Respiratory arrest after Maropitant (Cerenia) in cats

The FDA has received 27 reports of respiratory arrest in cats after Maropitant. That is 0.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.1% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

27Reports

100%Marked serious

26%Recovered

74%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

15 56%

1–2 days

6 22%

3–7 days

0 0.0%

1–4 weeks

4 15%

Over a month

2 7.4%

How the animals did

Recovered

7 26%

Died

16 59%

Euthanised

4 15%

Problems reported at the same time

20 74%

17 63%

11 41%

9 33%

8 30%

8 30%

6 22%

6 22%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Maropitant prevents vomiting and motion sickness.

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

Questions owners ask

Can Maropitant cause respiratory arrest 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 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 Maropitant in cats · Medicines most reported with respiratory arrest