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Kitty and allergies
It seems like Akira has seasonal allergies and dust allergies in addition to her food allergies. Because I really don't want to give her long term steroids, I decided to only give her the 1/4 tablet of Zyrtec that the vet told me to give her before. I try to wait 'til I just have to give it to her, because I know that people can build up a tolerance to antihistamines, so I figure that animals can, too.
She must know she needs the stuff, because she didn't even fight that much when I just gave her her Zyrtec. I know that people who have to give their animals daily medications wish that it was this easy to give it to them. I'm not kidding about how Akira just acted. She resisted only a little bit, but she came to get her Zyrtec! Weird, huh?
The poor cat knows the sound of the pill splitter. She came inside long enough to let me give her the Zyrtec, and I didn't even call her. Sure, she went inside of her little pop up tent, because she doesn't really want a pill, but she didn't resist me all that much. I just reached through the holes from the sides and pried her mouth open and gave her the 1/4 tablet of Zyrtec. She seemed surprised that that was all there was too it, so it seems like she has figured out that if she doesn't fight me, we get this misery over with quickly. Obviously, the little sweetie trusts me and knows I'm actually just trying to help her. She had been just a few feet away out on the patio, which isn't all that big at all. I want her to enjoy the deck while she can because cats must need the sun if they seek to lie in it as much as they do. I'm thinking it might help the dry flaky skin at the head of the tail where a lot of cats seem to get, because perhaps they need the sun for vitamin D, too. Anyway, there must be an important reason for these little guys to be little sun worshipers, so I figure there must be some kind of biological need for this. I'm so relieved that this place gets enough sun for her and not too much for me if the blinds are shut for me.
Guess what? After just a few minutes of hanging out in her little pop up house, Akira walked right back out to the patio as if I hadn't given her the pill. She is right back out there in the sun and giving herself a bath. She enjoys being out there so much that now that the weather has finally improved here she asks me to let her out there. She isn't crazy, because she doesn't like it when the weather gets too hot any better than we do. So, when it gets that hot, she won't ask to go out there any more.
The good thing I am noticing already is that she isn't scratching like she was before I gave her the Zyrtec. This is good, because allergy season is already worse this year than last year according to the afternoon newscast. This is because of the amount of rain we've had. So, there is more pollen and mold. Right now, it's mostly tree pollen, but the weeds and the grass are also starting up. So, I'm thinking my little sweet kitty must has pollen allergies just like I do, so the Zyrtec is obviously necessary.
What I am wondering is if there is a better way to time giving her the Zyrtec. Should I give it to her everyday during pollen season? She seems to need it everyday, but she needs it all year like I need antihistamines all year. But, I give myself breaks from taking the antihistamine that I take myself or the stuff doesn't work because my system builds up tolerance to it. Any suggestions to when would be a good time to give her a few days break from taking the Zyrtec, so she doesn't build up a tolerance to it?
I'm leery of taking her back to the vet. Right now I can't afford to, and she is actually otherwise a healthy kitty and one of the sweetest kitties one could ask for. The vet wants her on long-term Prednisilone or Prednisone. I think the vet is crazy to suggest this and for trying to convince me that long-term use of steroids won't cause my cat health issues when everything I know about cats and long-term use of steroids suggests the exact opposite of what the vet told me.
I can't afford to even get into the front door of the vet clinic. I can start paying on the visit prior to taking the kitty. They'll do that. They just won't make any other kind of payment arrangements because too many people skip out on their vet bills. Not just because of the current economy either. The vets in the area apparently used to do this for people. But, I still don't want my cat on long-term steroids. That seems to be the one thing the vet wants to insist on. I'm sure short-term use is alright, but I'm resistant to long-term use because I don't want to hurt my kitty.
She must know she needs the stuff, because she didn't even fight that much when I just gave her her Zyrtec. I know that people who have to give their animals daily medications wish that it was this easy to give it to them. I'm not kidding about how Akira just acted. She resisted only a little bit, but she came to get her Zyrtec! Weird, huh?
The poor cat knows the sound of the pill splitter. She came inside long enough to let me give her the Zyrtec, and I didn't even call her. Sure, she went inside of her little pop up tent, because she doesn't really want a pill, but she didn't resist me all that much. I just reached through the holes from the sides and pried her mouth open and gave her the 1/4 tablet of Zyrtec. She seemed surprised that that was all there was too it, so it seems like she has figured out that if she doesn't fight me, we get this misery over with quickly. Obviously, the little sweetie trusts me and knows I'm actually just trying to help her. She had been just a few feet away out on the patio, which isn't all that big at all. I want her to enjoy the deck while she can because cats must need the sun if they seek to lie in it as much as they do. I'm thinking it might help the dry flaky skin at the head of the tail where a lot of cats seem to get, because perhaps they need the sun for vitamin D, too. Anyway, there must be an important reason for these little guys to be little sun worshipers, so I figure there must be some kind of biological need for this. I'm so relieved that this place gets enough sun for her and not too much for me if the blinds are shut for me.
