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A curious dog and cat at home near a kitchen cabinet where pest-control products are used
Daniel Brady · NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664
Reviewed by Daniel Brady

Is Max Ant & Roach Spray by Raid Safe for Pets?

Use with caution
Max Ant & Roach Spray by Raid is not the same formula as Raid's standard Ant & Roach Killer Spray — it pairs imiprothrin with deltamethrin rather than cypermethrin, and the label directs removing pets and birds and covering aquariums before spraying.The honest, per-species answer follows the familiar pyrethroid pattern: dogs usually tolerate it once the spray is fully dry; cats should be kept off treated surfaces until dry and ventilated because cats can't efficiently metabolize pyrethroids; and birds and fish should be removed entirely, since pyrethroids are highly toxic to fish and hazardous to birds by inhalation. This "Max" version also has a longer residual, up to about 6 months, so keep treated cracks and crevices out of ongoing pet contact, not just off-limits while wet. If your pet licks wet product or shows drooling, tremors, or twitching, call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control right away.

At a Glance

  • Product: Max Ant & Roach Spray by Raid · Raid
  • Active ingredient: Imiprothrin 0.101%, Deltamethrin 0.050%
  • Re-entry: Typically until visibly dry — follow the product label, which is the legal authority.
  • Cat owners: Cats differ — read the cat card below
The verdict for pet owners

The short, honest answer

Pet-safety score
55out of 100
Use with caution

The score rolls up every per-species verdict below, weighted by the honest exposure that matters — a chewed-open tube, not a hidden dab — and is checked against the EPA label and veterinary toxicology.

The verdict
Use with caution

Safe around dogs once fully dry — but this is a different formula than standard Raid Ant & Roach, and cats, birds, and fish still need real caution.

"Max" is not just a stronger version of Raid's standard Ant & Roach Killer Spray — it's a genuinely different pair of pyrethroids (imiprothrin + deltamethrin instead of imiprothrin + cypermethrin), with a longer residual of up to about 6 months. Dogs generally tolerate labeled use once treated surfaces are fully dry, but cats remain the sharpest exception because they can't efficiently clear pyrethroids, and birds and fish are in the highest-risk group for this entire product class. Because the residual lasts longer than standard-strength sprays, keeping treated zones out of ongoing pet contact matters even after the initial drying window.

General information, not veterinary advice. For a suspected exposure, contact your veterinarian or a pet-poison hotline. Verdict checked 2026-07-13 against the EPA label and veterinary toxicology.

Safety by pet

It's not one answer — it's one per animal

Cats, birds, and fish routinely differ sharply from dogs. That contrast is the whole point of this scorecard, and no manufacturer page draws it.

Scorecard at a glance
  • DogsCaution
  • CatsAvoid
  • Small mammalsCaution
  • BirdsAvoid
  • FishAvoid
DogsCaution

Generally tolerated once fully dry

Dogs metabolize pyrethroids relatively well, and the label directs keeping pets out until the spray has dried. The main risk is a dog licking wet product — the petroleum-distillate carrier can cause GI upset. Keep dogs off treated surfaces until dry.

NPIC deltamethrin fact sheet; Raid product labeling

CatsAvoid
Cats differ — added blood-disorder risk

Keep cats off until fully dry and ventilated

Both imiprothrin and deltamethrin are pyrethroids, and cats are the most sensitive common pet to this class because they lack efficient glucuronidation to clear the compounds. Wet residue on paws or fur is then ingested during grooming. Keep cats out of the room during application and until surfaces are completely dry.

Merck Veterinary Manual pyrethroid toxicosis

Small mammalsCaution

Remove during application and until dry

Small mammals have small body size and high metabolic/respiratory rates, which raises sensitivity to airborne aerosol and residue. Move them and their enclosures out of the room during treatment and until it's dry and ventilated.

NPIC deltamethrin fact sheet

BirdsAvoid

Remove birds before spraying — the label says so explicitly

Raid's own label for this product directs removing pets and birds and covering aquariums before spraying. Birds' respiratory systems are extremely sensitive to aerosolized pyrethroids and propellants. Remove birds entirely before use and ventilate before their return.

Raid product labeling; NPIC

FishAvoid

Cover or turn off aquariums — pyrethroids are highly toxic to fish

The label directs covering aquariums before spraying. Both imiprothrin and deltamethrin are highly toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates even at trace levels.

