Cat · Felis catus · typical adult weight 2.50–7.00 kg
Alfaxalone is dosed at 2–5 mg/kg IM once in cats, per Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.29, Alfaxalone monograph spanning p.29-34; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Alfaxalone is used in cats for Sedation, short procedures, Induction of general anesthesia. Routes documented in cats: IM, IV. A typical adult cat weighs 2.50–7.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Alfaxalone in cats, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Alfaxan
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IM | 2–5 mg/kg | once | Single dose | Sedation, short procedures | Strong | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.29, Alfaxalone monograph spanning p.29-34; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| IV | 2–5 mg/kg | Once (induction); titrate IV over ~60 sec | Emergency; may repeat | Induction of general anesthesia | Moderate | Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th ed (2023, held copy; the original seed cited the 9th, which was never consulted) — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.29, Alfaxalone monograph spanning p.29-34; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| IV | 2–5 mg/kg | once | Single induction dose | Induction of general anesthesia | Strong | Alfaxan Multidose - Alfaxalone Injection, Solution [US Product Label]. Jurox Inc.; 2019. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=6fd00f51-db05-407f-ab80-cba1b6aa9596; Alfaxan(R) Anaesthetic Injection [AU Product Label]. Jurox Pty Limited; 2018. — Verified against Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook, 10th Ed, p.59 (2026-08-01). — Plumb's 10th ed (held) printed p.29, Alfaxalone monograph spanning p.29-34; page located 2026-08-05 from the book's own running heads, verified to name the drug in its body text. — 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 (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–5 | IV | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.26 | 2-5 mg/kg i.v.; the lower end of the dose range is often adequate. |
| 1–1.5 | — | BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part A (Canine and Feline)p.26 | ommended as a continuous rate infusion or top-up boluses of 1-1.5 mg/kg q10min. |
| 2.2–9.7 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 | • 2.2-9.7 mg/kg IV if cats did not receive a preanesthetic sedative. 1-10.8 mg/kg |
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Neuroactive steroid that modulates GABA-A receptors, producing dose-dependent sedation to general anesthesia.
Apnea with rapid IV injection — titrate slowly. No analgesic properties. Short shelf life once broached (use within 6 hours unless preserved formulation). Good safety profile in exotic species.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for cats may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Alfaxalone dose ranges in cats, with cited source references: IM 2–5 mg/kg once; IV 2–5 mg/kg Once (induction); titrate IV over ~60 sec; IV 2–5 mg/kg once. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Alfaxalone in cats: IM, IV.
Cited course lengths for Alfaxalone in cats include: Single dose; Emergency; may repeat; Single induction dose. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Alfaxalone is indicated in cats for: Sedation, short procedures, Induction of general anesthesia.
These are general warnings for Alfaxalone across species; consult the cat dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Apnea with rapid IV injection — titrate slowly. No analgesic properties. Short shelf life once broached (use within 6 hours unless preserved formulation). Good safety profile in exotic species.
Why a species-specific page? Alfaxalone 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.
| 1–10.8 |
| IV |
| Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 |
| • 2.2-9.7 mg/kg IV if cats did not receive a preanesthetic sedative. 1-10.8 mg/kg |
| 1–1.3 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 | tient response. Generally, the dose is 1-1.3 mg/kg IV (up to 5 mg/kg) delivered |
| 5 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 | tient response. Generally, the dose is 1-1.3 mg/kg IV (up to 5 mg/kg) delivered |
| 2 | — | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 | over 60 seconds, followed by sequential doses of 2 mg/kg as needed. |
| 1.7 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 | • Loading dose of 1.7 mg/kg IV, followed by constant rate infusion of |
| 7–10 | IV | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.46 | 7-10 mg/kg/hour IV. |
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.