diff --git a/pandas/core/missing.py b/pandas/core/missing.py
index 0b77a6d821c6d..d1597b23cf577 100644
--- a/pandas/core/missing.py
+++ b/pandas/core/missing.py
@@ -3,7 +3,10 @@
 """
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-from functools import partial
+from functools import (
+    partial,
+    wraps,
+)
 from typing import (
     TYPE_CHECKING,
     Any,
@@ -11,6 +14,7 @@
     Optional,
     Set,
     Union,
+    cast,
 )
 
 import numpy as np
@@ -22,15 +26,13 @@
 from pandas._typing import (
     ArrayLike,
     Axis,
-    DtypeObj,
+    F,
 )
 from pandas.compat._optional import import_optional_dependency
 
 from pandas.core.dtypes.cast import infer_dtype_from
 from pandas.core.dtypes.common import (
-    ensure_float64,
     is_array_like,
-    is_integer_dtype,
     is_numeric_v_string_like,
     needs_i8_conversion,
 )
@@ -674,54 +676,53 @@ def interpolate_2d(
     return result
 
 
-def _cast_values_for_fillna(values, dtype: DtypeObj, has_mask: bool):
-    """
-    Cast values to a dtype that algos.pad and algos.backfill can handle.
-    """
-    # TODO: for int-dtypes we make a copy, but for everything else this
-    #  alters the values in-place.  Is this intentional?
+def _fillna_prep(values, mask=None):
+    # boilerplate for _pad_1d, _backfill_1d, _pad_2d, _backfill_2d
 
-    if needs_i8_conversion(dtype):
-        values = values.view(np.int64)
+    if mask is None:
+        mask = isna(values)
 
-    elif is_integer_dtype(values) and not has_mask:
-        # NB: this check needs to come after the datetime64 check above
-        # has_mask check to avoid casting i8 values that have already
-        #  been cast from PeriodDtype
-        values = ensure_float64(values)
+    mask = mask.view(np.uint8)
+    return mask
 
-    return values
 
+def _datetimelike_compat(func: F) -> F:
+    """
+    Wrapper to handle datetime64 and timedelta64 dtypes.
+    """
 
-def _fillna_prep(values, mask=None):
-    # boilerplate for _pad_1d, _backfill_1d, _pad_2d, _backfill_2d
-    dtype = values.dtype
+    @wraps(func)
+    def new_func(values, limit=None, mask=None):
+        if needs_i8_conversion(values.dtype):
+            if mask is None:
+                # This needs to occur before casting to int64
+                mask = isna(values)
 
-    has_mask = mask is not None
-    if not has_mask:
-        # This needs to occur before datetime/timedeltas are cast to int64
-        mask = isna(values)
+            result = func(values.view("i8"), limit=limit, mask=mask)
+            return result.view(values.dtype)
 
-    values = _cast_values_for_fillna(values, dtype, has_mask)
+        return func(values, limit=limit, mask=mask)
 
-    mask = mask.view(np.uint8)
-    return values, mask
+    return cast(F, new_func)
 
 
+@_datetimelike_compat
 def _pad_1d(values, limit=None, mask=None):
-    values, mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
+    mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
     algos.pad_inplace(values, mask, limit=limit)
     return values
 
 
+@_datetimelike_compat
 def _backfill_1d(values, limit=None, mask=None):
-    values, mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
+    mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
     algos.backfill_inplace(values, mask, limit=limit)
     return values
 
 
+@_datetimelike_compat
 def _pad_2d(values, limit=None, mask=None):
-    values, mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
+    mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
 
     if np.all(values.shape):
         algos.pad_2d_inplace(values, mask, limit=limit)
@@ -731,8 +732,9 @@ def _pad_2d(values, limit=None, mask=None):
     return values
 
 
+@_datetimelike_compat
 def _backfill_2d(values, limit=None, mask=None):
-    values, mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
+    mask = _fillna_prep(values, mask)
 
     if np.all(values.shape):
         algos.backfill_2d_inplace(values, mask, limit=limit)