Mirtazapine
Mirataz (transdermal ointment, veterinary) · Remeron (human) · generic mirtazapine
Mirtazapine is a human antidepressant that vets use as an appetite stimulant and anti-nausea drug in cats, especially those with kidney disease, and in dogs that will not eat. A veterinary ointment rubbed on the ear is approved for cats; the human tablets are the same drug and a pharmacy can fill a vet’s prescription for them.
What it is used for
Mirtazapine increases appetite and reduces nausea through its effects on histamine and serotonin receptors, and the effect in cats is marked and quick. It is used for cats losing weight with chronic kidney disease, liver disease, cancer or after surgery, and for dogs that stop eating during illness. Mirataz, a transdermal ointment applied to the inner ear once a day, was approved for weight loss in cats and avoids pilling an unwell animal.
Cats are given the human tablets in very small amounts, a fraction of the smallest tablet, at an interval the vet sets; cats with kidney or liver disease clear the drug more slowly and are dosed less often. Dogs are dosed by weight once a day. Drowsiness, vocalizing, restlessness and a fast heart can occur, more often when the dose is too high.
Giving it to your pet
- How to give it
- Tablets are given every one to three days as prescribed. The ointment is applied in a thin ribbon to the inside of the ear flap once a day, alternating ears; wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.
- If you miss a dose
- Give it when you remember unless the next dose is near. Do not give extra; too much causes restlessness and vocalizing.
- Storage
- At room temperature.
- Call your vet if you see
- More appetite is the point. Increased meowing, restlessness or a racing heart can mean the dose is too high; call your vet. Mild redness where the ointment is applied usually settles.
Your vet’s instructions and the label on your pet’s medicine take priority over this general information.
Safety points that differ from human use
- Cats are dosed far lower than people or dogs; a whole human tablet can cause agitation, tremor and a racing heart in a cat. Follow the vet’s fraction and interval exactly.
- It should not be combined with other serotonin-active drugs (fluoxetine, trazodone, tramadol) without the vet’s oversight.
- Wear gloves to apply the ointment, and keep the cat’s ear away from children and other pets until it has absorbed.
- Transdermal ointment (Mirataz, veterinary)
- Tablets and orally disintegrating tablets (human)
- Compounded transdermal gels and tiny capsules
- 7.5, 15, 30 and 45 mg human tablets
- Ointment 20 mg per gram
The 15 mg human tablet is scored; a cat’s dose is a small fraction of it, so the vet may suggest a pill splitter or prescribe a compounded product.
Why the cash price varies
Each pharmacy sets its own cash price, so quotes for the same mirtazapine prescription can differ. Human tablets, Mirataz, the veterinary ear ointment sold through vets and pharmacies that carry veterinary products, and compounded transdermal gels made to order are different products, so a quote applies only to the exact product and quantity prescribed. The ointment and gels are mainly for cats that cannot be given tablets.
Upload it and licensed pharmacies reply with their own cash price. You pay the pharmacy, not us.
How to pay less
- Ask the vet whether a split human tablet is practical for your cat, or whether the ointment or a compounded gel is the better way to give it.
- If the ointment is needed, compare the clinic with a pharmacy that carries veterinary products.
- If a different strength or form would be easier to fill, the pharmacist may contact your vet; only the vet can change the prescription.
- Upload the prescription to Script Unlock so licensed pharmacies can quote. You pay the pharmacy directly.
Questions for your vet
- What dose and how often for my cat, exactly?
- Tablet fraction or the ear ointment?
- What signs mean the dose is too high?
- Is it safe with my pet’s other medicines?
- What is causing the poor appetite, and is that being treated too?
The same medicine is prescribed for people: see the Mirtazapine guide for how it is supplied and priced at pharmacies.
Rules on refills, transfers and controlled substances differ by state; see pharmacy rules by state.
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for your pet’s mirtazapine prescription
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your your pet’s mirtazapine prescription prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Related pet medications
Sources
- FDA Approved Animal Drug Products (Green Book)
- Merck Veterinary Manual
- FDA Orange Book (approved generics and therapeutic equivalence)
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control
Written by the Script Unlock editorial team from the sources above. Not yet reviewed by a veterinarian or veterinary pharmacist. Last checked 2026-10-03. Nothing here replaces your vet’s directions; doses for animals are set by weight and species.
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.