Bee/wasp stings

[Felix (Caroline)]

Oh no thats so sad

[sheryl]

I think its the same as humans - some cats will just be very sore but others can react very badly, when we were in Germany our vets told us that they had tried to save a kitten that had been stung by a wasp but she died in 45 minutes - sorry to be morbid. 

[Felix (Caroline)]

I will have to be careful with my lot to, as they are always chasing something in the garden 

[Gillian Harvey]

I think all of mine at some point have been stung! It seemed to happen more when they were younger, think they're a bit more cautious now! Lucy used to be terrible, many a time it looked like she'd got a thick lip! I never did anything about it and as Dark Moon said, it never seemed to cause any problems.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

It is indeed - poor little souls die, as it rips their stomach out. 

Flynn used to be a terror for getting stung - swollen toes.     He was normally okay after a little Bicarb (for bees) or Vinegar (for vasps)  Oh - and cuddles, liberally administered.   

[Millys Mum]

Half a piriton would help with the itch. Thats what the vets told me when spike got a sting on his lip 
They make me drowsy so best to keep indoors just incase cats are affected the same way.

Is it bees that leave a sting in?

Remember, dont try any other anti histamine without checking with vets first just incase 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Here is a good thread

http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,3678.0.html

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I will have a look and do a search cos this has definately come up before 

[alisonandarchie]

My lovely prevoius cat was very curious and as a kitten he was stung by a bee on his paw . It was obviously sore and I took him to the vet who gave him a steroid injection. this helped and he never got stung again, leaving bees and wasps well alone.

[Dark Moon]

Problem is... that's precisely where they WILL get stung. Mouth or paw,  My beloved Brigit (long passed now but my MOST beloved of all time) must have got it in (or near) the mouth. Her cheek swelled impressively. She didn't seem bothered by it but that was likely just her refusal to admit to anything as mundane as discomfort. Especially such as might maybe have been caused by something she might perhaps better not have done (not good at admitting mistakes, was Brigit!)

I guess I take these things as all others. Don't panic. Apply a 'tincture of time'. But be watchful and hit the vet asap if things seem to be going wrong. And I mean hit the vet if things SEEM to be going wrong. I would rather annoy them and pay for unnecessary, or at least premature, visits, than wait too long and....

[Maddiesmum]

I think it depends where they get stung too.  In the mouth could be more dangerous than on the leg I think.  One of my dogs once got stung in his mouth and it swelled and another of my dogs stuck her head in a wasps nest and had over 100 stings.  Luckily we got her straight to the vet who gave her an anti shock injection, antibiotics and anti inflammatory but boy were her ears red. 

[Dark Moon]

Mine have had stings before. I never did anything about them, mostly from ignorance I guess. But although they suffered some swelling at the sting site, it didn't seem to cause any other trouble. I do spend a great deal of time during the summer trying to explain to the kitties (over and over) that bees just have no sense of humour and really don't want to play! Grasshoppers, fine. Bees no. As with most other things, the kitties ignore my advice. But (so far anyway) haven't suffered from it.

[Maddiesmum]

Try googling "bee stings"

[fluffybunny]

Hi all - apologies if this has been asked before, I did do a search but as 'sting' appears in the word 'posting' all I got was a lot of matches on that word instead!

Anyway, Geoffrey is a bit of an insect freak - he can catch flies, moths, beetles etc with no problem whatsoever.  Which leads me to believe that come spring/summer, he will also catch bees and wasps and it won't be too long before he gets the inevitable sting.

So, when it does happen (which I'm sure it will!) what do I do?  Is there anything I can have at home to help or is it straight to the vets? 

Thanks and apologies for the dumb question!