Columbia Suboxone Clinic Blog
Cat’s Claw Addiction: Dependence, Withdrawal, and Hidden Opioid Risks
People searching for cat’s claw addiction may be referring to two very different things: the traditional botanical supplement known as cat’s claw and newer retail products marketed under the name “Cat’s Claw.”
Traditional cat’s claw generally comes from Uncaria tomentosa or Uncaria guianensis. It is not the same plant as kratom, and people should not automatically consider it an opioid or addictive drug. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health identifies cat’s claw as a woody vine traditionally used as an herbal product.
Certain retail products sold under the Cat’s Claw name raise a different concern. In 2026, the Utah Poison Control Center warned about adulterated Cat’s Claw products after receiving reports of severe opioid-type overdoses. Investigators suspected that some products contained undeclared kratom-related substances, including 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH) and related compounds.
That distinction matters. Dependence, withdrawal, and overdose risks depend on what a product actually contains, not simply the words “Cat’s Claw” printed on its packaging.
Is Cat’s Claw Addiction the Same as Kratom Addiction?
Traditional botanical cat’s claw is not kratom, and current evidence does not establish it as a substance that produces the opioid-type dependence associated with drugs such as fentanyl, heroin, or concentrated 7-OH.
But a retail product sold under the Cat’s Claw name may not contain only traditional cat’s claw.
In July 2026, the Utah Poison Control Center reported concerns about Cat’s Claw and kava products that investigators suspected contained synthetic kratom derivatives such as 7-OH, mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, MGM-15, or MGM-16. The center reported that labels on some products did not disclose these suspected substances and noted that testing and investigation remained ongoing.
Someone who develops cravings, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, unusual sedation, or compulsive use after taking a product marketed as Cat’s Claw therefore should not assume the traditional herb caused those effects.
The actual ingredients matter.
Traditional Cat’s Claw and the “Cat’s Claw Drug” May Not Be the Same Thing
The phrase cat’s claw drug can create confusion because the traditional botanical and products using the Cat’s Claw name can have very different risk profiles.
Traditional Cat’s Claw
Traditional cat’s claw typically refers to two plants in the Uncaria genus:
- Uncaria tomentosa
- Uncaria guianensis
These woody vines grow in tropical areas of Central and South America. People have promoted cat’s claw as a dietary supplement for several health purposes, although NCCIH reports that human research has not produced conclusive evidence supporting its use for any health purpose.
Traditional cat’s claw also differs botanically from kratom, which comes from Mitragyna speciosa.
Products Marketed as “Cat’s Claw”
Some retail products using the Cat’s Claw name raise a very different concern.
Public-health investigators suspect that certain products contained opioid-active kratom-related compounds even though their labels did not disclose those substances.
Consumers therefore should not assume that every product marketed as Cat’s Claw contains the same ingredients or carries the same risks as traditional Uncaria cat’s claw.
What Is 7-OH?
7-hydroxymitragynine, commonly shortened to 7-OH, is a psychoactive compound associated with kratom.
Small amounts can occur naturally in botanical kratom. Public-health agencies have focused greater concern on products containing added, enhanced, or concentrated 7-OH.
The FDA warns about the risks of concentrated 7-OH products. The agency describes them as novel potent opioid products and states that no 7-OH product has FDA approval for medical use. The FDA recommends avoiding products that contain 7-OH as an added ingredient or at enhanced levels.
This helps explain why someone using a mislabeled or adulterated Cat’s Claw product could experience effects that traditional cat’s claw would not normally produce.
For more information about these substances, read RCC’s guide to kratom and 7-OH addiction and treatment.
Can Cat’s Claw Products Cause Dependence?
If a product genuinely contains only traditional Uncaria cat’s claw, opioid-type dependence would not be the expected concern.
The situation changes when a product contains an opioid-active ingredient.
Repeated exposure to opioid-active substances can cause physical dependence. The body adapts to the substance, and stopping or substantially reducing use may then trigger withdrawal.
Physical dependence does not automatically mean someone has an addiction or opioid use disorder. A person may develop physical dependence without meeting the diagnostic criteria for a substance use disorder.
