Cat Drug (Methcathinone): What It Is And Why It’s Risky

• In South Africa, “cat” usually refers to methcathinone, but slang can vary.
• Cat is a synthetic stimulant that can affect mood, behaviour, sleep, and decision-making.
• Risks can include agitation, panic, paranoia, overheating, dehydration, and heart strain.
• Withdrawal often involves a crash with fatigue, low mood, sleep disruption, and cravings.
• If there are red flags like chest pain, seizures, severe confusion, hallucinations, extreme agitation, overheating, collapse, or suicidal thoughts, get urgent medical help.

If you searched for cat drug, you’re probably trying to understand what it is, what it does to someone, and what to do next. In South Africa, “cat” most commonly is known as methcathinone, a synthetic stimulant, but the slang is not always consistent, and people may use it loosely for other cathinone stimulants. Either way, the risks can be serious.

What is Cat Drug?

People sometimes use “cat” as a loose street term for related cathinone stimulants, so what one person calls “cat” may not be the same substance in another situation.

Stimulants increase activity in key brain signalling systems, particularly those involving dopamine and norepinephrine. In real life, that can mean euphoria, increased alertness and energy, but also anxiety, agitation, impulsivity, sleep loss, and a higher risk of paranoia or psychosis-like symptoms.

A crucial point is unpredictability. Street drugs can contain other stimulants or additional substances. That increases risk and makes it harder to understand what someone has taken.

Why Cat Can Be Dangerous

Cat use can be medically and psychologically risky, especially when use becomes repeated or compulsive. Methcathinone is a highly addictive synthetic drug, and like other recreational drugs, there are always risks involved. 

Short-term risks may include:

• Agitation, panic, and intense anxiety
• Paranoia and suspiciousness
• Poor judgement and risky behaviour
• Dehydration and overheating, especially in hot environments or prolonged activity
• Heart strain, chest pain, palpitations, and abnormal rhythms in some people

Mental health risks may include:

• Worsening anxiety or panic
• Hallucinations or severe paranoia
• Stimulant-induced psychosis, which can resemble a mental health crisis but is driven or worsened by stimulant exposure
• Low mood or depression in the days after use, especially with repeated use

Risk tends to rise when cat is mixed with alcohol or other drugs. Mixing substances makes symptoms less predictable and can increase the chance of emergencies.

Confidential Help in Cape Town

If cat use is happening in your life or your home, you do not need to manage this alone.

Liberty Home Rehab offers confidential assessment and treatment support in Cape Town. If you’re worried about safety, patterns of use, or mental health symptoms, the first step towards recovery is a professional assessment.

Signs Someone May be Using Cat

No single sign proves someone is using cat drug. Many symptoms overlap with stress, trauma, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, or other medical conditions. Still, patterns can be a clue.

Behavioural signs may include:

• Sudden changes in routine, unreliability, increased energy.
• Risk-taking, irritability, aggression, or unusually driven behaviour.
• Money problems, secrecy, sudden conflict at home or work.

Physical signs may include:

• Sleep loss for long periods, followed by a crash.
• Reduced appetite and noticeable weight changes over time.
• Restlessness, sweating, tremor, jaw tension, or repetitive skin picking.

Mental and emotional effects include:

• Anxiety, panic, or intense agitation
• Suspicion or paranoia
• Confusion, odd beliefs, or hearing or seeing things that are not there

If symptoms are severe or escalating quickly, treat it as a health issue first, not a character flaw.

Cat Drug and Mental Health (Dual Diagnosis)

Stimulants can worsen existing mental health conditions and can also mimic them. Someone may appear to have panic disorder, mania, or psychosis when the main driver is stimulant use, sleep deprivation, or both.

This is why dual diagnosis treatment matters. Quality care does not force an either-or choice between “it’s drugs” and “it’s mental health.” It assesses both together and builds a plan that addresses substance use, mood, anxiety, trauma, sleep, and relapse triggers in one coordinated approach.

Cat Withdrawal and Detox: What to Expect

When someone stops a stimulant like methcathinone, withdrawal often looks like a crash rather than a dramatic physical syndrome.

Common patterns can include:

• Intense fatigue, heavy sleep, or fragmented sleep
• Low mood, irritability, or emotional flatness
• Anxiety and restlessness
• Strong cravings and poor concentration
• Appetite changes and reduced motivation

Two safety points matter:

1. Depression can be serious. If there are suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, or a rapid mood collapse, urgent professional support is needed.
2. If the person has paranoia, hallucinations, or severe agitation, they need medical assessment, not home willpower.

Detox is not just “getting it out of your system.” It’s about stabilising sleep, mood, and safety, and preparing for real treatment.

Treatment Options in South Africa

Effective treatment for cat drug problems at Liberty Home usually includes several layers, matched to the person’s needs:

• Assessment and treatment planning, including mental health screening and risk evaluation.
• Detox support when appropriate, especially if there are complications like severe insomnia, agitation, depression, or psychosis symptoms.
• Inpatient rehab for people who need structure, distance from triggers, or intensive therapeutic support.
• Evidence-based therapy such as CBT, motivational interviewing, and relapse prevention.
• Aftercare planning with ongoing support, routines, and relapse prevention strategies.
• Family involvement when safe and appropriate, so the home environment supports recovery rather than unknowingly reinforcing the cycle.

At Liberty Home Rehab in Cape Town, the focus is confidential, clinically informed care with a plan that addresses both substance use and mental health when needed. If you are unsure what level of care is appropriate, start with an assessment and let that guide the next step.

What To Do if You’re Worried About Someone Using Cat

You need a plan, not a confrontation.

Start the conversation:

• Pick a calm time. Avoid arguing while the person is intoxicated or severely sleep-deprived.
• Use specific observations: “I’ve noticed you haven’t slept and you’ve been more paranoid,” rather than accusations.
• Keep it practical: concern, boundaries, and a clear next step, such as an assessment.

Set boundaries that protect the household:

• Boundaries are not punishment. They are safety rules.
• Decide what you will and won’t do (for example, lending money, covering up consequences, or tolerating aggression).

Encourage professional assessment:

• “Let’s get an assessment so we know what we’re dealing with.”
• If there are mental health symptoms like paranoia, hallucinations, or severe anxiety, insist on a dual diagnosis assessment.

Get support for yourself:

Families burn out fast. You’ll make better decisions with family support and professional guidance.

Emergency and Safety: When to Get Urgent Help

Get urgent medical help via local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department if someone has:

• Chest pain, collapse, or severe shortness of breath
• Seizures
• Severe confusion or inability to respond normally
• Hallucinations, extreme paranoia, or loss of touch with reality
• Extreme agitation or aggression that cannot be calmed
• Signs of overheating such as very hot skin, confusion, collapse
• Suicidal thoughts or threats of self-harm

If safety is in question, do not try to manage it at home. Treat it like a medical emergency.

Take The First Step

If you’re concerned about cat drug use, you do not need to wait for things to get worse.

Contact Liberty Home Rehab in Cape Town for a confidential call or assessment. 

References

1) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). PubChem Compound Summary: Methcathinone.

2) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Synthetic Cathinones (“Bath Salts”).

3) National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Coexisting severe mental illness (psychosis) and substance misuse: assessment and management (CG120).

4) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Treatment of Stimulant Use Disorders (PEP20-06-01-001).

5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Stimulant Overdose (Overdose Prevention).