If a cat eats weed, THC can cause a cluster of neurological and gastrointestinal signs that usually start within 30 to 60 minutes of ingestion and can persist for 12 to 72 hours. The classic picture is a cat that is wobbling, drooling, vomiting, glassy-eyed with wide dilated pupils, and either agitated or deeply sedated. Most cats that get veterinary care early recover, but cannabis ingestion in cats is treated as an emergency because their liver clears THC slowly and because the food the drug is baked into can be toxic on its own. Call a veterinarian or a pet poison hotline now instead of waiting to see how the cat does.
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Why THC hits cats harder than it hits people
Cats are not small humans, and they are not small dogs. Their liver has limited ability to break down many plant compounds, so THC and its metabolites stay in the body longer. That means a dose a person would shrug off can produce hours of heavy sedation in a cat.
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Signs are not always proportional to how much was eaten. A cat that nibbles a single leaf can look worse than a cat that ate a larger amount, depending on the product, the cat's size, and how fast it was absorbed. There is no reliable home dose chart, so treat any confirmed or suspected ingestion as a reason to call a professional.
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Symptoms to expect, and when they show up
First 30 to 60 minutes
- Wobbling, staggering, or a drunken walk
- Dilated pupils that react poorly to light
- Drooling and lip smacking
- Vomiting, sometimes with visible plant material
- Sudden sleepiness or the opposite, restlessness and vocalizing
- Loss of bladder control or inappropriate urination
Next few hours
- Low body temperature
- Slow heart rate and low blood pressure
- Tremors or muscle twitching
- Head pressing, disorientation, or staring at walls
- Not eating or drinking, and reluctance to move
Severe signs that need care now
- Seizures
- Unresponsiveness or a cat that cannot be roused
- Slow, shallow, or labored breathing
- Repeated vomiting that will not stop
- Collapse or a body that feels cold to the touch
Vomiting, tremors, seizures, and slowed breathing all point to a cat that needs a hospital, not a wait-and-see approach.
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Edibles are the bigger emergency
Baked goods and candies loaded with cannabis carry extra hazards. Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which are toxic to cats. Raisins and grapes are linked to kidney injury in pets. Some sugar-free products contain xylitol, which is dangerous to animals. Many edibles also contain a lot of fat and sugar, which can trigger vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis.
That means your cat may be dealing with two poisonings at once: THC plus a food toxin. Tell the vet exactly what the product was, how much the cat likely ate, and when it happened, including the wrapper if you still have it.
What to do right away
- Move the cat away from the product and put the rest out of reach.
- Write down the time you think ingestion happened and what was eaten.
- Call a veterinarian, an emergency clinic, or a pet poison hotline.
- Keep the cat warm, quiet, and in a dim room away from stairs and furniture it could fall from.
- Save the packaging and any vomit in a sealed bag for the vet to inspect.
- Transport the cat in a carrier so it cannot hurt itself while disoriented.
What not to do
- Do not induce vomiting unless a veterinarian tells you to. It can cause aspiration pneumonia in a sedated cat.
- Do not give human medications, coffee, or any home stimulant to wake the cat up.
- Do not give food, water, or milk to a cat that is unable to swallow or hold its head up.
- Do not assume a small amount is harmless, and do not wait for the cat to "sleep it off.\"
What the vet will likely do
Treatment is supportive because there is no antidote for THC. Depending on how recent the ingestion was, the vet may induce vomiting under controlled conditions, give activated charcoal to limit absorption, start intravenous fluids, monitor heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature, and provide oxygen or anti-seizure medication if needed. Blood work helps check for organ injury and for food toxins. Hospital monitoring often runs 12 to 24 hours, and some cats need longer. Most cats that are treated early go home and recover fully.
Secondhand smoke and resin on the fur count too
A cat in a smoke-filled room inhales THC, and a cat that grooms resin off its own coat swallows it. Signs from inhalation tend to come on faster and fade faster than signs from eating plant material. Keep cats out of rooms where anyone is smoking or vaping, and wash your hands after handling flower, concentrates, or edibles before you touch your cat.
How to keep your cat out of your stash
- Store flower, edibles, vapes, and concentrates in a locked container, not a drawer or bag.
- Keep edibles in the original child-resistant packaging, and never in a kitchen snack bowl.
- Sweep floors and wipe counters after rolling or packing.
- Keep purses, backpacks, and jacket pockets off the floor and out of reach.
- Check the floor for dropped nugs, roaches, and crumbs before you leave the house.
The bottom line
Signs of cannabis poisoning in a cat include wobbling, dilated pupils, drooling, vomiting, tremors, and heavy sedation, and they usually show up within an hour and can last for days. Call a vet or pet poison hotline as soon as you suspect ingestion, tell them what and how much you think was eaten, and keep the cat calm and warm until you get there. Do not try to make your cat vomit on your own, and do not wait for symptoms to pass.