# Cats and wasp stings ...



## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

I have mud dauber (paper) wasps that get in my trailer regularly. We just moved here. No biggy -- I just smack 'em with a rolled up newspaper when I see them. Paper wasps are really not aggressive. I used to live-and-let-live with nests in the rafters of my shed back home. They ignored me, I ignored them. I don't want them in my HOUSE but they're really not a big deal.

Except ... one of the cats likes to hunt, kill, and eat any insect he can. Nummy crunchy kitty snacks. He's good, too. He regularly catches flies.

He's been stung on the paw TWICE now by wasps, in two days.

As far as I can tell, it's just a local reaction -- lots of swelling, but his vitals look good. He's sulking in a closet, but his heart, lungs, color, etc. look good and he's eating and drinking. I did give him benadryl.

Hopefully he's learned his lesson, but if he hasn't, is there any real danger to this besides the chance of an allergic reaction?

(He is a young cat -- three years - and about fifteen pounds of solid muscle.)


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

My vet told me once NOT to give a cat benadryl, they can have a bad reaction to it. I don't remember the details right off, sorry, but cats are not like dogs or people in their drug reactions. Be sure you know from a reliable source what is safe to give your cat. 

I hope he's learned that not all insects are good to catch, but animals can be stubborn. Good luck!


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## Cygnet (Sep 13, 2004)

A vet told me benadryl was okay, but that it can cause them to have the runs.


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## DryHeat (Nov 11, 2010)

A quick Google search came up with the range 1 to 3 mg per pound of weight for dosage to cats, starting with lower and increasing if no response in several days; that was for general allergy treatment. I'd suggest reading some search results, but it sounds unlikely (but not impossible) that a cat would have a seriously bad reaction unless overdosed. OTOH, aspirin and tylenol are very dangerous for cats and should not be given to them.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Good to know. As I remember looking into it, my vet told me that it was likely the cat would foam at the mouth and he didn't think it was very useful. Doesn't mean he's the total expert, just the one vet I have to go to (he's a good vet though, particularly THE vet I'd go to for emergency surgery, he's an awesome surgeon). He's more of a large animal vet, though he helped take care of my show dogs for decades before I retired from showing and breeding.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

He could develop a life threatening allergic reaction. I would set a wasp trap outside your door.


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