Signs that warrant a professional evaluation can include:
- strong cravings
- needing more of the product to get the same effect
- repeatedly trying and failing to stop
- using the product primarily to avoid withdrawal
- losing control over how much or how often they use it
- continuing use despite physical, emotional, financial, work, or relationship problems
- spending substantial time obtaining, using, or recovering from the substance
If these problems began after someone started using a product labeled Cat’s Claw, they should consider the possibility of an undisclosed opioid-active ingredient.
What Does Cat’s Claw Withdrawal Feel Like?
Researchers have not established an opioid-like withdrawal syndrome for traditional botanical cat’s claw.
If someone experiences opioid-like withdrawal after regularly taking a retail Cat’s Claw product, another active ingredient may be responsible.
Possible withdrawal symptoms associated with 7-OH, kratom-related substances, or other opioid-active compounds can include:
- restlessness
- anxiety or irritability
- difficulty sleeping
- sweating
- muscle or body aches
- runny nose
- gastrointestinal discomfort
- nausea
- diarrhea
- strong cravings
Symptoms alone cannot tell someone exactly what a product contained.
RCC’s 7-OH and kratom withdrawal timeline explains how withdrawal can vary according to the product, amount, dosing frequency, duration of use, and individual health factors.
Someone experiencing withdrawal should tell a healthcare professional exactly what product they used, how often they took it, approximately how much they used, where they purchased it, and when they took their last dose.
Keep the original packaging if it is still available so the clinician can review the label.
Can Cat’s Claw Products Cause an Overdose?
Traditional cat’s claw should not be confused with an adulterated product containing potent opioid-active compounds.
The Utah Poison Control Center has received multiple reports of severe overdoses connected with some products marketed as Cat’s Claw or kava. Investigators suspected synthetic kratom derivatives in the products involved.
Signs of a possible opioid overdose can include:
- extremely slow, irregular, or stopped breathing
- inability to wake the person
- severe sleepiness or unconsciousness
- blue, gray, or unusually pale lips or skin
- limpness
- choking, snoring, or gurgling sounds in an unresponsive person
An opioid overdose is a medical emergency.
If someone cannot wake up or is not breathing normally, call 911 immediately. If naloxone is available, administer it according to its instructions while contacting emergency services.
Utah Poison Control specifically recommends calling 911 and administering naloxone when someone who used one of these products cannot breathe or wake up.
Even when naloxone improves the person’s condition, they still need emergency medical evaluation.
Why the Product Label May Not Tell the Whole Story
One of the most concerning aspects of the recent Cat’s Claw reports involves uncertainty about what the products actually contain.
A package can look like an ordinary herbal supplement while containing something substantially different from the botanical ingredient a consumer expects.
The FDA reports that sellers offer concentrated 7-OH in tablets, gummies, drink mixes, and shots. Utah Poison Control has separately warned about Cat’s Claw products with labels that did not disclose the opioid-active substances investigators suspected.
Appearance and marketing alone therefore cannot establish what a tablet or other product contains.
Laboratory testing provides the most reliable way to identify the compounds and concentrations in a questionable product.
Cat’s Claw, Kratom, and Tennessee Law
This distinction matters especially for Tennessee residents.
As of July 1, 2026, Tennessee prohibits the possession, manufacture, or sale of kratom. The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services explains the current kratom law and states that the 2026 law expanded earlier restrictions to include the kratom plant and products made from it, including powders, capsules, gummies, extracts, and liquid shots.
A seller using another botanical name on a product does not establish what the product actually contains.
RCC also explains 7-hydroxy products and Tennessee’s concerns about them.
For someone concerned about a product sold as Cat’s Claw, immediate medical safety and identifying the likely substance matter more than the marketing name printed on the package.
When Cat’s Claw Use May Point to an Opioid-Related Problem
Consider talking with an addiction-treatment professional if use of Cat’s Claw tablets or another retail product has become difficult to control.
Cats Claw addiction can feel like:
- needing progressively more of the product to get the same effect
- feeling sick or uncomfortable when attempting to stop
- repeatedly trying and failing to quit
- experiencing strong cravings
- using the product throughout the day
- continuing use despite physical, emotional, financial, work, or relationship problems
- using the product specifically to prevent withdrawal
- combining it with other substances
- experiencing an overdose or severe sedation
- discovering that the product may contain 7-OH or another opioid-active compound
A clinician can review the pattern of use, withdrawal symptoms, possible opioid exposure, other medications and substances, and medical history before recommending treatment.
