Pain & fever · cat safety
Are ibuprofen and aspirin safe for cats?
Severe
No — human painkillers like ibuprofen (Brufen, Combiflam) and aspirin (Disprin, Ecosprin) are toxic to cats. Cats clear them very slowly, so they cause stomach ulcers, kidney damage and, after bigger amounts, seizures. Never give one for pain — take the strip and go to a vet.
Why severe: Cats are far more sensitive to these painkillers than dogs, and aspirin lingers in a cat's body much longer (Merck).
- Name
- Ibuprofen and aspirinalso Brufen, Combiflam, Disprin, Ecosprin, Painkillers (NSAIDs)
- Hindi
- आइबुप्रोफ़ेन / एस्पिरिन
What counts
Ibuprofen and aspirin tablets, syrups and gels; Combiflam (it also contains paracetamol, which is deadly to cats); heart-protection aspirin.
What's in it
NSAIDs (ibuprofen) and salicylates (aspirin). Cats have little capacity for glucuronidation, the liver route that clears these drugs (Merck).
Brands it hides in
- Brufen and other ibuprofen tablets
- Combiflam (ibuprofen + paracetamol)
- Disprin and Ecosprin (aspirin)
- Period-pain and headache tablets
Symptoms to watch for
- Vomiting, sometimes with blood
- Not eating, belly pain
- Black, tarry poo
- Fast breathing and fever (aspirin)
- Drinking and peeing changes (kidney injury)
- Wobbliness or seizures after large amounts
Stomach signs can start within hours; aspirin signs can take hours to days (VCA), and kidney damage may take a few days to show (Merck).
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 — vets have cat-safe pain relief.
Where Indian cats meet it
The medicine box: headache, fever and period-pain tablets, and the daily heart aspirin many elders take — a dropped tablet is easy for a cat to bat about and chew.
Myth or fact
Myth“A small piece of a painkiller will help a limping cat”
FactCats are 'especially susceptible' to ibuprofen and 'very susceptible' to aspirin (Merck). A limping cat needs a vet and cat-safe pain relief.
Cat-safe swap: Ask your vet for cat-safe pain relief.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Toxicoses from human analgesics
- Pet Poison Helpline: Ibuprofen
- Pet Poison Helpline: Aspirin
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.