off, then with the engine on, then short trips, then the cross-country adventure. Prior to a trip be sure the cat has had food and water available, then remove food and water at least three hours before you set off."

Maybe a smaller dose of the Benadryl might work better?

Benedryl can kill cats if dosed incorrectly! Please do not dose your cat with this medication, not without a vet telling you that it is okay and how much to use

read this article-

http://www.thecatsite.com/Care/13/Tr...with-Cats.html

Originally Posted by hissy

Benedryl can kill cats if dosed incorrectly!

Click to expand...

i gave her less than the dosage my vet suggested as a test. Who am i to trust if i cant trust the vet? I certainly wont give it to her again. it's now after 10 pm and she is finally acting normally thank goodness.

As for the practicing drives etc i have done it all, rides, harness training etc...now she just has to tough it out starting wednesday after the truck takes our stuff, we are off.

maybe a lower dose.

I gave my cats "Ace" a commonly prescribed cat tranqualizer and they hated it and hated the trip. When I gave them nothing they were much better. The lesson: drugs can disorient a cat and make them feel worse. You can't explain to them you gave them something so they dont understand why they feel that way. If i popped a couple benadryl into your morning coffee without telling you, you might think you were going crazy and might get very upset. That's my 2 cents on it

Yikes! Good thing you tried it before the trip! Best of luck in your travels...I hope she surprises you by sleeping all the way there! When my sister moved from Indiana to New York, the movers took her kitty in a carrier on the front seat of the truck. They said Irene never caused a bit of trouble, just stayed quiet all the way there.

I've travelled with my cat on many trips, short and long. I always make sure to have a dark colored towel to throw over her carrier. Not only does it shield the sun, it makes a small dark place for her to feel safe in. I don't cover the carrier entirely, just about 3/4 of it as I don't want to totally eliminate are circulation.

If your cat likes catnip, try some of that in the carrier as well.

Stephanie

Why in the world would you give your cat benedryl? Did you talk to a vet first? Benedryl is for allergies - not to calm a cat down. I pray your cat is ok but you should be talking to a vet immediately - you could have done major damage to your cat.

Never ever give most human medicines to cats without a vet's advice. Even aspirin can kill a cat if too much is given.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Why in the world would you give your cat benedryl? Did you talk to a vet first? Benedryl is for allergies - not to calm a cat down. I pray your cat is ok but you should be talking to a vet immediately - you could have done major damage to your cat.

Never ever give most human medicines to cats without a vet's advice. Even aspirin can kill a cat if too much is given.

Click to expand...

It was in another thread, but she did it on the advice of a vet. In fact, she used a smaller dosage. Antihistimines are used for motion sickness. Dramamine is a antihistimine.

I'm wondering if not feeding her 2-3 hours before leaving will help reduce the motion sickness.

My apologies, I was not up on the other thread. I didn't realize that you had talked to a vet first. I wouldn't give her anything, cover her carrier with a dark cloth. If you have a good portable cd small enough, put it near her carrier and play classical music for her. Pad the bottom with puppy pee pads and don't worry about peeing and pooping, totally normal for stressed out cats. Good luck in the move

I have no basis for opinion on the Benadryl/medication or whatnot.

But one thing I've found if you have one of the hard plastic carriers is to put that rubber matting made for lining cabinetry in it, so that the cat or whatever else you put in it doesn't slide around. This is what I use: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/prod...=-1&SKU=103114

You could even put the puppy pee pads on top of it like Hissy suggested, or an old towel that you can change throughout the trip, or old cloth diapers, etc.

Hopefully she'll sleep like an angel for the trip. She's not due for her rabies shot is she? That's the only time Z ever slep in the car!

I put a small litterbox in my carrier, in the back, usually just a cardboard shoebox with new clumping litter in it, that I can throw away when I get home. Sometimes they use it (I have one that goes everytime she gets in the car) and sometimes it is just a nice stable place to lay down and hide in the back of the cat carrier. I also use an old towel that smells like home.

Thankfs for the tips and support. you are right to remind me that covering her carrier with something that smells of home is very calming. I am going to forget all about the meds suggested by the vet and use a rescue remedy dose on a pouncey treat.then each night when we get to the hotel, play like a maniac with her until she plops over

Originally Posted by Abigail

Thankfs for the tips and support. you are right to remind me that covering her carrier with something that smells of home is very calming. I am going to forget all about the meds suggested by the vet and use a rescue remedy dose on a pouncey treat.then each night when we get to the hotel, play like a maniac with her until she plops over

Click to expand...

Let us know how you and Abigail fared when you get settled into your new home.

Ooo poor thing! So sorry to hear that the Benadryl didn't work (I remember the thread too).

What I've done in the past is throw an old sweater or shirt in the carrier, something that smells like me for Luna. That and keeping my fingers in the door of the carrier calms her during a car trip.
Also I turn my radio to a classical music station and hope that its the slower music that plays (or I grab a CD from home that does have slower classical music, such as the Moonlight Sonata, Canon in D, etc).

I forgot to mention that if you can travel when she's usually napping, then that also helps. Since our cats take their longest naps in the afternoon, we always try to leave mid-day. Works very well for us.

Stephanie

I apoligize for not knowing about the other thread; however, even if a vet prescribes meds for cats in travelling I would never give them to a cat. For some reason most cats react totally different then you would think.

Sure in "medical" terms it might work, but in reality it rarely does. I do not recommend any kind of sedetive for transporting a cat. Use a carrier, cover it well and the cat will go to sleep after awhile.

Better to have a cat a little upset then to risk bad reactions to meds!