Can Suboxone Treat Cat’s Claw Dependence?
There is an important distinction here.
Suboxone contains buprenorphine and naloxone and treats opioid use disorder (OUD). Suboxone does not specifically treat traditional cat’s claw use or a separate FDA-recognized condition called “cat’s claw addiction.”
Whether buprenorphine-based treatment makes sense for someone who has used a product marketed as Cat’s Claw depends on the substance involved, the person’s symptoms and use pattern, and a clinician’s assessment.
This question becomes particularly relevant when a product may contain 7-OH or another opioid-active substance.
People should not begin, borrow, stop, or change their Suboxone dose on their own to manage withdrawal from an unknown retail product.
A healthcare professional can determine whether opioid use disorder is present and whether buprenorphine-based treatment or another approach makes sense.
Tennessee residents who suspect 7-OH or kratom-related dependence can learn more about how Suboxone treatment for kratom addiction works. RCC also offers a virtual addiction treatment program throughout Tennessee.
What Should You Do If You Have Been Taking Cat’s Claw Tablets Regularly?
Start by identifying the product you have used as accurately as possible.
Check the label for:
- Uncaria tomentosa
- Uncaria guianensis
- kratom or Mitragyna speciosa
- mitragynine
- 7-hydroxymitragynine or 7-OH
- proprietary blends
- incompletely identified ingredients
Keep the packaging if you still have it.
Remember that public-health investigators have raised concerns about products whose labels may not accurately disclose their contents. A label therefore cannot always rule out unexpected ingredients.
If you have used the product regularly and develop significant withdrawal when you stop, discuss the situation with a healthcare professional rather than repeatedly taking more of the product simply to relieve the symptoms.
Tell the clinician about alcohol, benzodiazepines, prescription opioids, sleep medicines, gabapentinoids, and other medications or substances you use. This information can affect treatment and safety decisions.
Do Not Confuse Withdrawal With an Emergency
Withdrawal can feel extremely uncomfortable, but severe sedation or impaired breathing requires a different response.
Seek emergency help immediately if someone:
- cannot wake up
- breathes very slowly or irregularly
- stops breathing
- develops blue or gray lips or fingertips
- becomes severely confused or unresponsive
Call 911 and administer naloxone if available when you suspect an opioid overdose.
Do not wait to determine exactly which ingredient caused the reaction before seeking emergency care.
Getting Help for Cat’s Claw Addiction or Other Unknown Opioid-Like Substance
People can develop dependence on a substance even when they did not initially realize what a retail product contained.
A medical assessment can help identify the problem and determine appropriate next steps.
A healthcare professional may ask about:
- the exact product used
- dose and frequency
- duration of use
- effects the person experienced or sought
- withdrawal symptoms
- previous opioid or kratom use
- other medications and substances
- previous overdoses
- attempts to stop
- cravings and loss of control
These details can help a clinician determine whether the problem involves physical dependence, opioid use disorder, another substance use disorder, or a different medical issue.
If you live in Tennessee and suspect that a Cat’s Claw product you have used contains 7-OH, kratom derivatives, or another opioid-active substance, Recovery Care of Columbia provides virtual treatment for opioid use disorder, including care for patients with kratom and 7-OH dependence.
Whether Suboxone is appropriate requires an individual clinical assessment.
Call or text RCC at (931) 548-3062 if you want to discuss treatment options.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cat’s Claw Dependence
1. Is cat’s claw addictive?
Traditional cat’s claw from Uncaria tomentosa or Uncaria guianensis is not the same as kratom, and current evidence does not establish it as an addictive opioid. However, public-health investigators have warned about certain retail products marketed as Cat’s Claw that they suspect contained potent opioid-active kratom derivatives. Dependence risk therefore depends on what the product actually contains.
