What Is Kitty Flipping? Ketamine x MDMA

Mixing two separate psychoactive substances isn’t a good idea, but that doesn’t stop people from wanting to try it. 

Some drug combinations can be overwhelming, dangerous, or even fatal. Understanding the effects and consequences of mixing psychoactive drugs is crucial for harm reduction and having the best experience possible.

In this article, you’ll read all about “kitty flipping” — the practice of combining ketamine and MDMA (ecstasy) together. We’ll explore how this combination feels, what the risks are, and why it has such a ridiculous name.

What Is Kitty Flipping?

“Kitty flipping” is a cute name that describes the combination of ketamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine — more commonly referred to as MDMA or ecstasy. 

Both of these psychoactive substances are potent enough on their own, but taken together, can create an other-worldly experience.

Kitty flipping most commonly refers to taking them simultaneously; however, some users prefer to take ecstasy first and then snort or inject ketamine during the comedown. Some refer to this as “softening the landing.”

What Does Kitty Flipping Feel Like?

A kitty flip combines the euphoric, sensual, and emotional experiences of MDMA with the dissociative effects of ketamine. The experience shares a common overlap with both substances but maintains qualities unlike any other. 

Kitty flipping is often described as intense and persisting visual and auditory hallucinations. The MDMA keeps the experience positive, but the dissociative effects of ketamine can induce highly realistic hallucinations, which can sometimes be a bit frightening. 

Users often feel as though they’re teleporting from one location to another or sitting somewhere outside their body. 

Kitty flipping often delivers an intense emotional or sexual connection with other people. For this reason, ketamine and MDMA are both popular among people attending raves or clubs.

The hallucinations can last for several hours, but many users report feeling like that timeframe lasted far longer. The skewed perception of time and distortion of reality can promote feelings of confusion and anxiety in some people who find that they aren’t willing to let go and let the experience run its course.

Most people describe kitty flipping as a borderline overwhelming but mostly positive experience.

What Is Kitty Flipping?

The term “kitty flipping” comes from a combination of tripping (from ketamine) and rolling (from MDMA). The term “flipping” has become a common idiom for combining an empathogen with psychedelics. 

Many other drug combinations with the “roll” of MDMA are referred to as flipping, including “hippy flipping” for psilocybin and MDMA and “candy flipping” for LSD and MDMA.

The term “kitty” derives from street names for ketamine, which include “kit kat,” “cat valium,” and “kitty kat.”

Why Take Ketamine & MDMA Together?

People take ketamine and MDMA together for two primary reasons.

The first is for an intense and unique psychoactive experience that is unlike any other single drug’s effects. For experienced psychedelic users, the dissociation provided by ketamine mixed with the intense connection MDMA causes you to feel with people and your surroundings is appealing, if only because it’s different.

Others intentionally kitty flip but to a lesser degree by using ketamine to reduce the negative comedown effects of MDMA. Many people coming off of ecstasy feel depression, anxiety, and other unwanted feelings, and the sedative properties associated with ketamine can help quell those feelings until the MDMA roll has come to a close.

When taking ketamine to ease the comedown side effects from MDMA, a much less intense psychedelic experience occurs, so some people don’t consider this true kitty flipping.

Is Kitty Flipping Safe?

There is no research available to confirm whether or not taking ketamine and MDMA together or relatively close together is safe. Generally speaking, combining drugs is not recommended and could potentially be dangerous, especially in the case of mixing competing drugs like ketamine and ecstasy.

When mixing compounds, you’re subject to the risks of each. For MDMA, that includes intoxication, heightened blood pressure, increased heart rate, and a temporary increase in body temperature that could be damaging to major organs. For ketamine, negative side effects include rapid changes in heart rate and blood pressure, short-term memory loss, elevated body temperature, and more.

As you can imagine, consuming two drugs that both cause increased heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature is inherently more dangerous than just taking one. Although some anecdotal evidence suggests that kitty flipping is safe, it’s generally not recommended.

Related: How to Stay Safe While Using Psychedelics.

How Long Does Kitty Flipping Last?

The effects of kitty flipping are highly dependent on dosage of each drug. Since MDMA and ketamine doses range wildly from user to user, it’s impossible to say exactly how long your experience will last.

A ketamine trip usually lasts for around an hour and a half, while An MDMA roll typically lasts for about three to six hours. It’s reasonable to assume that the typical kitty flipping experience will subside in about 90 minutes after taking both substances, while the MDMA roll will keep going for several more hours.

Larger-than-average doses will tend to lead to a longer experience, and redosing ketamine during your MDMA roll will also extend the timeline.

What’s the Normal Dose for Kitty Flipping?

There is no research about the combined effects of ketamine and MDMA. Therefore, there is no recommended or even average dose for either drug when it comes to combining them.

A standard MDMA dose is between 80 and 120 mg, while a typical ketamine dose can range anywhere from 10 mg to 60 mg or more for regular users (oral). If combining them together, it’s wise to take a lower dosage of both substances. 

It’s also a good idea to understand how each individual drug affects you first. From there, you can plan on taking your standard dose of each — or slightly less of each — to begin your kitty flipping experience.

Wrapping Up: Mixing MDMA and Ketamine

Kitty flipping — the act of mixing ketamine and MDMA for a unique and powerful psychedelic experience — is just one of many popular drug combinations used by psychonauts and psychedelic enthusiasts. The effects are often extremely intense, leading to heavy intoxication, sedation, and vibrant visual and auditory hallucinations.

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that kitty flipping is safe, so it’s generally not advisable, especially because the experience can be overwhelming for many people. If you do attempt kitty flipping, knowing your standard dose of MDMA and ketamine individually can help you figure out the right doses for mixing them together.