Guess what? After just a few minutes of hanging out in her little pop up house, Akira walked right back out to the patio as if I hadn't given her the pill. She is right back out there in the sun and giving herself a bath. She enjoys being out there so much that now that the weather has finally improved here she asks me to let her out there. She isn't crazy, because she doesn't like it when the weather gets too hot any better than we do. So, when it gets that hot, she won't ask to go out there any more.
The good thing I am noticing already is that she isn't scratching like she was before I gave her the Zyrtec. This is good, because allergy season is already worse this year than last year according to the afternoon newscast. This is because of the amount of rain we've had. So, there is more pollen and mold. Right now, it's mostly tree pollen, but the weeds and the grass are also starting up. So, I'm thinking my little sweet kitty must has pollen allergies just like I do, so the Zyrtec is obviously necessary.
What I am wondering is if there is a better way to time giving her the Zyrtec. Should I give it to her everyday during pollen season? She seems to need it everyday, but she needs it all year like I need antihistamines all year. But, I give myself breaks from taking the antihistamine that I take myself or the stuff doesn't work because my system builds up tolerance to it. Any suggestions to when would be a good time to give her a few days break from taking the Zyrtec, so she doesn't build up a tolerance to it?
I'm leery of taking her back to the vet. Right now I can't afford to, and she is actually otherwise a healthy kitty and one of the sweetest kitties one could ask for. The vet wants her on long-term Prednisilone or Prednisone. I think the vet is crazy to suggest this and for trying to convince me that long-term use of steroids won't cause my cat health issues when everything I know about cats and long-term use of steroids suggests the exact opposite of what the vet told me.
I can't afford to even get into the front door of the vet clinic. I can start paying on the visit prior to taking the kitty. They'll do that. They just won't make any other kind of payment arrangements because too many people skip out on their vet bills. Not just because of the current economy either. The vets in the area apparently used to do this for people. But, I still don't want my cat on long-term steroids. That seems to be the one thing the vet wants to insist on. I'm sure short-term use is alright, but I'm resistant to long-term use because I don't want to hurt my kitty.
Thanks. I guess all I have to do is get Benadryl that is in tablet form rather than capsule form. I have a pretty good idea how much Akira weighs, so I could give her Benadryl now. Probably underestimating her weight would keep me from overdosing her, if it's necessary to switch between Benadryl and Zyrtec. Thanks for the link.
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I went looking in the archives and found what I was looking for. Mrs_Savas and her husband used to be CL's here and knew alot about cats. Here's the link. Read Mrs_Savas' reply. It's about Benedryl.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cats/Wheezing/show/670899
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Cats/Wheezing/show/670899
I'm not sure about the dosage on the other antihistamines, but I like your suggestion about giving the Zyrtec to her everday for now.
It's easier figuring out allergy medicine for myself, because the dosages for the antihistamines are the right dosages for humans. But, I definitely don't want to give the wrong dosage to my kitty. So, until I know more info about other antihistamines for cats, I really don't want to give her anything but the Zyrtec.
The Zyrtec I know for sure, because the vet did tell me to 1/4 the dosage for adult humans.
Even though Akira is resistant to a small degree with taking her med, she really is such a good girl. She cooperates much more than some cats do. I'm sure some people wish their cats were this easy. Sure, sometimes I have to catch her and pin her between myself and the arm of the chair, but she is still easier to give the pill to than some cats are. I sure thought it was cute that she came to me when she heard the pill splitter. She clearly knows she needs the Zyrtec. She sure is a sweetie about it. I think she has figured out that not struggling gets this business over with faster--at least some of the time.
Today, she is staying inside and not on the patio. I heard lawnmowers outside. That's bad for me, and I'm sure it can't be much better for Akira. We're both about to take antihistamines for the day. I saw her eyes watering, so I know even when she isn't scratching that her allergies are still bothering her.
It's easier figuring out allergy medicine for myself, because the dosages for the antihistamines are the right dosages for humans. But, I definitely don't want to give the wrong dosage to my kitty. So, until I know more info about other antihistamines for cats, I really don't want to give her anything but the Zyrtec.
The Zyrtec I know for sure, because the vet did tell me to 1/4 the dosage for adult humans.
Even though Akira is resistant to a small degree with taking her med, she really is such a good girl. She cooperates much more than some cats do. I'm sure some people wish their cats were this easy. Sure, sometimes I have to catch her and pin her between myself and the arm of the chair, but she is still easier to give the pill to than some cats are. I sure thought it was cute that she came to me when she heard the pill splitter. She clearly knows she needs the Zyrtec. She sure is a sweetie about it. I think she has figured out that not struggling gets this business over with faster--at least some of the time.
Today, she is staying inside and not on the patio. I heard lawnmowers outside. That's bad for me, and I'm sure it can't be much better for Akira. We're both about to take antihistamines for the day. I saw her eyes watering, so I know even when she isn't scratching that her allergies are still bothering her.
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Akira sounds like such a good girl with the meds. That's cute she comes when she hears the pill splitter. I swear, our cats know we are just trying to help. At the very least, my post will bring your question to the top so someone else may have another solution for you. Maybe you could use more than one kind of antihistamine so she doesn't get used to just one? I switch back and for myself. *ACHOOO!* Time for MY antihistamine.