2. Is Cat’s Claw the same as kratom?
No. Traditional cat’s claw and kratom come from different plants. Cat’s claw generally comes from Uncaria species, while kratom comes from Mitragyna speciosa. Confusion has arisen because investigators suspect that some retail products marketed as Cat’s Claw contained kratom-related ingredients.
3. Is Cat’s Claw an opioid?
Traditional botanical cat’s claw is not the same thing as an opioid drug. However, investigators have raised concerns about retail products bearing the Cat’s Claw name because they suspect some contained substances with opioid activity, including 7-OH and related compounds.
4. Can Cat’s Claw tablets contain 7-OH?
Investigators suspect that some products marketed as Cat’s Claw contained 7-OH or related substances. That does not mean every Cat’s Claw product contains these compounds. A product name or label alone cannot confirm its contents.
5. Can you become dependent on Cat’s Claw tablets?
Dependence becomes a particular concern if the tablets contain an opioid-active ingredient such as concentrated 7-OH or a related compound. Someone experiencing tolerance, cravings, or withdrawal while using a retail Cat’s Claw product should consider a medical evaluation.
6. What are the signs of Cat’s Claw withdrawal?
Researchers have not established an opioid-like withdrawal syndrome for traditional botanical cat’s claw. If a retail product contains kratom-related opioid compounds, withdrawal may involve restlessness, sleep problems, sweating, body aches, gastrointestinal symptoms, irritability, and cravings. Symptoms alone cannot identify the substance involved.
7. Can Cat’s Claw cause an opioid overdose?
Traditional cat’s claw differs from an opioid drug. However, Utah Poison Control has received reports of severe opioid-type overdoses associated with certain products marketed as Cat’s Claw or kava. Investigators suspect undeclared kratom-related compounds in those products. Someone who cannot wake up or breathe normally needs emergency care.
8. Does naloxone work for a Cat’s Claw overdose?
If someone shows signs of an opioid overdose after taking a Cat’s Claw product, call 911 and administer naloxone if it is available. Utah Poison Control specifically recommends this response for suspected overdoses involving the products under investigation.
9. Can Suboxone help with Cat’s Claw withdrawal?
Suboxone treats opioid use disorder; it does not specifically treat traditional cat’s claw use. If a product sold as Cat’s Claw contains an opioid-active substance and someone develops opioid dependence or opioid use disorder, a healthcare professional can determine whether buprenorphine-based treatment or another approach makes sense.
10. Should I stop Cat’s Claw tablets immediately if I think I am dependent?
The safest approach depends on what the product contains, how frequently you use it, other medications or substances involved, and the symptoms you experience. Significant withdrawal, uncontrolled use, or suspected opioid exposure warrants medical guidance rather than trying to identify the substance or choose a treatment plan on your own.
The Bottom Line
The term cat’s claw addiction can mislead people because traditional cat’s claw and certain retail products sold under the Cat’s Claw name are not necessarily the same thing.
Traditional cat’s claw is an Uncaria botanical and differs from kratom. Public-health warnings in 2026, however, identified serious concerns about some retail Cat’s Claw products that investigators suspect contained undeclared, potent kratom-related opioid compounds.
If someone develops tolerance, cravings, withdrawal, compulsive use, severe sedation, or other opioid-like effects after using Cat’s Claw tablets, an unexpected ingredient may be responsible.
A healthcare professional can evaluate the actual pattern of substance use and determine whether opioid dependence, opioid use disorder, or another condition is present.
What matters clinically is not just the name printed on the package. It is what substance the person actually took and how that substance is affecting them.
Request an Appointment Online
If you live in Tennessee and want an evaluation for suspected opioid, kratom, or 7-OH dependence, you can request an appointment online:
- Register with TennCare Medicaid — typically $0 out-of-pocket
- Register with UHC Medicare Advantage
- Register with commercial insurance
- Register as a Self-Pay Patient
- Apply for our sliding-scale program
- Returning patients — restart treatment
After registration, RCC staff review your information and contact you about scheduling. A licensed clinician evaluates your symptoms, substance use, health history, and treatment needs and determines whether medication is clinically appropriate. RCC’s live registration pages state that appointment timing depends on availability.
Prefer to speak with someone first? Call or text us today at (931) 548-3062, or send a secure message through the Spruce Health mobile app.