Acetaminophen comes in many different brand names, the most popular of which is Tylenol. It should not be given to your cat in any dose because it is toxic for them.
It’s so popular because it works so well to relieve pain and a fever, but that’s in humans and this should never be given to a cat. There’s no way you can dose this correctly to make it alright, and you should also avoid brands that come in Children’s and Infant’s dosages as well, because these aren’t safe either.
Many drugs that are made for people are not OK to give your cat, but acetaminophen is exceptionally harmful. Even a relatively small dose of it could severely damage their internal system, and potentially be fatal. If your cat is in real pain or is running a fever that won’t break, it’s best to call the vet to see if you need to bring them in.
Can I Give My Cat Acetaminophen? Answer: No.
The reason this question gets asked to much is because most of us have some form of acetaminophen in our medicine cabinet. When the cat is showing the same signs and symptoms that we would use it for it only makes sense that this would become an option for their treatment. But in this case it’s not something that you should give them, and in fact you should keep it away from them so they don’t accidentally get into it.
Taking Good Care of Your Cat
It’s natural that you want the best for your cat, and you definitely don’t want to see them in pain. But making their situation worse would only pile on the guilt. Most times a cat will be able to work through their ailment on their own, but there are some conditions that will need professional care. While it may be more expensive to take them in to the vet and get a prescription if necessary, it’s really the only way to have the peace of mind knowing you’re doing right by your feline friend.
The best thing you can do is be observant to any peculiar behavior they’re exhibiting, and make any notes of things that happen to them. Try to see if there are any other symptoms accompanying the pain, and write down exactly why you think they’re in pain. Cats will try to hide their pain in order not to show weakness, so if you’re seeing obvious signs that they’re hurting you should seek advice from the vet as to the best course of treatment.
Treatment Options Vary
There’s never a one-pill-treats-all way to go when it comes to cats. The important thing is to make sure that you’ve properly diagnosed the problem before you start applying a treatment. If the reason they’re in pain or running a fever is not a life-threatening one, your vet may recommend letting nature run its course and allow them to heal on their own, something most healthy cats are quite good at. But if they assess the situation and see that your cat needs some medicinal help or lifestyle changes, they’ll recommend that as well.
Comforting Your Cat
Since cats tend to be very independent, you might see that they avoid physical contact when they’re in pain, and prefer to be left alone. You can still do thing for them to help provide a nice environment for them while they’re getting better. If they have a favorite spot on the couch you can make sure that it’s always available to them. You should also make sure that their litter box is always clean and fresh so they never have an issue in that regards.
And one last thing you can do is upgrade their cat food. This will insure that they’re getting the right amount of nutrients and vitamins which will speed the healing process along. You might also find that keeping them on a higher quality diet prevents illnesses and other maladies from happening to them. This is because a proper diet will strengthen their immune system and will help them stay healthy even when they would have gotten sick in the past.