Bobcat — Amoxicillin, Clavulanate

Yes, cats have unique metabolic differences that make them significantly more sensitive to many drugs. Cats lack certain liver enzymes (particularly glucuronyl transferase) that are needed to process many compounds. This is why drugs like acetaminophen, aspirin at dog doses, and many essential oils are toxic to cats but safe for other species. Even some FDA-approved canine drugs are not safe for cats. Always use medications specifically approved or prescribed for cats, and never assume that a dog dose or human medication is safe.

Not necessarily. Adverse event reports document that a drug was given and that the animal later died — but they do not establish causation. The animal may have died from its underlying condition, from concurrent medications, or from unrelated causes. The FDA applies a structured causality assessment to each report to determine whether the drug was likely, possibly, or unlikely responsible. Still, all death reports are reviewed and tracked because they contribute to safety signal detection, even when individual causality is uncertain.

You can report a suspected adverse drug reaction to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine through the FDA Safety Reporting Portal at SafetyReporting.hhs.gov or by calling 1-888-FDA-VETS (1-888-332-8387). You can also contact the drug manufacturer directly — they are required to forward serious adverse event reports to the FDA. Include the drug name and dose, the animal's species, breed, age, and weight, the duration of treatment, and a detailed description of the symptoms observed and their timeline.