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My cat is twitching after flea treatment. Should I be concerned?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

I put flea treatment on my cat and she started twitching? Should I be concerned?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on August 28th, 2016

Yes I would be concerned, as this can be a sign of flea treatment toxicity. I would put her into a bath immediately, and gently wash the treatment off with water water and Dawn dish soap. Continue to monitor her for signs of toxicity, including vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, hyper salivation, and depression. If you see any of those signs, take her into your vet immediately. I would make sure that the flea treatment you put on Annie was for cats and not for dogs, as it's very important to have a cat dose for cats because they are so sensitive to the flea medication. I would wait a few days before reapplying a flea treatment, and I would use a different brand than what you just used. I recommend using Advantage or Revolution.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Lauren M. Jones, VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on August 3rd, 2017

    Oh no! Twitching is not a normal reaction to any flea medication, but it is possible that Rosie is itchy and bothered by her fleas. At this point, I would recommend giving her a bath in original blue Dawn dish soap to try to remove any remaining flea prevention in case this is the problem since reactions to medication can be fairly severe. You can give Rosie an oral Capstar tablet ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=10902 ) which will kill adult fleas within 30 minutes, but will not provide any lasting protection. I would avoid applying another topical preventative for at least 2 weeks in case some of the initial medication remains in her system. Instead, you can ask the vet about a prescription-based oral flea preventative, such as Comfortis ( http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18887 ), which can be given right away. If Rosie continues to twitch after the bath, she should go to the vet for further evaluation. I hope this helps and that all goes well!

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