Medicines & remedies · cat safety
Are ibuprofen and aspirin safe for cats?
Severe
No — human painkillers like ibuprofen (Brufen, Combiflam) and aspirin (Disprin) are toxic to cats: they cause stomach ulcers and kidney damage, and cats clear them very slowly. Go to a vet with the strip.
Why severe: Cats are far more sensitive to these painkillers than dogs, and aspirin lingers in a cat's body for days.
- Name
- Ibuprofen and aspirinalso Brufen, Combiflam, Disprin, Painkillers (NSAIDs)
- Hindi
- आइबुप्रोफ़ेन / एस्पिरिन · ibuprofen / aspirin
What's in it
NSAIDs. Cats conjugate them poorly; aspirin stays in a cat's body for days (half-life about 37.5 hours).
Where it hides
- Brufen, Combiflam (it also contains paracetamol)
- Disprin and other aspirin
- Period-pain and headache tablets
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting, not eating
- Stomach ulcers and bleeding
- Kidney injury
- Nervous-system signs after large amounts
What to do — now
Go to a vet now. Take the strip or bottle.
- Don't make your cat vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.
- Never give a cat any human painkiller.
Where Indian cats meet it
The medicine box: headache, fever and period-pain tablets.
Sources
Facts last checked
General information for cat parents, not a diagnosis or a treatment plan. The facts come from ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, International Cat Care, the Merck Veterinary Manual and the other sources listed on every page — and we say so when the evidence comes from dogs or people. If your cat may have eaten something harmful, call your vet.