Do Cats Get High? Marijuana and Cannabis Toxicity in Cats

In this guide

With cannabis products becoming more visible in parts of India, whether through medicinal CBD oils, bhang during festivals, or recreational use, it is worth understanding how differently and how dangerously cats react to it compared with people.

How cats are exposed

Cats can be affected by direct ingestion of cannabis leaves, edibles or bhang preparations, by chewing on items containing THC, or simply by inhaling secondhand smoke in a room where cannabis has been smoked. Edibles are a particular concern because they are often flavoured or sweetened, making them more appealing, and because THC concentrations in edibles can be far higher and less predictable than in plant material.

Symptoms of cannabis toxicity

• Wobbliness and loss of coordination
• Disorientation and a dazed, glassy eyed appearance
• Drooling
• Vomiting
• Urinary incontinence
• Abnormal heart rate or blood pressure
• Extreme lethargy or, in some cats, unusual agitation
• In severe cases, seizures

Why it matters more than owners assume

Unlike the mild, generally pleasant experience associated with cannabis in humans, cats seem to find the effects distressing and disorienting rather than relaxing. The dose that would be trivial for a person can represent a significant proportion of a cat's much smaller body weight, and edibles in particular can deliver an unpredictably large amount in a single bite.

What to do

If you suspect your cat has been exposed to cannabis in any form, be honest with your veterinarian about what happened. Vets are focused on treating the cat, not on any legal or social judgement, and accurate information about what was consumed helps them treat your cat faster and more safely. Most cats recover with supportive veterinary care, but severe cases, particularly involving concentrated edibles, can be life threatening without treatment.

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