My cat is lethargic after flea/tick medicine. Is this normal?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be due to the area feeling different after application of the Bravecto. There are possible reactions associated with any medication or preventative product given to an animal though this would be an unusual reaction to a topical flea preventative like Bravecto. If the skin around at the site it was administered looks normal (not irritated or inflamed) and she is otherwise doing well, I would continue to watch her for now and have her evaluated by your veterinarian tomorrow if no improvement. If she appears to be too different to what she normally is, have her evaluated tonight to ensure she is not having an unusual reaction to the Bravecto. I think she is likely reacting to the application of the product because she can feel something in her skin that she is not used to rather than having a complication. I understand your concern and I hope that she starts acting more like herself quick. Good luck!

Depending on the extent of flea infestation, lethargy is not at all uncommon. Flea bites can drain a significant amount of blood and nutrients from the body, so when a severe attack as occurred, what you are describing is very much expected. If the exposure was not significant, it is possible that Milo may just be having a reaction to the medication itself. If this is the case, he should come out of it relatively soon. If not, I would have him reassessed by your veterinarian that prescribed the drug. Hope this helps.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Foot foot. I'm sorry she hasn't been well! So cats are very sensitive to flea treatments, and her symptoms seem to match up with flea treatment toxicity (except for urinating outside the litter box). It may be that the Frontline is causing her problems. I would wash off the Frontline now, give her a bath to get it off if you applied it within the last 24 hours. If it's been more than 24 hours, have her seen by a vet now. Depending on when you applied the Fronline, either wait a week (if the Frontline was applied in the last 24 hours) or two weeks since the application (if apply longer than 24 hours ago), then use a different flea treatment program like Revolution or Advantage. I would not use Frontline again. As for urinating outside the box, this could be due to feline idiopathic cystitis. Stress can bring this on, and a reaction to flea treatment can be stressful. Have her seen by a vet for this. I hope this helps!

It's not likely to be a symptom of the fleas but it could be a symptom of the flea treatment you use, some of them can cause a side effect of lethargy and lack of appetite which usually does not last more than 24 hours. if by tomorrow Jax is not better, i would recommend taking him to your vet to get checked and treated.

it may be a reaction to the medicine. The best thing to do is bathe him in dawn dish washing liquid to strip the medicine and oils from his coat and skin. If he starts twitching or having tremors, then he needs to go to a vet. If he is not normal by morning then I would take him in to see if there is something else going on

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Luna. It's ok that you put the topical flea medication on her. You can see some lethargy after a vaccine, and she should be back to normal by tomorrow. I hope this helps!

No, this is not normal. You did not say which product you used. Some are more likely to cause reactions than others (like Hartz or Seargants). I suggest you use some Dawn dishsoap and wash it all off of him immediately.