Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) is dosed at 140 mg/kg IV Load 140 mg/kg IV, then 70 mg/kg q6h, min 7 doses in cats, per Avizeh R, Najafzadeh H, Razijalali M, Shirali S. Evaluation of prophylactic and therapeutic effects of silymarin and N-acetylcysteine in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in cats. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33(1):95-99. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2885.2009.01100.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.40 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.13, Acetylcysteine monograph spanning p.12-13; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) is used in cats for Acetaminophen toxicosis. Routes documented in cats: IV. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 1 cited dose rule for Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Mucomyst, Acetadote
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IV | 140 mg/kg |
| Load 140 mg/kg IV, then 70 mg/kg q6h, min 7 doses |
| Loading dose then 5-7 maintenance doses; treat aggressively |
| Acetaminophen toxicosis |
| Strong |
| Avizeh R, Najafzadeh H, Razijalali M, Shirali S. Evaluation of prophylactic and therapeutic effects of silymarin and N-acetylcysteine in acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in cats. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2010;33(1):95-99. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2885.2009.01100.x — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.40 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.13, Acetylcysteine monograph spanning p.12-13; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, and carries this exact dose under the matching species heading. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (%) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Eye solution: 2% solution topically q2h. |
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | IM | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.19 | n over 15-20 min, followed by further slow infusions of 70 mg/kg (similarly diluted) every 6 hours for at least 7 doses, depending on dose of par |
| 140–280 |
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Provides cysteine for hepatic glutathione regeneration, conjugating the toxic NAPQI metabolite of acetaminophen. Also acts as direct free radical scavenger.
IV preferred for severe toxicosis. PO causes vomiting due to taste/smell. Loading dose followed by maintenance. Most effective within 8-10 hours of ingestion.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) dose range in cats, with cited source references: IV 140 mg/kg Load 140 mg/kg IV, then 70 mg/kg q6h, min 7 doses. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) in cats: IV.
Cited course lengths for Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) in cats include: Loading dose then 5-7 maintenance doses; treat aggressively. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) is indicated in cats for: Acetaminophen toxicosis.
These are general warnings for Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. IV preferred for severe toxicosis. PO causes vomiting due to taste/smell. Loading dose followed by maintenance. Most effective within 8-10 hours of ingestion.
Why a species-specific page? Acetylcysteine (Antidotal) pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in cats — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| IV |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.19 |
| riate, i.e. presented within 2 hours of ingestion) give 140-280 mg/kg diluted to a 5% solution using 5% dextrose by slow i.v. infusion over 15-20 min, |
| 70 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Antidote: 140 mg/kg (loading dose), then 70 mg/kg q4h IV or PO for 5 doses. |
| 17 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • To prevent contrast-medium nephropathy: 17 mg/kg IV bolus, followed by |
| 17 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | 17 mg/kg every 12 hours for 48 hours. |
| 50 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Constant-rate infusions have been used to treat oxidative stress (50 mg/kg |
| 140 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.36 | • Antidote: 140 mg/kg (loading dose), then 70 mg/kg q4h IV or PO for 5 doses. |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.