Inappropriate urination after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 75 reports of inappropriate urination in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 1.3% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.7% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

75Reports

61%Marked serious

25%Recovered

31%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

24 34%

1–2 days

27 39%

3–7 days

8 11%

1–4 weeks

8 11%

Over a month

3 4.3%

How the animals did

Recovered

19 25%

Still unwell when reported

23 31%

Died

15 20%

Euthanised

8 11%

Not known

10 13%

Problems reported at the same time

49 65%

30 40%

25 33%

23 31%

23 31%

15 20%

14 19%

14 19%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Buprenorphine pain relief (an opioid).

Questions owners ask

Can Buprenorphine cause inappropriate urination in cats?: 75 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 1 day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

All reported side effects of Buprenorphine in cats · Medicines most reported with inappropriate urination