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My kitten is vomiting/diarrhea after flea treatment. Is it normal?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered

I have gave my 15 week old kitten a spot on treatment and he's been sick and had the runs. Is this normal?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on June 25th, 2016

Kittens can be given flea treatment at 8 weeks of age. One important thing to do is make sure the spot on treatment is for kittens only. You can't give dog flea treatments to kittens because cats have a higher sensitivity to the active ingredients in flea medications. Vomiting and diarrhea are signs of a both a mild and moderate to severe reaction to flea treatment, and I would recommend taking Simba into your vet immediately for treatment. These symptoms can get worse and lead to death if not treated promptly.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    It can happen, some spot ons can create such side effects, in most cases it only happens up to 24 hours after you applied it. If it continues more than that, your kitten might be suffering from a condition non related to the spot on.

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    No this is not normal. The diarrhea may or may not be related to the spot on treatment, however it could be caused by an infection. You really need to take your kitten to a veterinarian ASAP for an exam and treatment.

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