Not sleeping after Mirtazapine (Mirataz) in cats

The FDA has received 20 reports of not sleeping in cats after Mirtazapine. That is 1.1% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.3% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

20Reports

40%Marked serious

15%Recovered

25%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

13 72%

1–2 days

2 11%

3–7 days

1 5.6%

1–4 weeks

1 5.6%

Over a month

1 5.6%

How the animals did

Recovered

3 15%

Still unwell when reported

8 40%

Euthanised

5 25%

Not known

4 20%

Problems reported at the same time

Loss of appetite

8 40%

Restlessness or agitation

8 40%

Behaviour change

7 35%

Not drinking

6 30%

Death

5 25%

Not urinating

5 25%

Vomiting

4 20%

Dysphoria

4 20%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Mirtazapine stimulates appetite (cats: ointment applied to the ear).

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

Questions owners ask

Can Mirtazapine cause not sleeping in cats?: 20 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).

Not sleeping with similar medicines

Not sleeping after Maropitant (Cerenia) 63 reports · 1.6% of its reports

All reported side effects of Mirtazapine in cats · Medicines most reported with not sleeping