Licking after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (Advantage Multi) in cats

27 reports to the FDA describe licking in cats given Imidacloprid + Moxidectin. That is 0.3% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all cat medicines.

27Reports

41%Marked serious

30%Recovered

0.0%Died or euthanised

2 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

8 32%

1–2 days

5 20%

3–7 days

2 8.0%

1–4 weeks

4 16%

Over a month

6 24%

How the animals did

Recovered

8 30%

Still unwell when reported

7 26%

Not known

12 44%

Problems reported at the same time

15 56%

6 22%

6 22%

5 19%

Application site reaction

4 15%

Vomiting

3 11%

Restlessness or agitation

3 11%

Loss of appetite

2 7.4%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Imidacloprid kills fleas (spot-on or collar). Moxidectin prevents heartworm disease (monthly topical, or a 6- or 12-month injection for dogs).

Products with this combination include Advantage Multi. The FDA hides brand names in its public data, so these reports cover every product with the same active ingredients.

Questions owners ask

Can Imidacloprid + Moxidectin cause licking in cats?: 27 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 2 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).

Licking with similar medicines

Licking after Spinosad (Comfortis) 39 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Licking after Nitenpyram (Capstar) 230 reports · 2.6% of its reports

All reported side effects of Imidacloprid + Moxidectin in cats · Medicines most reported with licking