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My cat ate my antidepressant. She's drowsy. Is this an emergency?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Female | spayed | 7 months and 17 days old | 6 lbs

My 8 month old tortoiseshell female cat is normally very lively but last 36 hrs seems v drowsey at times, eating and drinking OK. Worried I may have accidently dropped 1 of my antidepressants called mirtazipam 30mgs, will she be OK?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on September 18th, 2017

Mirtazapine does have a side effect of drowsiness or sedation in pets. It is commonly used in cats as an appetite stimulant. 30mg would be 4 times higher than I normally use, and this overdosage can cause: 57% vocalizing, 38% agitated, 23% vomiting, 21% tachycardic, 15% ataxic and 11% lethargic. The symptoms can last a little longer than 72 hours. As long as Dolly is still eating and drinking normally, I would continue to watch her. If the she is still not completely normal in a day or two, she may need a checkup with a vet.

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    Answered By Rodrigo Roca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    Hello, sorry to hear about Dolly. 30mgs of that medication is about 16.6 times the recommended dose for cats. Side effects with overdosage include sedation, vocalization, increased affection, low blood pressure, and an increase heart rate. It is recommended that in case of an overdose, pets be administered charcoal to reduce any absorption of the drug. It is generally well tolerated by patients at recommended doses and used in cats for appetite stimulation. You should have Dolly evaluated by your veterinarian about this incident so that they can decide wether administering charcoal is appropriate for Dolly. If you believe the ingestion could have occurred recently, then Dolly may be induced to vomit to see if the medication can be retrieved. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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