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Is it safe to give a small cat Ativan to calm her down?
Optional Information: Pet's Sex: Female Pet's Age: >12 Already Tried: She. Used to take phenobarbitol
Hello and thank you for asking your question on just answer. My name isXXXXX will try to help.
Yes they can take it.
What is going on with her now?
She has been having small uncontrollable hiccuping and when she has previously had this the dr said to give her the phenobarbitol. She has not done this for three years until last week. She is 17 and I hate to take her to the vet, so traumatic. So I gave her a very tiny amount of Ativan. She is acting like a drunk kitty. But she's eating, has just eaten three small cans of food and is purring. What should I do?
How much would you say she weighs?
How many mg of ativan do you think you gave her?
How long ago did you give the ativan?
Increase in appetite is a normal side effect of the ativan.
She weighs 7 pounds!gave her 0.2 mg about 3 hours ago.She has thrown up the food ate some more food and had major diarrhea, and a bath.
Rough night.
You did not give her a toxic dose.
The normal dose for a cat is 0.125 mg to 0.25 mg every 12 to 24 hours.
She probably ate too much.
If you find that you are going to have to use the ativan again, try giving her 1/4 of a 0.2 mg pill which would be 0.0625 mg. Then only let her have 1/2 a can of food.
It is going to be about 9 hours until the ativan is out of her system. Try to keep her confined in a small bathroom so she does not hurt herself walking around "drunk."
Do not offer her any food or water for 3-4 hours. Then offer her just a small sip of water but no food. If she keeps the water down, you can gradually offer her more. Do not offer her any food until you are sure she is back to normal.
You can give her 1/4 of a pepcid ac tablet to settle her stomach.
Experience: 14 years in Companion Animal Practice and SPCA