Pet Safety / Compounds / Cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine)

Is Cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine) safe for dogs and cats?

High risk for pets

Sympathomimetic toxicity: tachycardia, tremors, hyperthermia, seizures. No antidote; supportive care only.

What is cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine)?

The IUPAC name is (2S)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one.

Also known as: Cathinone, Norephedrone, d-Cathinone, (2S)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one.

IUPAC name
(2S)-2-amino-1-phenylpropan-1-one
CAS number
71031-15-7
Molecular formula
C9H11NO
Molecular weight
149.19 g/mol
SMILES
CC(N)C(=O)c1ccccc1
PubChem CID
62258

Risk for dogs

High risk

Sympathomimetic toxicity: tachycardia, tremors, hyperthermia, seizures. No antidote; supportive care only.

Risk for cats

High risk

Similar sympathomimetic toxicity as dogs; cats additionally sensitive to amphetamine-class compounds.

Regulatory consensus

3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine). The classifications differ — that's the data.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
DEA1993Schedule I controlled substance
UN19881971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances — Schedule I
WHO1985Khat reviewed by ECDD; cathinone individually scheduled

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine)

  • Natural Product
  • Illicit Drug

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine):

  • Caffeine (as mild stimulant alternative)
    Trade-offs: Much weaker stimulant effect. Legal and widely available. Lower abuse potential.
    Relative cost: Negligible

Frequently asked questions

Is cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine) safe for pets?

Sympathomimetic toxicity: tachycardia, tremors, hyperthermia, seizures. No antidote; supportive care only.

Why do regulators disagree about cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine)?

Cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine) has been classified by 3 agencies including DEA, UN, WHO, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine) in the pets app

Look up products containing cathinone (beta-keto-amphetamine), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in pets View raw API data

Sources (1)
  1. —

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →