Death after Gabapentin in cats

The FDA has received 261 reports of death in cats after Gabapentin. That is 13% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 8.9% across reports for all cat medicines.

261Reports

100%Marked serious

0.0%Recovered

100%Died or euthanised

5 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

51 23%

1–2 days

40 18%

3–7 days

28 13%

1–4 weeks

36 16%

Over a month

66 30%

How the animals did

Died

100 38%

Euthanised

161 62%

Problems reported at the same time

110 42%

79 30%

53 20%

40 15%

38 15%

37 14%

34 13%

31 12%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

135

About this medicine

Gabapentin used for pain and to reduce stress or anxiety.

Questions owners ask

Can Gabapentin cause death in cats?: 261 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 5 days 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).

Death with similar medicines

Death after Fluoxetine 20 reports · 8.3% of its reports

All reported side effects of Gabapentin in cats · Medicines most reported with death