{"id":627870,"date":"2024-04-19T09:50:11","date_gmt":"2024-04-19T13:50:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=627870"},"modified":"2026-07-15T16:21:50","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T20:21:50","slug":"amitriptyline-for-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/amitriptyline-for-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"Amitriptyline for cats"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amitriptyline<\/a> is an antidepressant<\/a> used in cats to treat behavior issues and prevent bladder inflammation symptoms. Cat behavior problems that respond well to amitriptyline therapy include anxiety, urinary marking, excessive grooming, biting, aggression, and other issues. Veterinarians may also use it as an add-on treatment to relieve chronic pain or itching. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the veterinary use of amitriptyline for cats, so all these treatments are considered off-label<\/a> uses.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Discount pet meds & resources<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

What is amitriptyline used for in cats?<\/h2>\n

Although amitriptyline<\/a> is not FDA-approved for use in cats, veterinarians commonly rely on it to treat anxiety, inappropriate urination, excessive grooming, and feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). It\u2019s a useful adjunct medication for chronic pain or excessive itching<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Anxiety<\/h3>\n

In cats, anxiety manifests itself in several ways<\/a>, including urine marking, hiding, running away, biting, trembling, panting, meowing, and salivation. Anxieties in cats come in a variety of types, but the most common are separation anxiety (getting upset when people leave) and situational panic or stress. Amitriptyline relieves anxiety in several ways. First, it changes the chemistry of the brain by increasing the levels of serotonin at nerve junctions, which works as a long-term treatment for anxiety. It also acts like an antihistamine<\/a>, sedating and calming the cat. It has anticholinergic effects that cause sedation but can also relieve physical symptoms like excessive salivation.<\/p>\n

Urine marking<\/h3>\n

Urine marking and other difficult cat behaviors, like biting, chewing, clawing, and aggressiveness, are first treated with behavior modification and environmental changes. When that\u2019s not enough, drugs like amitriptyline and other antidepressants are tried. Veterinary professionals don\u2019t know why amitriptyline works to calm undesired behaviors, but it may have something to do with its sedative effects.<\/p>\n

Excessive grooming<\/h3>\n

Excessive grooming in a cat may be a worrisome and even self-mutilating behavior. It has several causes, including anxiety, behavior problems, and nerve problems. Amitriptyline addresses all three.<\/p>\n

Urinary bladder inflammation<\/h3>\n

Amitriptyline is commonly used<\/a> off-label in humans to treat bladder inflammation (interstitial cystitis). Veterinarians also use it to treat the symptoms<\/a> of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), also called feline idiopathic cystitis. The word \u201cidiopathic\u201d means that there is no identifiable cause. Veterinarians use a variety of drugs<\/a> and other treatments for this problem, so amitriptyline is usually added to these different treatments or used as a long-term preventive treatment, though its effectiveness is debated<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Chronic pain and itching<\/h3>\n

Amitriptyline quiets pain signals in the nervous system. Since itching uses the same nerves as pain, amitriptyline can help relieve chronic pain<\/a> and itching if nerves cause the problem. For these conditions, veterinarians usually start with other nerve pain drugs like gabapentin<\/a> as their first choice. Amitriptyline is used as an add-on treatment to provide further relief.<\/p>\n

Is amitriptyline safe for cats?<\/h2>\n

Veterinarians consider amitriptyline safe to use in cats, but amitriptyline may cause side effects in cats that aren\u2019t seen in dogs<\/a> or people. For instance, some cats may stop grooming, and their coat will become messy.<\/p>\n

Amitriptyline should never be given to a cat that is allergic to amitriptyline or similar drugs called tricyclic antidepressants<\/a>. It should also never be given to a cat taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors<\/a> (MAOIs).<\/p>\n

Because of the risk of dangerous side effects, veterinarians are cautious about using amitriptyline in cats with certain conditions or in certain situations, such as:<\/p>\n