Raid product labeling; NPIC deltamethrin fact sheet

The chemistry, in plain terms

What's in it — and what it does to pets

Imiprothrin
0.101% · Pyrethroid (Type I)Fast contact knockdown
Deltamethrin
0.050% · Pyrethroid (Type II)Residual kill
Deltamethrin

A Type II pyrethroid that overstimulates the nervous system. In sensitive pets — especially cats — it can cause drooling, tremors, twitching, and hyperexcitability, and it's highly toxic to aquatic life. This "Max" formula's residual lasts longer (up to roughly 6 months) than many standard-strength sprays, so treated zones remain an active insecticide surface well after the initial dry-time window.

Most at riskCatsFishBirds

NPIC deltamethrin fact sheet; Merck Veterinary Manual

Imiprothrin

A fast-acting Type I pyrethroid used for quick knockdown. Same class-level nervous-system effects as other pyrethroids; cats are the most vulnerable pet, and the aerosol/petroleum-distillate carrier adds an inhalation and GI-irritation concern when wet.

Most at riskCatsBirds

NPIC pyrethrins/pyrethroids fact sheet

The actionable core

How to use it safely around pets

Like the standard Raid Ant & Roach spray, this is meant as a targeted spot treatment, not a whole-room spray — but confirm you're treating it as its own formula, not assuming it matches the standard product's residual or exact actives.

Remove pets and their things

Take all pets — including caged birds, small mammals, and any fish tanks that can't be covered — out of the treatment area before you start.

Watch out
Birds and fish should leave the room entirely; the label explicitly directs removing pets and birds and covering aquariums.

Spray surfaces only, never the air or a pet

Apply along baseboards, cracks, crevices, and under/behind appliances where insects travel — not broadcast across open floors. Never spray it into the air or directly on an animal.

Watch out
Do not apply to food, dishes, or food-prep surfaces.

Let it dry completely and ventilate

Keep pets out until the treated surfaces are fully dry and the room has been aired out.

Watch out
Wet pyrethroid residue is the main exposure route for cats grooming their paws.

Remember the longer residual

This formula's residual can last up to roughly 6 months, longer than many standard sprays — place applications where pets won't repeatedly touch or lick the surface, not just avoid it while wet.

Watch out
A punctured or heated aerosol can is a separate hazard — never store near heat.
The re-entry rule

Keep all pets off treated surfaces until the spray is fully dry and the room is ventilated.

Typically until visibly dry — follow the product label, which is the legal authority.

Cats, birds, and fish warrant extra time and ventilation; when in doubt, keep them out longer, and remember the longer residual keeps treated zones active for months.

Rather not spray pyrethroids around your pets?

Anchor's licensed NH technicians use targeted, pet-conscious placement instead of whole-room spraying.

Get a Free Pet-Safe Inspection(603) 785-0118
If something's off

Symptoms to watch for

A sign, its urgency, and what to do — never a diagnosis. When in doubt, the emergency panel below is one tap away.

  • Drooling or hypersalivation

    Often the earliest sign in cats

    Moderate

  • Paw flicking, ear or skin twitching

    Moderate

  • Vomiting

    Moderate

  • Tremors

    Serious

  • Hyperexcitability or agitation

    Serious

  • Seizures

    Most likely in cats with significant exposure — seek emergency care

    Emergency
If your pet was exposed

Act now — call a vet or a pet-poison line

Do not induce vomiting unless told to

If your pet ate, licked, or walked through this product, act now — bring the can or a photo of the label when you call. This page is general information, not veterinary advice — for a suspected exposure, contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control (888-426-4435) right away.

What each situation calls for

  • Your pet licked or walked through wet product

    Wipe the residue off paws/fur with a damp cloth to stop further grooming ingestion, then call your vet or a pet poison hotline for guidance. Do not induce vomiting unless a professional tells you to.

  • Your cat is drooling, twitching, or tremoring

    Treat as urgent — cats are the most pyrethroid-sensitive pet. Call your vet or ASPCA Animal Poison Control immediately and bring the can or a photo of the label.

  • A bird was in the room during spraying

    Move the bird to fresh air at once and contact an avian vet or a pet poison hotline — birds can be affected by inhalation alone.

