Antibiotic Side Effects in Cats

Like humans, cats get sick and injure themselves. Depending upon the type of illness or injury, antibiotics may be required to prevent the spread of the infection. Although antibiotics help cats regain their health, they may cause side effects. If your cat is prescribed antibiotics, pay close attention to your cat's health and monitor your pet for serious side effects.

  1. Common Side Effects

    • The most common side effects for all types of antibiotics are gastrointestinal side effects. These include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and decreased appetite. Your cat may vomit after eating or taking the antibiotic. These side effects may persist while your cat is taking the medicine. Administering the medicine with food may decrease the effects. If you observe these side effects, contact your veterinarian for advice. If you are advised to continue administering the medicine and the side effects worsen, contact your veterinarian for further instruction.

    Development

    • Antibiotics like tetracycline and griseofulvin may stunt a kitten's growth and development. Tetracycline also causes teeth discoloration in kittens. Administering antibiotics to pregnant cats may damage or kill the fetus. Tell your veterinarian if your cat is pregnant before her checkup or requesting a prescription.

    Infections

    • In addition to killing bad bacteria, antibiotics kill good bacteria, making your cat more susceptible to infection. Cats may develop fungal or yeast infections while on antibiotics. Symptoms of infection include sneezing, teary eyes, runny nose, trouble breathing and skin lesions. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your veterinarian.

    Serious Side Effects

    • If your cat is allergic to an antibiotic, it might have trouble breathing, hives, seizures, bruising or unusual bleeding. Additionally, your cat's tongue, face or lips may swell. If your cat has an overdose, its muscles may spasm, twitch or weaken. Your cat may also have seizures, appear confused, go into a coma or become agitated. If you notice any of these symptoms, or severe or bloody diarrhea, take your cat to a veterinarian immediately.