Anxiety after Ketamine in cats

The FDA has received 23 reports of anxiety in cats after Ketamine. That is 0.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.4% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

23Reports

48%Marked serious

43%Recovered

13%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

15 65%

1–2 days

6 26%

3–7 days

1 4.3%

1–4 weeks

0 0.0%

Over a month

1 4.3%

How the animals did

Recovered

10 43%

Still unwell when reported

8 35%

Died

2 8.7%

Euthanised

1 4.3%

Not known

2 8.7%

Problems reported at the same time

Not sleeping

8 35%

Dilated pupils

7 30%

Restlessness or agitation

6 26%

Behaviour change

6 26%

Fever

5 22%

Loss of appetite

3 13%

Excitation

3 13%

Death

3 13%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Ketamine cause anxiety in cats?: 23 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 the same 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 Ketamine in cats · Medicines most reported with anxiety