In the next 60 seconds

  1. Get your pet away from the treated area and any wet product.
  2. Gently wipe wet residue off paws and fur to stop grooming ingestion.
  3. Do NOT induce vomiting unless a veterinarian or poison expert tells you to.
  4. Have the product name and EPA registration number (from the can) ready.
  5. Call your veterinarian or one of the hotlines below.
Lower-risk options

Safer pet-friendly alternatives

Honest options that reduce or remove pet-toxicity — no affiliate hype, real caveats included.

Enclosed/tamper-resistant bait stations

Safer

Enclosed bait (kept out of pet reach)

The active is sealed inside a station instead of sprayed across surfaces pets touch, sharply cutting contact and grooming exposure.

Still contains an insecticide — place where pets and children can't pry them open.

Mechanical exclusion + sanitation

Safer

Non-chemical

Caulking entry points, fixing moisture, and removing food removes the reason ants and roaches come in — zero pet toxicity.

Slower than a spray and needs consistency; best paired with targeted baiting.

Plant-based (EPA 25(b) minimum-risk) sprays

Safer

Botanical / minimum-risk

Formulated from plant oils rather than pyrethroids, with a lower systemic-toxicity profile for mammals.

"Plant-based" is not "harmless" — concentrated essential oils can still affect cats; let surfaces dry.

Professional pet-conscious treatment (Anchor Pest Services)

Safer

Licensed professional service

Licensed applicators use targeted placement and pet-aware protocols instead of homeowner broadcast spraying, minimizing where and how much product a pet can contact.

A service, not a product — request a pet-safety-focused plan.

Local to New Hampshire

Pet-safe pest control in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's short warm season concentrates ant and roach activity into a tight spring-through-fall window, which is when homeowners buy the higher-residual 'max' formulas. Personal use of a general-use retail spray on your own home is legal, but under RSA 430 any pesticide application done for hire in New Hampshire must be performed by an applicator licensed by the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food (NHDAMF) Division of Pesticide Control. Anchor Pest Services is NH-licensed (#782664) and uses targeted placement instead of whole-room spraying across Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and the surrounding towns.

Anchor Pest Services

NH-licensed applicator #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430) · NEPMA member · family-owned since 2017.

Service Area Map

Southern New Hampshire

BristolPop. 3,200LoudonPop. 5,500ConcordPop. 43,900HooksettPop. 14,800GoffstownPop. 18,000AuburnPop. 5,700ManchesterPop. 115,600BedfordPop. 23,300LitchfieldPop. 8,500AmherstPop. 11,300DerryPop. 34,500MilfordPop. 15,700HudsonPop. 25,600NashuaPop. 91,100SalemPop. 30,000HQCityHover for info
Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

Sources(5)
  1. [1]
    Raid — Max Ant & Roach Spray Retailer Ingredient Panels

    Verified actives (imiprothrin 0.101%, deltamethrin 0.050%), distinguishing this formula from standard Raid Ant & Roach

    manufacturerverified 2026-07-13
  2. [2]
    Raid.com — Max Ant & Roach Spray Product Page

    Label directive to remove pets and birds and cover aquariums

    manufacturerverified 2026-07-13
  3. [3]
    NPIC — Deltamethrin General Fact Sheet

    Pyrethroid toxicity, cat sensitivity, fish/bird hazard

    npicverified 2026-07-13
  4. [4]
    NPIC — Pyrethrins and Pyrethroids Fact Sheet

    Class-level mode of action and pet risk

    npicverified 2026-07-13
  5. [5]
    Merck Veterinary Manual — Pyrethrin and Pyrethroid Toxicosis

    Cat glucuronidation deficiency; clinical signs

    veterinaryverified 2026-07-13

Written & reviewed by

Verified

Daniel Brady

NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430)

Daniel Brady is the New Hampshire–licensed applicator behind Anchor Pest Services, a family-owned pest control company serving the Manchester area since 2017.

Verify license

Last updated 2026-07-13

Pet-Safe Professional Pest Control

Skip the Guesswork — and the Wet-Residue Risk

DIY sprays put the pet-safety burden on you. Anchor Pest Services treats ants and roaches with targeted, pet-aware methods across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Get a Free Pet-Safe Inspection(603) 785-0118
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