My cat ate antihistamines – what should I do?
Call a vet todayCall your vet today for advice – don't wait until signs appear. An accidental overdose can cause depression, hyperstimulation, or gastrointestinal distress.
What to do right now
- Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
- Note what was eaten, how much and when.
- Bring the packaging.
- Keep your cat calm.
- Remove what is left.
Don't
- Do not make your cat vomit unless a vet tells you to.
- Do not give any human medicine.
Why it can be dangerous
An accidental antihistamine overdose in cats can cause neurological or cardiovascular depression or hyperstimulation.[1] An accidental antihistamine overdose can also cause gastrointestinal distress.[1]
Signs to watch for
Where it is found
Not sure how serious it is?
OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.
OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.
Common questions
How much antihistamine is dangerous?
An accidental overdose can cause neurological or cardiovascular depression or hyperstimulation and gastrointestinal distress.[1]
What signs should I watch for?
Depression can occur.[1]
Sources
How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages