Pet Safety / Compounds / Fenpropathrin

Is Fenpropathrin safe for dogs and cats?

Low risk for pets

Dogs tolerate fenpropathrin well at use concentrations; the compound's primary use in ornamental and agricultural settings rather than direct pet products reduces veterinary exposure scenarios compared to permethrin or cypermethrin.

What is fenpropathrin?

The IUPAC name is [cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl] 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylate.

Also known as: [cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl] 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylate, Meothrin, Rody, Danimen.

IUPAC name
[cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl] 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylate
CAS number
39515-41-8
Molecular formula
C22H23NO3
Molecular weight
349.4 g/mol
SMILES
CC1(C(C1(C)C)C(=O)OC(C#N)C2=CC(=CC=C2)OC3=CC=CC=C3)C
PubChem CID
47326

Risk for dogs

Low risk

Dogs tolerate fenpropathrin well at use concentrations; the compound's primary use in ornamental and agricultural settings rather than direct pet products reduces veterinary exposure scenarios compared to permethrin or cypermethrin.

Risk for cats

Extreme risk

Fenpropathrin is a type II alpha-cyano pyrethroid — extreme cat toxicity consistent with the class; used in ornamental plant care (Danitol, Tame sprays) and residential spider/mite control; cats in treated ornamental garden areas or homes where sprays have been applied can be exposed through grooming of coat contaminated with residues. The CS syndrome in cats is rapid-onset and severe. Fenpropathrin has both insecticidal and acaricidal properties, making it used more broadly in home and garden settings where cats may roam.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Fenpropathrin.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / EPA OPP—Not Likely to Be Carcinogenic in Humans

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 fenpropathrin

  • Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Fenpropathrin:

  • Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
    Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is fenpropathrin safe for pets?

Dogs tolerate fenpropathrin well at use concentrations; the compound's primary use in ornamental and agricultural settings rather than direct pet products reduces veterinary exposure scenarios compared to permethrin or cypermethrin.

What products contain fenpropathrin?

Fenpropathrin appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

See Fenpropathrin in the pets app

Look up products containing fenpropathrin, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (2)
  1. US EPA Pyrethroid Reregistration Eligibility Decision — cypermethrin/deltamethrin/lambda-cyhalothrin/bifenthrin/cyfluthrin/fenvalerate/tau-fluvalinate/fenpropathrin; type I/II classification; aquatic toxicity; cat sensitivity; sodium channel mechanism; human paresthesia; buffer zones (2011) (2011) — regulatory
  2. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Pyrethroid Toxicosis in Cats and Dogs — type I vs type II CS/T syndromes; extreme cat sensitivity (sodium channel/UGT deficiency); bathing decontamination; methocarbamol tremor control; cyproheptadine; lipid emulsion severe cases (2023) (2023) — veterinary

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 →