Flea, tick & worm products · cat safety
Are amitraz tick washes and collars toxic to cats?
Severe
No — never wash a cat with an amitraz tick or mange wash, or let it chew a dog's amitraz collar. Vet references say amitraz should not be used on cats at all: it causes sleepiness, a slow heart, low body temperature, high blood sugar and, in severe cases, seizures and coma. Go to a vet now.
Why severe: Vet references say amitraz should not be used on cats; overdoses slow the heart and breathing and can cause seizures.
- Name
- Amitraz tick washes, dips and collarsalso Amitraz, Tick and mange wash for dogs, Livestock tick dip, Taktic, Amitraz dog tick collar
What counts
Amitraz liquids for dog and livestock tick baths and mange washes, and amitraz dog tick collars.
What's in it
Amitraz, an insecticide that acts like a strong sedative (an alpha-2 agonist) in mammals — depressing the brain, heart rate and breathing (Merck).
Brands it hides in
- Small bottles of tick, flea or mange wash to dilute in water — read for 'amitraz'
- Livestock tick dips from the agri or vet shop, such as Taktic
- Dog tick collars that list amitraz
Symptoms to watch for
- Sleepiness, wobbliness
- Slow heart rate
- Low body temperature
- Wide pupils, drooling
- Vomiting
- Seizures, coma in severe cases
Usually 30 minutes to 2 hours after swallowing (Merck).
What to do — now
Go to a vet now. Vets have a reversal drug for amitraz.
- Take the bottle or collar.
- If the wash is on the fur, ask your vet whether to rinse it off with plenty of lukewarm water and mild dish soap.
- Don't make your cat vomit at home unless a vet tells you to.
- Keep cats away from a dog's tick collar and from a freshly washed dog until it is dry.
Where Indian cats meet it
Amitraz washes are sold cheaply at vet and agri shops and online for dog ticks and mange — some Indian online listings even say 'for dogs and cats', although vet references say amitraz should not be used on cats.
Myth or fact
Myth“If the tick wash works on the dog, it's fine for the cat”
Fact'Amitraz should NOT be used on cats' (Pet Poison Helpline); Merck also lists cats among the animals it is not recommended for.
Cat-safe swap: Ask your vet for a cat-labelled tick and mite treatment.
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.